Essere vs Esser, Dovere vs Dover, Potere vs Poter: Italian Verb Short Forms
Italian Verb Short Forms In Italian, some verbs can appear in two forms: a full infinitive (essere, dovere, potere, volere) and a short form without the final -e (esser, dover, poter, voler). The short form is used primarily: To make the sound smoother:Non...
Futuro nel Passato: Future in the Past (Advanced Italian)
The futuro nel passato is used when you want to talk about something that was in the future… from a past point of view. Sounds confusing? Let’s break it down. The Basic Idea In the present, you say: Domani andrò al mare.(Tomorrow I’ll go to the beach.)...
Potevo vs Ho potuto: What’s the Difference?
If you’re learning Italian, chances are you’ve already come across the modal verbs potere, volere, and dovere. At first, they seem pretty straightforward—but things get a little more nuanced when you start using them in the past tense. One of the most...
“Ho voluto” vs. “Volevo”: What’s the Difference?
“Ho voluto” or “Volevo”? (I wanted) Some Italian verbs change meaning depending on whether they’re used in the passato prossimo or the imperfetto. These verbs include: dovere, volere, potere, and conoscere. In this article, we’ll focus on just...About
Ciao! I'm Serena, and I'm the creator of Smart Italian Learning. I am the head teacher of a small language school. We offer online, in-person and video courses for Italian learners, with a focus on adult English native speakers. Our courses are based on our passion for teaching and our experience as long-term adult language learners. You can meet us online, or in person in Rome.