soffiare

to blow

verb sof-FYAH-reh Rare

Origin: From Latin sufflare (to blow up, to puff).

Also means

to whisper, to tip off

Usage Note

Soffiare is used for wind blowing, blowing out a candle (soffiare le candeline), and blowing one's nose (soffiarsi il naso). Colloquially, soffiare also means to snitch or tip someone off, and soffiare un lavoro means to snatch a job from under someone's nose. Conjugates with avere in transitive uses.

Examples

"Il vento soffia forte questa mattina."

Natural Translation

The wind is blowing hard this morning.

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 Adjective Agreement & Placement Made Simple

Italian adjectives agree in gender and number and usually sit after the noun. Master the -o/-a/-i/-e endings, the BAGS rule, and meaning-shifting pairs.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

You're Welcome in Italian: 8 Ways Beyond Prego

You're welcome in Italian is more than prego: say figurati to friends, si figuri to strangers, di niente, non c'è di che, or grazie a te. Pick the right one.

June 9, 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

ItalianNow

Italian Diminutives: -ino, -etto, -one Explained

Italian diminutives like -ino, -etto, and -one signal size, affection, or contempt. Learn to read the feeling, dodge gender flips, and spot false diminutives.

June 9, 2026 6 min read