volgere

turn

verb VOHL-jeh-reh Less Common

Origin: from Latin volvere, 'to roll, turn'

Also means

direct

Usage Note

Volgere is a fairly literary verb for turning or directing, often reflexive: volgersi verso ('to turn toward'). It appears in the set phrase volgere al termine ('to draw to a close'). Everyday speech usually prefers girare or voltarsi instead.

Examples

"L'estate volge al termine."

Natural Translation

Summer is drawing to a close.

Literal Translation

The-summer turns to-the end.

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 False Friends: 20 Words That Trick You

Italian false friends like preservativo, parenti, and caldo mean the opposite of what English speakers expect. Here are 20 ranked by how badly they bite.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Articles: Il, Lo, La, I, Gli, Le Explained

Italian has seven words for 'the' — il, lo, la, i, gli, le — but it's two questions, not seven cases. Master gender, sound, and the lo/gli rule fast.

June 5, 2026 7 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

ItalianNow

Italian Noun Gender: Rules, Endings & Exceptions

Italian noun gender decoded: -o is usually masculine, -a feminine, but -zione and -tà are feminine, -ore and -ma masculine. Plus the trap words to memorize.

June 5, 2026 5 min read