complicare

to complicate

verb kohm-plee-KAH-reh Rare

Usage Note

Complicare means to make something more difficult or complex; the reflexive complicarsi means 'to become complicated' (le cose si complicano = 'things are getting complicated'). The past participle complicato doubles as an adjective meaning 'complicated'. It takes avere as auxiliary in the transitive. Learners should note it is not a reflexive verb in the simple sense — complicarsi changes the subject to the situation itself.

Examples

"Non vuole complicare ulteriormente la situazione."

Natural Translation

He does not want to complicate the situation further.

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

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

Italian False Friends: 20 Words That Trick You

Italian false friends like preservativo, parenti, and caldo mean the opposite of what English speakers expect. Here are 20 ranked by how badly they bite.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Most Common Italian Verbs: The 10 That Unlock Speech

Drill these 10 most common Italian verbs first and you unlock past tense, modals, and the progressive — a 7-day plan with every present-tense form to memorize.

June 9, 2026 5 min read