ITALIAN VERBS +

2) Abitare - to live (my residence)

Io abito - I live (in Victoria) -city -
1) Vivere - to Live
Tu abiti – You live
Io vivo - I live ( in Canada) –country -
Lui/Lei abita - He/She lives
Tu vivi – You live
Noi abitiamo – We live
Lui/Lei vive - He/She lives
Voi abitate – You live
Noi viviamo- We live
Loro abitano – They live
Voi vivete - You live
Loro vivono – They live
^^ Note: no big issues to use both
verbs to describe the country,
residence,
area.
In Italian you can also use the verb Stare = to Stay to
describe where you
live. Ex: Io Sto(‘)* a Victoria ( I live in Victoria)/Io Sto in
Francia (I live in
France). Note: * the O is pronounced with a sort of
accent (opened O)
Remember that the verb Stare is also used to ask How a
person feels:
“Come stai ? How are you ?” or to warn about something
:
“Stai attento! – Be careful!” or to ask where you are
staying at:
“ Dove Stai ? – Where are you staying (hotel, town,
village) ?”
In Italian each verb corresponds to a specific
subject/person: see the example.
3) Stare – to Stay/to Live/to Feel
Io sto – I stay / I live / I feel
Tu stai – You stay
Lui/Lei sta – He/She stays
Noi stiamo – We stay
Voi state – You stay
Loro stanno – They stay
Note: many Italian verbs are related with the single
subject/person end
with the same vowel:
io sonO / Noi siamO / Loro StannO (O)
tu seI / tu haI (I)
lui-lei vivE / Voi VivetE (E)
lui-lei stA / lui-lei hA (A)
So it is common to avoid to pronounce the
subject/person during a dialogue.
Ex: Dove vivi ( tu)? = Where do You live ? (2 words
instead of 3)
4) Desiderare – to Desire (literally)
Io Desidero – I desire
Tu Desideri – You desire
Lui/Lei Desidera – He/She desires
Noi Desideriamo – We desire
Voi Desiderate – You desire
Loro Desiderano – They desire
(Note: you can use the verb “Desiderare” - to Desire-; If you go
for a coffee, or to a restaurant, when you order something, you
can also use instead of “Vorrei – I would like”
Ex: Desidero un caffè/una pizza Margherita etc.
The bartender/barista normally asks:
Buongiorno , Desidera ? (Formal: Good morning, what would
you like? /What can I serve to you?/ How can I help you ?)
Salve, Desidero Vedere il Vostro Menu’/Hello, I’d like to see your
Menu
5) Piacere = To Like (Reflexive verb, needs a 6) Andare - to Go
compl. Pronoun) Io vado / I go
(Io) Mi piace/ I like - Non Mi piace / I don’t like Tu vai / You go
(it, the…, etc) Lui/Lei va’/ He - She goes
( Tu) Ti piace/ You like Noi andiamo - We go
(Lui-Lei) Gli-Li /Le piace / He/She likes Voi andate - You go
(Noi) Ci piace / We like Loro vanno – They go
(Voi) Vi piace/ You like (note: Andare – to Go can be used also to say: “ Do you
(Loro) Gli Piace / They like feel going for a
Note: Piacere is also a way to introduce yourself coffee ? Wanna go for a coffee ? – Ti (TU) va’ un caffe’ ?
or reply to someone when you meet. or simply: Un caffe’ ? )
Ex: Piacere, Robert / Nice to meet you, I’m
Robert.
Or: Grazie, Robert- Piacere mio/Thank You,
Robert- My Pleasure/You’re welcome.
7) Preferire – to Prefer 8) Conoscere = to Know ( a general knowledge)
Io preferisco / I prefer Io conosco / I know
Tu preferisci / You prefer Tu conosci / You know
Lui- Lei preferisce /He-She prefers Lui-Lei conosce / He-She Knows
Noi preferiamo/ We prefer Noi conosciamo / We know
Voi preferite/You prefer Voi conoscete / You know
Loro preferiscono / They prefer (note : Amare = to Loro conoscono / They know
Love : io amo / I love...- about (note: Question for you: how the verbs end – the vowels -?)
someone/something: more intense as a meaning .
Ex: (io) amo Pavarotti - Noi amiamo il
Prosecco)
9) Sapere = to Know (more specific) 10) Parlare = to Speak
Io so’/ I know ex: io so’ parlare francese / Io parlo / I speak
I speak (very well) french Tu parli / You speak
Tu sai / You know Lui/Lei parla / He-She speaks
Lui-Lei sa’ / He-She knows ex: Lei sa’ Noi parliamo / We speak
cucinare / She knows how to cook Voi parlate / You speak
Noi sappiamo / We know Loro parlano /They speak
Voi sapete / You know
Loro sanno /They know
11) Prendere = to Take- to Get 12) Fare = to Do / to Make
Io prendo / I take ( example:Io prendo un Io faccio / I do- I make
caffè/ una pizza) a coffe/ pizza - I Tu fai / You do – make
take a coffee/pizza ; But could also be Lui/Lei fa’ - He/ She does – makes
used as : I will have a coffee/ Noi facciamo – We do – make
pizza/that bag....) Voi fate / You do – make
Tu prendi / You take Loro fanno / They do – make
Lui / Lei prende / He- She takes - gets Ex: Cosa fai ? = What are you doing ? note: in Italian you
Noi prendiamo / We take can use the present tense instead the present continuous.
Voi prendete / You take
Loro prendono / They take-get
 14) Guardare - to Look (more like to observe or asking to pay
13) Vedere = to See
attention to/at something-someone) ex: Io guardo questo
Io vedo - I see - ( ex: io vedo Il mare - I see the
quadro - I am looking at this painting../ Guarda questo! / qui !
sea..) but also: Oh, vedo...
- Look at this!- Look here!)
Oh, I see.... / Io vedo Mario stasera. - I see /
Io guardo / Io guardo
will see- meet Mario tonight..)
Tu guardi / You look
Tu vedi / You see
Lui- Lei guarda / He-She looks
Lui- Lei vede / He-She sees
Noi guardiamo / We look
Noi vediamo / We see
Voi guardate / You look
Voi vedete / You see ( ex: Vedete Mario
Loro guardano / They look
stasera?-Will you see/meet (with)
Note: to Look like/alike = Sembrare (assomigliare, less
Mario tonight?)
used…)
EX: lui sembra suo padre-sua madre / he looks like his father
–his mother.
Try by yourself to conjugate the verb Sembrare with I, You,
She/He, We etc.
15) Pensare = to Think Cercare – to look for/seek
Io penso / I think Io Cerco – I look for/I seek
Tu pensi / You think Tu Cerchi – You look for/ You seek
Lui/Lei pensa – He/She thinks Lui/lei Cerca – He/She looks for/ He/She seeks
Noi pensiamo / We think Noi Cerchiamo – We look for/ We seek
Voi pensate / You think Voi Cercate – You look for / You seek
Loro pensano / They think Loro Cercano – They look for/ They seek
Note: by using the adverb particle CI that Ex: (noi)Cerchiamo un ristorante tipico /We’re looking for a
corresponds to I-WE, you can use the verb typical/local restaurant
Pensare when you’re asking for a little time Ex: (io)Cerco un parcheggio / I’m looking /seeking for a
to think. EX: Ci Penso – I will think about it / parking spot
Ci pensiamo –We will think about it. Ex: Cerco hotel Maremonti/ Mario /I’m Seeking for Maremonti
Hotel/ Mario
Daily expressions:
Bene/ good- ok ( Sto’ bene : I am ok- good) Male/ not good
Così così/ so so
Troppo/ too much ( ex: troppo caro : too expensive), ( troppo caldo:
too hot)
Molto / a lot : Ex:,Molto bello: Very nice ( Bellissimo: beautiful..)
Poco / a little, a few ( ex: Bevo poco: I don’t drink a lot/ I drink a
little..)
Pieno-a / Full ( ex: Sono piena ( fem.) : I am full -
Basta/ That’s enough ( in a good or a mean way,,,)
A posto/ I am fine- good - ok : for restaurants, stores etc)
Io ho fame/ i am hungry
Io ho sete / I am thirsty
Io ho sonno/ I am sleepy
Io sono stanca/ I am tired
Io sono felice / I am happy Io non sono felice/ I am not happy
Commonly, there’s no need to use the subject because the verb
belongs to it: ex.: (io) ho
sete / (tu) hai fame (noi) abbiamo sonno.
Ci vediamo/See you Arrivederci/ Goodbye/So long
Ci vediamo presto/See you soon
Mi chiamo/ My name is (in Italian we don’t normally say:
my name is but
I am …..) ex: Piacere, sono Mario / Nice to meet you, I’m
Mario
Ti chiami / ex: Come ti chiami? What is your name?
Si chiama / His/Her name is….
Please note that: Io chiamo un taxi ( I call/ I am calling a
cab / Tu chiami
Mario ( You call / you are calling Mario) Chiama
Giovanna ! ( Call Giovanna !)
Grazie/ Thank you -
Prego / You are welcome/ not at all -
Figurati / Not at all
Piacere mio/ My pleasure
Addio / Farewell
Conditional forms of common verbs:
(io) Potrei / Potrei..? ( I could / could I …?)
(io) Dovrei /Dovrei..? ( I should / Should I..?)
(io) Vorrei ( I would like….) / (tu) Vorresti….?/ Would you like
to..?
Useful words:
Che = THAT (read kai )
Come = HOW / WHAT (read komai )– Come stai ? How are you/
Come ? = What ?
Cosa = WHAT Dove = WHERE Quando = WHEN
Perche’ = WHY/BECAUSE ( ex: Perche’ non mangi (tu)? - Why
are you not eating ?
/ Perche’ (io) ho sonno - Because I am sleepy
Questo = This (one)- Quello = That (one) Questi= These (ones)
– Quelli = Those (ones)
*one expression you may hear is “Niente”: it stands for Nothing,
literally. By being asked from someone:” Vuole/Prende Niente ?”
they are asking if you’re ok or you’re interested in something else
(a store, a restaurant, a café). Your answer can simply be :” Niente,
Grazie- or: A posto, Grazie”.