Rimborsare vs. restituire
The Italian verbs 'rimborsare' and 'restituire' both relate to the concept of returning something, but they have distinct uses and connotations.
Rimborsare
'Rimborsare' specifically means to refund or reimburse money.
La compagnia aerea ha rimborsato il costo del biglietto cancellato.
(The airline refunded the cost of the cancelled ticket.)
L'azienda rimborserà le spese di viaggio ai dipendenti.
(The company will reimburse travel expenses to employees.)
Restituire
'Restituire' means to return or give back, often referring to physical objects or abstract concepts.
Per favore, restituisci il libro alla biblioteca entro venerdì.
(Please return the book to the library by Friday.)
Il ladro ha deciso di restituire i gioielli rubati.
(The thief decided to return the stolen jewels.)
L'insegnante ha restituito i compiti corretti agli studenti.
(The teacher gave back the corrected assignments to the students.)
Summary
While 'rimborsare' is used specifically for financial reimbursements, 'restituire' has a broader meaning of returning or giving back items, money, or even abstract concepts. 'Rimborsare' is more common in business and financial contexts, while 'restituire' is used in a wider range of situations involving the return of various things.