applicare

to apply

verb ahp-plee-KAH-reh Common

Origin: Latin applicare (to attach to)

Also means

to enforce

Usage Note

Applicare takes avere in compound tenses. In everyday use it means to apply something (a cream, a rule, a law): applicare una legge (to enforce a law). The reflexive applicarsi means to apply oneself diligently to a task. It should not be confused with English 'to apply for a job', which is fare domanda or candidarsi.

Examples

"Devi applicare la crema due volte al giorno."

Natural Translation

You must apply the cream twice a day.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Essere vs Avere: Italian Past Tense Made Simple

In the passato prossimo, use avere for most verbs and essere for movement, change, and reflexives — plus the agreement trap English speakers always miss.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Numbers 1 to 100: Count Like a Local

Learn Italian numbers 1 to 100 by mastering 0-20, the tens, and 3 spelling rules so you can generate any number from ventuno to novantanove on demand.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Hand Gestures: Meanings & When to Use

Italian hand gestures decoded: what the pinched fingers, cheek screw, and chin flick mean, which ones are safe to use, and the one gesture to never make.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Mi Piace vs Mi Piacciono: How to Say 'I Like'

Use mi piace for one thing and mi piacciono for many — because in Italian the thing you like is the subject. The full rule, pronouns, and past tense.

June 5, 2026 5 min read