accingere

to prepare oneself

verb aht-CHIN-jeh-reh Rare

Origin: Latin accingere (to gird oneself), from ad- + cingere (to gird).

Also means

to set about

Usage Note

Accingere is almost exclusively used reflexively as accingersi (to be about to do something, to set oneself to a task): si accinge a partire (he is about to leave). It is a formal or literary expression; in everyday speech stare per (to be about to) is far more common. It takes essere as auxiliary in the reflexive.

Examples

"Si accinge a firmare il contratto."

Natural Translation

He is about to sign the contract.

Literal Translation

Himself prepares to sign the contract.

Free starter pack

Building your Italian vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Italian words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Italian Articles: Il, Lo, La, I, Gli, Le Explained

Italian has seven words for 'the' — il, lo, la, i, gli, le — but it's two questions, not seven cases. Master gender, sound, and the lo/gli rule fast.

June 5, 2026 7 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Present Tense: -are, -ere, -ire Verbs

Conjugate Italian present-tense verbs fast: one color-coded chart for -are, -ere, and -ire endings, plus the sneaky -isc- group most guides bury.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Ti Amo vs Ti Voglio Bene: I Love You in Italian

Ti amo is romantic love; ti voglio bene is tender affection for family and close friends. Here's exactly who to say each phrase to in Italian.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

You're Welcome in Italian: 8 Ways Beyond Prego

You're welcome in Italian is more than prego: say figurati to friends, si figuri to strangers, di niente, non c'è di che, or grazie a te. Pick the right one.

June 9, 2026 6 min read