significo

Significo is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb significare in Italian, and a parallel form in Spanish for significar. In both languages, it means “I signify” or “I mean.” In ordinary Italian, however, speakers typically use significa (it means) rather than significo, so the form significo is primarily encountered in grammatical explanations, linguistic examples, or didactic contexts that illustrate verb conjugation.

Etymology and linguistic context

The verb significare derives from Latin significare, from signum meaning “mark” or “sign” plus a verb-forming suffix. Related words include significato, meaning “meaning” or “significance,” and in semiotic theory, terms such as significante (the signifier) and significato (the meaning) are common in Italian. The relationship among these terms mirrors similar pairs in other Romance languages, such as Spanish, where significar is related to significado and significante.

Usage and nuances

Significo is rarely used in everyday Italian prose or speech outside explicit discussions of grammar or language analysis. When expressing that something has a particular meaning, speakers normally employ significare in compound constructions or the noun significato: “Questo simbolo significa qualcosa” (This symbol means something). The presence of significo, therefore, is largely educational or illustrative rather than a common lexical choice in ordinary communication.

In other languages

In Spanish, significar is conjugated as significo for “I signify,” but like Italian, indicar meaning is usually conveyed with significa in everyday use. The cognate forms highlight the shared Latin heritage of the Romance languages and the nominally connected terms for meaning and signification.

See also

Significato, Significante, Significato (linguistics), Signifier (semiotics).