sostituite

Sostituite is the feminine plural past participle of the verb sostituire, and it is also the second-person plural present indicative form of the same verb (voi sostituite). The meaning depends on the tense and construction: as a participle it generally means "replaced" or "substituted," while as a verb form it means "you substitute/replace." When used in compound tenses with avere, the participle can agree with a preceding direct object (for example, Le ho sostituite, I have replaced them).

Etymology and form: sostituire derives from Latin substituere, meaning to place under or to substitute. In Italian, the past participle is sostituito (masc. sing.), sostituita (fem. sing.), sostituiti (masc. pl.), and sostituite (fem. pl.). The feminine plural sostituite also serves as the second-person plural present indicative form of sostituire, creating potential ambiguity in plain text without contextual cues.

Usage and examples: As a passive or adjective, sostituite describes items that have been replaced, e.g., Le parti sono sostituite (the parts have been replaced). As a finite verb, it appears as voi sostituite (you replace). In perfect tenses with avere, agreement occurs if a preceding direct object is present, as in Le ho sostituite (I have replaced them). The term is common in technical, manufacturing, and editing contexts, where components or terms are substituted.

See also: sostituzione, sostituto, sostituire.