Also means
to huff impatiently
Usage Note
Sbuffare vividly captures audible impatience — a huff, a snort, or even a locomotive puffing steam. It is used for people sbuffando in frustration, horses snorting, or kettles hissing. The gerund sbuffando often accompanies a resigned action: 'Ha accettato, sbuffando' ('He agreed, huffing').
Examples
"Ha sbuffato e ha chiuso il libro."
Natural Translation
She huffed and closed the book.

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
5 min read