Skip to content

consumare

consume

verb kohn-soo-MAH-reh Less Common
Food & Drink

Origin: from Latin consumare 'to use up'

Also means

wear out

Usage Note

Consumare means to consume food, fuel, or energy, and reflexively consumarsi to wear out or be worn down. In a bar, consumare politely refers to buying something, hence the sign vietato sostare senza consumare ('no loitering without ordering'); it takes avere.

Examples

"Questa auto consuma poca benzina."

Natural Translation

This car uses little petrol.

Literal Translation

This car consumes little petrol.

Explore Italian by topic