I happened to hear today’s word while listening to my favourite Italian radio station, Radio Italia, where they were discussing the unusually hot temperatures that have gripped Italy over the past week. In some places in the south, the mercury has soared past the 40°C / 104°F mark.
Arroventato is an adjective that translates as red-hot or scorching. It comes from the verb arroventare which means “to make red-hot / to scorch / to roast“. Both the adjective and verb are made up of the adjective rovente, meaning fiery or scorching, and the prefix a(d)-.
- il ferro arroventato = the red-hot iron
- l’estate arroventata = the scorching summer
- i deserti arroventati = the scorching deserts
- le piastre arroventate = the red-hot grills
Quest’anno prevedono un’estate arroventata in Italia.
This year they are predicting a scorching summer in Italy.
Here is how the regular -ARE verb arroventare is conjugated in the present tense.
- io arrovento = I scorch
- tu arroventi = you scorch (informal)
- lui arroventa = he scorches
- lei arroventa = she scorches
- Lei arroventa = you scorch (formal)
- noi arroventiamo = we scorch
- voi arroventate = you scorch (plural)
- loro arroventano = they scorch
Il sole incandescente arroventa la città di Firenze.
The red-hot sun is roasting the city of Florence.
In addition to the verb arroventare, there is also the reflexive verb arroventarsi, which means “to become red-hot“.
La pentola si sta arroventando.
The pan is becoming red-hot.
Here is how the reflexive form is conjugated in the present tense.
- io mi arrovento = I scorch myself
- tu ti arroventi = you scorch yourself (informal)
- lui si arroventa = he scorches himself
- lei si arroventa = she scorches herself
- Lei si arroventa = you scorch yourself (formal)
- noi ci arroventiamo = we scorch ourselves
- voi vi arroventate = you scorch yourself (plural)
- loro si arroventano = they scorch themselves
Arroventato also has the figurative meaning “to be (over)excited” whereas the verbs arroventare and arroventarsi can mean “to warm up” or “to grow heated”.
- una discussione arroventata = a heated argument
- arroventarsi in un dibattito = to grow heated in a debate
- arroventare la folla = to warm the crowd up
Heather Broster is a graduate with honours in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, proficient in English and Italian, as well as Japanese, Welsh, and French to varying degrees of fluency. Originally from Toronto, Heather has resided in various countries, notably Italy for a period of six years. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction.
