aumentare

to increase

verb ow-men-TAH-reh Common

Origin: Latin augmentare, from augmentum (an increase)

Also means

to grow

Usage Note

Aumentare can be both transitive (aumentare i prezzi — 'to raise prices') and intransitive (i prezzi aumentano — 'prices are rising'). As an intransitive it takes essere; as a transitive it takes avere. The opposite is diminuire. Common in economic and everyday contexts.

Examples

"I prezzi continuano ad aumentare ogni anno."

Natural Translation

Prices keep increasing every year.

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