tuonare

Tuonare is an Italian verb meaning to thunder, or to produce the sound of thunder, typically in reference to a storm. It is an intransitive verb whose subject is the sky or a weather system; the thunder itself is not an object of the action. The noun tuono denotes the thunder, while the verb describes the audible event.

Etymology: The verb derives from the Latin tonare (to thunder), with the Italian form tuonare evolving through phonological development. The related noun tuono shares the same root.

Grammar: Tuonare is a regular -are verb. In the present indicative: io tuono, tuoni, lui/lei tuona, noi tuoniamo, voi tuonate, loro tuonano. The imperfect is tuonava, tuonavi, tuonava, tuonavamo, tuonavate, tuonavano. The passato prossimo is formed with avere: ho tuonato, hai tuonato, ha tuonato, abbiamo tuonato, avete tuonato, hanno tuonato. Other tenses follow standard -are conjugation patterns. It is typically used intransitively, with no direct object; the weather subject is often implicit.

Usage: The verb is primarily used to describe the sound of thunder during a storm: "Il temporale tuona" or "La tempesta sta tuonando." In literary or rhetorical contexts it can be used figuratively, for example to describe loud, forceful speech or criticism, as in "tuonare contro qualcuno," though this usage is more stylistic than common in everyday speech.

See also: tuono, temporale, fulmine, meteorologia.

Examples: "Il cielo è nuvoloso; improvvisamente tuona." "La tempesta ha tuonato per ore durante la notte."