stemperare

to dissolve

verb stem-peh-RAH-reh Rare

Origin: From Latin distemperare (to mix in wrong proportion), via Old Italian.

Also means

to temper

Usage Note

Stemperare primarily means to dissolve or dilute a substance in liquid — for example, stemperare il colore in acqua (to dissolve the paint in water). In figurative use, stemperare la tensione means 'to ease the tension.' It takes avere as its auxiliary.

Examples

"Stemperare il cacao in un po' di latte caldo."

Natural Translation

Dissolve the cocoa in a little warm milk.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Italian Numbers 1 to 100: Count Like a Local

Learn Italian numbers 1 to 100 by mastering 0-20, the tens, and 3 spelling rules so you can generate any number from ventuno to novantanove on demand.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Essential Italian Travel Phrases (With Vorrei)

Vorrei means I would like — the politest, most useful Italian travel phrase. Learn five reusable frames to order, ask prices, and find your way in Italy.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Reflexive Verbs: Mi Chiamo, Mi Alzo & More

Italian reflexive verbs use mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si — learn the pronouns, conjugate chiamarsi and alzarsi, master your daily routine, and the modal-verb rule.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Avere Fame: Why Italians "Have" Hunger, Not "Are"

In Italian you say Ho fame (I have hunger), never sono fame. Learn the avere + noun rule for fame, freddo, paura, age, and the sono caldo trap to avoid.

June 5, 2026 5 min read