Sottosopra vs. a testa in giù vs. capovolto vs. alla rovescia vs. rovesciato

Word practice demo
The Italian language offers several words to express the concept of 'upside down', each with subtle differences in usage and context.

Sottosopra

'Sottosopra' is a general term meaning 'upside down' or 'in disarray'. It can refer to physical objects being turned over or to a situation being in chaos.
La stanza era sottosopra dopo la festa.
(The room was upside down after the party.)
Ho messo la scatola sottosopra per svuotarla.
(I turned the box upside down to empty it.)

A testa in giù

'A testa in giù' literally means 'head down' and is used specifically for people or animals in an inverted position.
Il trapezista si esibisce a testa in giù.
(The trapeze artist performs upside down.)
Il pipistrello dorme a testa in giù.
(The bat sleeps upside down.)

Capovolto

'Capovolto' means 'turned over' or 'capsized' and is often used for objects that have been flipped or overturned.
La barca si è capovolta durante la tempesta.
(The boat capsized during the storm.)
Ho capovolto la pentola per far uscire l'acqua.
(I turned the pot upside down to drain the water.)

Alla rovescia

'Alla rovescia' means 'backwards' or 'in reverse' and is often used for things worn or done in the opposite way to normal.
Ha indossato la maglietta alla rovescia.
(He wore the T-shirt inside out.)
Legge il giornale alla rovescia per gioco.
(He reads the newspaper upside down for fun.)

Rovesciato

'Rovesciato' means 'overturned' or 'knocked over' and is often used for objects that have been tipped or for sudden, dramatic reversals.
Il vento ha rovesciato i tavoli del giardino.
(The wind overturned the garden tables.)
La situazione politica si è completamente rovesciata.
(The political situation has completely turned upside down.)

Summary

While all these terms convey the idea of 'upside down', they have specific uses: 'sottosopra' is general and can refer to disorder; 'a testa in giù' is for living beings in an inverted position; 'capovolto' is for objects flipped over; 'alla rovescia' implies reversal or backwards orientation; and 'rovesciato' suggests a more dramatic overturning or upheaval.