piangete

Piangete is the second-person plural present indicative and the imperative form of the Italian verb piangere, meaning “to cry” or “to weep.” It is used when addressing multiple people, either to describe their action or to urge them to cry.

The full present tense conjugation of piangere is: io piango, tu piangi, lui/lei piange, noi piangiamo, voi piangete, loro piangono. The imperative form for voi is piangete.

Etymology: the verb piangere derives from Latin plangere, meaning “to lament” or “to strike the breast.” It is part of the Romance-language family and shares cognates with related verbs in other languages.

Usage: in contemporary Italian, piangete can describe crying by a group, as in a narrative or report, or function as an imperative, such as in dramatic dialogue or exhortations. The phrase carries a strong emotional resonance and is more likely to appear in literary, artistic, or expressive contexts than in neutral, everyday speech.

Cultural notes: due to its emotional intensity, piangere and its imperative form piangete appear in Italian poetry, songs, and theater, where characters may be urged to mourn or express sorrow collectively. The form is primarily a grammatical element rather than a standalone concept, and its significance lies in its expressive potential within the language.

See also: piangere, Italian verbs, emotion in language.