occupano

Occupano is the third-person plural form of the Italian verb occupare in the present indicative. It translates to “they occupy” or “they are occupying” and is used to describe taking possession of space, land, positions, or responsibilities, either literally or figuratively.

The verb occupare is transitive and typically followed by a direct object, such as a space, a building, a region, or a role. It can appear in various contexts, including everyday usage (occupare una stanza, occupy a room) and political or social contexts (occupare una sede, occupy a building). Metaphorically, it can mean to fill or dominate time, attention, or resources (occupare gran parte del tempo).

Etymology-wise, occupare comes from the Latin occupāre, formed from ob- plus capere, meaning to seize or take possession. The sense of seizing control or taking possession has remained central in its modern Italian uses. In conjugation, the present indicative endings are: io occupo, tu occupi, lui/lei occupa, noi occupiamo, voi occupate, loro occupano. The form occupano, therefore, is the correct third-person plural for “they occupy.”

Common derivatives include occupazione (occupation), occupante (occupant), and occupato (occupied or occupant). The term appears across disciplines—from geography and urban planning to history and politics—where describing control, use, or possession of space or status is relevant.