ripiegare

to fold back

verb ree-pyeh-GAH-reh Rare

Origin: From ri- (again, back) + piegare (to fold, to bend), from Latin plicare.

Also means

to fall back

Usage Note

Ripiegare is a first-conjugation verb taking avere as auxiliary (intransitive 'to retreat' also uses avere). In military usage ripiegare means to retreat or fall back (le truppe hanno ripiegato). In everyday use it means to fold something back, or figuratively to make do with second best (ripiegate su un'alternativa).

Examples

"Le truppe hanno ripiegato verso il fiume."

Natural Translation

The troops fell back towards the river.

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 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

Italian Question Words: Chi, Cosa, Dove, Quando & More

Master Italian question words: chi, cosa, dove, quando, perché, come, quanto and quale. A usage-first guide that finally sorts che vs cosa vs quale.

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

Buongiorno, Ciao or Salve? Italian Greetings Made Easy

When in doubt, say salve and mirror the reply. Here's how to pick between buongiorno, buonasera, ciao and salve so your Italian greetings never sound rude.

June 5, 2026 5 min read