pregano

Pregano is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Italian verb pregare, meaning to pray or to beg. It is used when the subject is plural and the action takes place in the present. For example: Loro pregano ogni giorno, which can be translated as They pray every day. In addition to praying, pregare also means to ask someone to do something, to beg, or to entreat; in such contexts, pregano can mean they beg or they ask (someone) to do something, depending on the sentence.

Etymology and scope: The verb pregare is of Latin origin, deriving from precari, to entreat or to pray. The form pregano follows the regular -are verb conjugation in the present tense, alongside forms such as prego, pregni (you do not see this form in standard Italian), prega, preghiamo, and pregate. The distinction between praying and begging is determined by context and objects within the clause rather than by the form itself.

Usage notes: In everyday Italian, pregare is common in both religious contexts and in idiomatic expressions about requesting acts or favors. The meaning shifts with context: it can indicate prayer in a religious sense or a request/entreaty in non-religious settings. When translating to English, the safest rendering of pregano is either “they pray” or “they beg/they ask (them) to …,” depending on the surrounding words.

Limitations: As a verb form, pregano is not a standalone noun or concept; it functions as a grammatical form within sentences. Its meaning is determined by context, not by a specialized definition of the word itself.