inquadrare

Inquadrare is an Italian verb with several related meanings centered on placing something within boundaries or a framework. In physical terms, it means to frame or to position an object within a picture, a window, or a field of view. Figuratively, it denotes placing a subject within a broader system of relations or within a specific context, or classifying it within a category.

The verb is formed from the prefix in- plus quadrare (to square), conveying the idea of bringing something into a defined frame or alignment. The past participle is inquadrato. It is a regular -are verb and follows standard conjugation patterns: io inquadro, tu inquadri, lui/lei inquadra, noi inquadr iamo, voi inquadrate, loro inquadrano; passato prossimo uses avere plus inquadrato.

In cinematography and photography, inquadrare describes the act of composing a shot or cropping an image: for example, inquadrare una scena or inquadrare il soggetto al centro. In a figurative or practical sense, it means to frame or define a problem, issue, or situation: inquadrare un problema to establish its scope, or inquadrare una questione nel contesto storico to situate it within a historical context. In journalism and academia, the term is used to indicate placing a topic within a broader framework for analysis.

Nouns related to the term include inquadratura, meaning the frame or shot in photography or film, and the adjective inquadrabile, meaning capable of being framed or contextualized. Common collocations include inquadrare bene, inquadrare una situazione, and inquadrare un personaggio.