Italian Language Lessons

Grammar, spelling, and usage

Italian Present Tense

The Italian present tense (presente) is happening right now. It's a simple tense—that is, the verb form consists of one word only. The present tense of a regular Italian verb is formed by dropping the infinitive ending and adding the appropriate endings to the resulting stem.

The present tense of a regular -are verb is formed by dropping the infinitive ending -are and adding the appropriate endings to the resulting stem (-o, -i, -a, -iamo, -ate, -ano). See the table below for a sample conjugation of amare (to love).

PRESENT TENSE CONJUGATION OF AMARE (TO LOVE)

PERSON SINGULAR PLURAL

I (io) amo (I love) (noi) amiamo (we love)

II (tu) ami (you love, familiar) (voi) amate (you love, familiar)

III (Lei) ama (you love, formal) (Loro) amano (you love, formal)

(lui/lei) ama (he/she loves) (loro) amano (they love)

The infinitive of first-conjugation Italian verbs (those ending in -are) and the conjugated forms of the present tense are pronounced like most Italian words: the stress falls on the next-to-last syllable. The one exception is the third person plural form amano, which is pronounced AH-mah-noh, with stress falling on the first syllable. A few first-conjugation verbs are listed in the following table.

COMMON FIRST-CONJUGATION VERBS

arrivare to arrive

ascoltare to listen

aspettare to wait

ballare to dance

camminare to walk

cantare to sing

dimenticare to forget

guidare to drive

imparare to learn

insegnare to teach

lavorare to work

nuotare to swim

parlare to speak

pranzare to dine, to have lunch

COMMON FIRST-CONJUGATION VERBS

suonare to play (a musical instrument)

telefonare to telephone

visitare to visit

Second-Conjugation VerbsItalian verbs with infinitives ending in -ere are called second-conjugation (seconda coniugazione) or -ere verbs. The present tense of a regular -ere verb is formed by dropping the infinitive ending and adding the appropriate endings (-o, -i, -e, -iamo, -ete, -ono) to the stem. For an example on how to conjugate a regular second-conjugation verb, take a look the following table.

PRESENT TENSE CONJUGATION OF SCRIVERE (TO WRITE)

PERSON SINGULAR PLURAL

I (io) scrivo (I write) (noi) scriviamo (we write)

II (tu) scrivi (you write, familiar) (voi) scrivete (you write, familiar)

III (Lei) scrive (you write, formal) (Loro) scrivono (you write, formal)

(lui/lei) scrive (he/she writes) (loro) scrivono (they write)

Second-conjugation (-ere) verbs account for approximately one-quarter of all Italian verbs. Although many have some sort of irregular structure, there are also many regular verbs (see the following table for examples) which are conjugated in the same way as scrivere.

COMMON SECOND-CONJUGATION VERBS

accendere to light, ignite; turn/switch on

battere to beat, to hit

cadere to fall

chiedere to ask

conoscere to know

correre to run

credere to believe

descrivere to describe

eleggere to elect

leggere to read

mettere to put, to place

mordere to bite

nascere to be born

offendere to offend

perdere to lose

rimanere to remain, to stay

COMMON SECOND-CONJUGATION VERBS

ridere to laugh

rompere to break

vendere to sell

sopravvivere to survive

While the infinitive forms of both first- and third-conjugation Italian verbs always have the accent on the final -are or -ire, second-conjugation verbs are often pronounced with the accent on the third-to-last syllable, as in prendere (PREHN-deh-ray).

Third-Conjugation VerbsIf there are first-conjugation and second-conjugation verbs, then it stands to reason there are third-conjugation verbs (terza coniugazione)! This final group contains verbs that end in -ire in the infinitive. The present tense of a regular -ire verb is formed by dropping the infinitive ending and adding the appropriate endings (-o, -i, -e, -iamo, -ite, -ono) to the resulting stem. Note that, except for the voi form, these endings are the same as for regular second-conjugation (-ere) verbs. For an example of how to conjugate a regular -ire verb, see the table below, which conjugates sentire (to hear, to feel, to smell).

PRESENT TENSE CONJUGATION OF SENTIRE (TO HEAR, TO FEEL, TO SMELL)

PERSON SINGULAR PLURAL

I (io) sento (I feel) (noi) sentiamo (we feel)

II (tu) senti (you feel, familiar) (voi) sentite (you feel, familiar)

III (Lei) sente (you feel, formal) (Loro) sentono (you feel, formal)

(lui/lei) sente (he/she feels) (loro) sentono (they feel)

Other common -ire third-conjugation regular verbs are listed below.

COMMON THIRD-CONJUGATION VERBS

acconsentire to agree, to acquiesce

assorbire to soak

aprire to open

bollire to boil

coprire to cover

cucire to sew

dormire to sleep

fuggire to flee

mentire to lie

morire to die

offrire to offer

partire to leave

COMMON THIRD-CONJUGATION VERBS

riaprire to reopen

scoprire to discover, to uncover

seguire to follow

sentire to hear, to feel, to smell

servire to serve

sfuggire to escape

soffrire to suffer

vestire to dress, to wear

Table of Regular Verb Endings

Indicative, Subjunctive, Conditional, Imperative, and Gerund Tenses INDICATIVE/INDICATIVO

Present/PresenteENDING –ARE –ERE –IRE

I singular –o –o –o/–iscoII –i –i –i/–isciIII –a –e –e/–isce

I plural –iamo –iamo –iamoII –ate –ete –iteIII –ano –ono –ono/–iscono

Imperfect/ImperfettoENDING –ARE –ERE –IRE

I singular –avo –evo –ivoII –avi –evi –iviIII –ava –eva –iva

I plural –avamo –evamo –ivamoII –avate –evate –ivateIII –avano –evano –ivano

Past absolute/Passato remotoENDING –ARE –ERE –IRE

I singular –ai –ei/–etti –iiII –asti –esti –istiIII –ò –é/–ette –ì

I plural –ammo –emmo –immoII –aste –este –isteIII –arono –erono/–

ettero–irono

Future/Futuro sempliceENDING –ARE –ERE –IRE

I singular –erò –erò –iròII –erai –erai –iraiIII –erà –erà –irà

I plural –eremo –eremo –iremoII –erete –erete –ireteIII –eranno –eranno –iranno

CONDITIONAL/CONDIZIONALE Present/Presente

ENDING –ARE –ERE –IREI singular –erei –erei –irei

II –eresti –eresti –irestiIII –erebbe –erebbe –irebbe

I plural –eremmo –eremmo –iremmoII –ereste –ereste –iresteIII –erebbero –erebbero –irebbero

IMPERATIVE/IMPERATIVO

Present/PresenteENDING –ARE –ERE –IRE

I singular – – –II –a –i –i/–isciIII –i –a –a/–isca

I plural –iamo –iamo –iamoII –ate –ete –iteIII –ino –ano –ano/–iscano

INFINITIVE/INFINITO

Present/PresenteENDING –ARE –ERE –IRE

PARTICIPLE/PARTICIPIO

Present/PresenteENDING –ARE –ERE –IRE

Singular –ante –ente –entePlural –anti –enti –enti

Past/PassatoENDING –ARE –ERE –IRE

SUBJUNCTIVE/CONGIUNTIVO

Present/PresenteENDING –ARE –ERE –IRE

I singular –i –a –a/–iscaII –i –a –a/–iscaIII –i –a –a/–isca

I plural –iamo –iamo –iamoII –iate –iate –iateIII –ino –ano –ano/iscano

Imperfect/ImperfettoENDING –ARE –ERE –IRE

I singular –assi –essi –issiII –assi –essi –issiIII –asse –esse –isse

I plural –assimo –essimo –issimoII –aste –este –isteIII –assero –essero –issero

Present/PresenteSingular –ato, –ata –uto, –uta –ito, –ita

Plural –ati, –ate –uti, –ute –iti, –ite

GERUND/GERUNDIO

Present/PresenteENDING –ANDO –ENDO –ENDO

Conjugating regular verbs is fairly simple. Take off the last three letters of -are, -ere, and -ire ending verbs and add these to the stem:

-ARE ending(I) -o(you) -i(he/she/it) -a(we) -iamo(you all) -ate(they) -ano

-ERE ending(I) -o(you) -i(he/she/it) -e(we) -iamo(you all) -ete(they) -ono

Some -IRE verbs have alternative endings-IRE ending(I) -o / -isco(you) -i / -isci(he/she/it) -e / -isce (we) -iamo

(you all) -ite(they) -ono / -iscono

ESSERE

---Present Tense:I am = io sonoyou are = tu seihe/she/it is = lui/lei éwe are = noi siamothey are = loro sonoyou all are= voi siete

---Past Tense (Imperfect):I was = io eroyou were = tu erihe/she/it was = lui/lei erawe were = noi eravamoyou all were= voi eravatethey were = loro erano

AVERE---Present Tense:

I have = io hoyou have = tu haihe/she/it has = lui/lei hawe have = noi abbiamoyou all have= voi avete

---Past Tense (Imperfect):I had = io avevoyou had = tu avevihe/she/it had = lui/lei avevawe had = noi avevamoyou all had = voi avevatethey had = loro avevano

they have = loro hanno

CONOSCERE (know or be acquainted with)---Present Tense:

I know = io conoscoyou know = tu conoscihe/she/it knows = lui/lei conoscewe know = noi conosciamoyou all know= voi conoscetethey know = loro conoscono

---Past Tense (Imperfect):I knew = io sapevoyou knew =  tu sapevihe/she/it knew = lui/lei sapevawe knew = npi sapevamoyou all knew= voi sapevatethey knew = loro sapevano

FARE---Present Tense:

I make = io faccioyou make = tu faihe/she/it makes = lui/lei fawe make = noi facciamoyou all make= voi fatethey make = loro fanno

---Past Tense (Imperfect):I made = io facevoyou made = tu facevihe/she/it made = lui/lei facevawe made = noi facevamoyou all made = voi facevatethey made = loro facevano

CommandsThe imperative tense is used for commands. This tense is formed  using these rules:

1. The second person singular and plural (tu and voi) forms are the same as their present indicative forms, with the exception  of -are verbs, which add -a to the root.

2. The formal lei/loro form take the present subjunctive form.

3. The first person plural (noi) form also uses the present indicative form.

Here are some examples:

aprire cantare venderetu (you) apri canta vendilei (he/she)apra canti vendanoi (we) apriamocantiamovendiamoloro (they) aprano cantino vendano

To form negative commands place non before the Infinitive form:Don't sleep! => (tu) Non dormire!Don't sing! => Non cantare!

Imperative

The imperative mood is the mood of command in Italian. There is one tense form.

The imperative in Italian is limited to five personal forms in the affirmative, and five

personal forms in the negative. The imperative lacks a "first person singular" form.

Second Person

The main parts of any imperative are the second person singular and plural.

Affirmative

← For the first conjugation in are, the affirmative second person singular is identical

to the third person singular form of the present tense.

← For the second and third conjugations in ere/ire, the affirmative second person

singular is identical to the second person singular form of the present tense.

← For all conjugations (are/ere/ire), the second person plural is identical to the

second person plural form of the present tense.

  "to sing"(are)

"to see"(ére)

"to put"(ere)

"to finish"(ire w/ isc)

"to sleep"(ire w/o isc)

2sg tu

2pl voi

canta!

cantate!

vedi!

vedete!

metti!

mettete!

finisci!

finite!

dormi!

dormite!

Negative

The negative imperative in the second person has the following quirk: the second person

singular is the word non before the infinitive. The plural is non before the plural

affirmative:   "to sing"

(are) "to see"(ére)

"to put"(ere)

"to finish"(ire w/ isc)

"to sleep"(ire w/o isc)

2sg tu

2pl voi

non cantare!

non cantate!

non vedere!

non vedete!

non mettere!

non mettete!

non finire!

non finite!

non dormire!

non dormite!

Formal Imperative

The "formal" imperative, used to make more polite commands, in the singular is identical

to the third person singular form of the present subjunctive:   "to sing"

(are) "to see"(ére)

"to put"(ere)

"to finish"(ire w/ isc)

"to sleep"(ire w/o isc)

2sg.formLei

canti! veda! metta! finisca! dorma!

The plural form, which is not often used (it is considered too formal), is the third person

plural of the present subjunctive:   "to sing"

(are) "to see"(ére)

"to put"(ere)

"to finish"(ire w/ isc)

"to sleep"(ire w/o isc)

2pl.formLoro

cantino! vedano! mettano! finiscano! dormano!

The negative of the polite forms adds non before the respective forms: (Lei) non canti!,

(Loro) non cantino!

Other Persons

Even though there is no first person singular, there is a first person plural, as well as the

third person (singular and plural).

These forms are identical to the corresponding forms of the present subjunctive   "to sing"

(are) "to see"(ére)

"to put"(ere)

"to finish"(ire w/ isc)

"to sleep"(ire w/o isc)

3sg lei

1pl noi

3pl loro

canti!

cantiamo!

cantino!

veda!

vediamo!

vedano!

metta!

mettiamo!

mettano!

finisca!

finiamo

finiscano!

dorma!

dormiamo!

dormano!

These forms translate as "Let him ..., let's ..., let them ...":

Cantiamo questa canzone! Let's sing this song!

Scrivino a loro genitori! Let them write to their parents!

Mangi tutti i maccheroni! Let him eat all the macaroni!

Negative

The negative is formed by adding non before the affirmative forms: non canti!, non

vediamo!, non dormano!.

Non-Finite Forms

Participles

Participles in Italian are non-finite forms that are usually used with auxiliary verbs,

and sometimes as nominal modifiers (i.e. adjectives). There are two types of

participles: present and past.

Present Participle

The present participle ends in -ante for are verbs or -ente for ere/ire verbs, and is

attached to the verb stem:

cantante (singing)

vedente (seeing)

mettente (setting)

finente (ending)

dormente (sleeping) Present participle forms are not used with verb nowadays; they

are mainly used as adjectives.

Past Participle

The past participle is slightly harder to form as, along with the preterite, this has the

most irregular forms of any verb form.

Verbs in are and ire have the most number of regular forms. The basic ending is -

ato or -ito: <p> cantato (sung)

finito (ended, finished)

dormito (slept)

Verbs in ere have the most number of irregular forms. However, there is a regular

affix for verbs of this class, in -uto: <p> avuto (had) [avere]

saputo (known) [sapere]

tenuto (held) [tenere]

Many irregular forms have endings in -to, -so, or -sso: <p> nato (born) [nascere]

discusso (discussed) [discutere]

messo (set) [mettere]

preso (taken) [prendere]

chiuso (closed) [chiudere]

cotto (cooked) [cuocere]

scelto (chosen) [scegliere]

visto (seen) [vedere]

vissuto (lived) [vivere]

etc...

Many verbs with irregular forms are also irregular in other ways (see *Irregular

Verbs).

Use of the Past Participle

The past participle is used mainly with auxiliary verbs in forming compound tenses:

<p> è nato (he was born) [passato prossimo]

sono discusso [per] (I am discussed [by]) [passive]

ebbero messo (they had set) [trapassato remoto]

ho preso (I took) [passato prossimo]

si sarà chiuso (it will be closed) [reflexive future passive]

etc...

The past participle can also be used as an adjective: <p> bottiglia aperta (open

bottle) [aprire]

libro trovato (found book) [trovare]

nemici conosciuti (known enemies) [conoscere]

The past participle can change forms according to gender and number, whether

used with an auxiiary or as an adjective: <p> "sung"

cantato masc. sing.

cantata fem. sing.

cantati masc. sing.

cantate fem. sing. <p> "closed"

chiuso masc. sing.

chiusa fem. sing.

chiusi masc. sing.

chiuse fem. sing.