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The Passive Voice in Italian 

The Passive Voice in Italian 

The passive form in Italian (or English) is used when we want to focus on the object of the action, rather than the agent who carries out the action. For example:

  • Serena teaches the class [active form, focus on the agent = Serena]
  • The class is taught by Serena [passive form, focus on the object = la classe]

Passive forms can only be used with transitive verbs (verbs that take a direct object). In fact, every transitive verb can be used in both active and passive constructions, as in this example:

  • Mio nonno ha costruito questa casa [active form]
  • Questa casa è stata costruita da mio nonno [passive form]

How to Make the Passive Voice 

To form the passive form in Italian, use the verb “essere” (conjugated in the corresponding tense of the active voice), followed by the past participle of the main verb, and the preposition “da” (which introduces the agent carrying out the action).

Let’s see the difference between passive and active voices in italian in a few examples

Active forms 

  1. Anna prepara i biscotti – Anna bakes cookies  
  2. Marco cucina la lasagna – Marco makes the lasagna 
  3. I bambini fanno il puzzle – The children do the puzzle 
  4. I romani hanno costruito questo ponte – The Romans built this bridge 

Passive forms

  1. I biscotti sono cucinati da Anna – The cookies are baked by Anna 
  2. La lasagna è cucinata da marco – The lasagna is made by Marco 
  3. Il puzzle è fatto dai bambini – The puzzle is done by the children 
  4. Questo ponte è stato costruito dai romani – This bridge was build by the Romans 

English vs. Italian

The passive voice is more common in romance language, e.g. italian then in English. So, although you’re not using the passive form in English that much, be prepared to listen to it a lot in Italian.

When the Passive Construction is used in Italian: 

The passive voice is especially used:

  • To emphasize the object of the action
  • In news articles
  • Scientific papers
  • Legal documents 
  • To narrate facts and events past  

Exercise [upper-intermediate]

Più, di più, in più, non…più: The Difference and How to Use Them 

Più, di più, in più, non…più: The Difference and How to Use Them 

What does più mean in italian?

Più it’s a common italian  words meaning “more”

What drives my students crazy is when it’s appropriate to use “più” and when “di più” or “in più”. They all mean “more”, but they’re used in different sentences. 

Lucky there’s an easy rules to follow, let’s delve into this: 

Più 

There is a grammatical error in the text. Here’s a corrected version:

Più means more in several contexts, such as in comparative statements.

  • Questa casa è più caro di quella – This house is more expensive than that one  
  • Carla guadagna più di suo marito – Carla make more money than his husband 

Di più 

Di più is an adverbial phrase used after verbs and means “more.” For example:

  • Voglio allenarmi di più quest’anno – I want to train more this year
  • Voglio studiare di più – I want to study more 

The opposite phrase is “di meno,” which means “less.” For example:

  • Voglio bere di meno quest’anno. (I want to drink less this year.)

In più

In più is a noun phrase that means “more” or “in addition,” and it is used to indicate that something is added to an existing quantity. The phrase can be used to refer to both tangible and intangible things.

For example:

  • Vorrei una bottiglia d’acqua in più – I would like one more bottle of water

Non…più

Non più means “not…anymore” and is used in negative sentences. The pattern to follow is “non + verb + più.”

For example:

  • Non viaggio più – I don’t travel anymore
  • Non dormo più – I don’t sleep anymore

“Piu” is also spelled with an accent on the last vowel (più), which means that you have to stress the pronunciation of the “u”. It sounds like this: “pyuh”.

Italian Pronominal Verbs (Verbi Pronominali): 9 Must-Know Rules

The Ultimate Guide to Italian Pronominal Verbs (Verbi Pronominali): 9 Must-Know Rules

1. What ‘s a pronominal verb in Italian? A pronominal verb is a type of verb in which a pronoun is used as an integral part of the verb. In Italian, a pronominal verb is a combination of a basic verb and one or more pronouns, which together create a new verb with a different meaning than the basic verb alone. For example, let’s take the verb “andare” which means “to go”. If we add the pronouns “si” and “ne” to “andare”, we create the pronominal verb “andarsene” which means “to go away” or “to leave”.

  • Me ne vado – I’m leaving, I’m going a way 

2. The pronouns attached to the infinitive of the verbs slightly or entirely change the original meaning of the verb. For example, the verb “sentire” means “to hear” in Italian. But if you add the reflexive pronouns “si” and “la” to it, as in “sentirsela”, it becomes “to feel like” or “to have the courage of doing something”.

  • Scusa, ma non me la sento di scalare quella montagna – Sorry, but I don’t feel like climbing that mountain

3. Pronominal verbs are vastly used in conversational Italian, especially in everyday speech and informal situations. As with any language, it’s important to be aware of context and the level of formality when using pronominal verbs in Italian.

Examples of pronominal verbs used in Italian slang.

  • Non ce le faccio più = I’m exausted 
  • Me ne frego = I don’t care 
  • Me la spasso  = I’m having a blast 

 

4. Italian pronominal verbs are hard to translate into your native language as they don’t have a sole translation, and the meaning can slightly vary from one context to the next.  Let’s take the example of the verb farcela (which is a combination of fare+ce+la). It has two principal meanings: to manage and not to manage.

5. Pronominal verbs are easy to conjugate, yes they are. When conjugating pronominal verbs in Italian, it’s important to separate the pronouns from the infinitive form of the verb. After doing so, you can conjugate the verb as you normally would, placing the pronouns before the verb. For example, let’s take the verb “andarsene”. To conjugate it, separate the pronouns from the infinitive (in this case, “se” and “ne”), and then conjugate the verb “andare” as you normally would, placing the pronoun before the verb.

FARCELA (to manage) = FAR(E) + CE + LA

io ce la faccio

tu ce la fai

lui/lei ce la fa

noi ce la facciamo

voi ce la fate

loro ce la fanno

In the conjugation of pronominal verbs, the attached pronouns ce, ne, la do not change. However, when it comes to the pronominal verbs incorporating “se” onto the infinitive (e.g., sentirsela, bersela, andarsene), you will need to decline the “se”, which stands for the reflexive pronoun, into me, te, se, ce, ve, se. Like in the verb “andarsene” 

ANDARSENE (to leave, to go away) = ANDAR(E) + SI + NE

Io me ne vado

Ty te ne vai

Lui/ Lei se ne va

Noi ce ne andiamo

Voi ve ne andate

Loro se ne vanno

 

Most common Italian pronominal verbs list 

Italian pronominal verbs with “CI“

  • Entrarci con – to have to do with something
  • Entrarci in – to fit in something  
  • Volerci – to take time (with no subject, impersonal
  • Metterci – to take time (with a subject)
  • Arrivarci – to understand 

Italian pronominal verbs with “NE“

  • Non poterne più – can’t put up with something or someone anymore

Italian pronominal verbs with “SELA“

  • Sentirsela di – to have the courage of doing something or to feel like
  • Cavarsela in + noun / A + infinitive – to be good at something or at doing something 
  • Prendersela con – to be irritated with someone 
  • Passarsela bene o male – to be good or bad 
  • Spassarsela – to have a blast 
  • Sbrigarsela – to sort out a situation in a short time
  • Cavarsela – to come out of difficult situations, easily 
  • Tirarsela – to show off 

Italian pronominal verbs with “CELA“

  • Mettercela tutta – to do one’s best 
  • Avercela con – to be upset with someone

Italian pronominal verbs with “SENE“

  • Fregarsene di – to not care about something or someone
  • Andarsene – to go away somewhere

6. In Italian, pronominal verbs that end in “-sela” or “-sene” always require the auxiliary verb “essere” in compound tenses. Consequently, the past participle agrees with the pronoun or subject, as shown in the following examples.

  • Non me la sono sentita (agreement with the feminine pronoun la) – I didn’t have the courage (to do something)
  • Me ne sono andata (agreement with the feminine subject) – I left

7. If the pronominal verb ends in -ci, -ne, -cela, -cena the auxiliary verb to use in compound tenses is “avere”.

  • Non ce l’ho fatta  (agreement with the feminine pronoun la) – I didn’t manage it 
  • Me la sono presa (agreement with the feminine pronoun la) – I got upset (with something or someone) 

8. Some verbs are always matched with fixed prepositions, for example:

  • Farcela a  – to manage 
  • Sentirsela di – to have the courage to do something 
  • Avercela con – to be upset with someone 
  • Riuscire a – to be able to 
  • Smetterla di  – to stop doing something 

9. Pronominal verbs are commonly used in informal and colloquial Italian speech. Using them can make your Italian sound more natural. Here are a few examples of colloquial Italian sentences that use pronominal verbs:

Passarsela means “stare (bene/male)”

  • Come te la passi? – How are you doing?

Fregarsene means “not to give a damn about something”

  • Me ne frego di quello che pensi – I don’t care about what you think

Farcela (positive) means “to manage”

  • Ce la facciamo a finire questo lavoro entro oggi? – Can we manage to finish this work within today? 

Arrivarci means “to understand something (colloquial)”

  • Me lo puoi ripetere? Non ci arrivo – Can you repeat it? I don’t get it 

Farcela (negative) means “to be fed up, to be exhausted or to be unable to cope with something”

  • Non ce faccio più! – I am exhausted! 

Spassarsela means “to have a blast”

  • Ce la siamo spassata l’altra sera-  we had a blast the other night

Italian pronominal verbs and the imperative tense

When using the imperative tense to give commands or advice in Italian, a general rule of thumb is to place the pronouns after the verb and attach them to it.

  • Smettila! – Enough!
  • Metticela tutta! – Do your best!
  • Vattene! – Go away!
  • Non andartene! – Don’t go!
  • Non avercela con me! – Don’t be mad at me!

Exercise (advanced)

What’s the most effective to learn Pronominal Verbs in Italian? 

The most effective way to learn how to use Italian pronominal verbs is through a technique called “shadowing“.  How does it work? First, it’s important to understand how they work and how to conjugate them correctly. Once you have a good grasp of the grammar, you’ll start listening for pronominal verbs in natural Italian conversations or reading them in context. Since many pronominal verbs don’t have a direct translation and are highly contextual, the best way to learn them is by observing how native speakers use them in different situations. In other words, learning with visual and contextual examples can be very beneficial

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Imperfetto and Passato Prossimo: the Difference 

Understanding the Difference Between Imperfetto and Passato Prossimo

Both the imperfetto and passato prossimo are used to describe past events. However, they are used in different situations. The passato prossimo is used when the action is completed, happened once, and has a definite starting and ending point. The imperfetto, on the other hand, is used to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past that lasted for an indefinite period of time without a definite start or end. It emphasizes the continuity or repetition of the action.”

When to Use the Passato Prossimo 

The passato prossimo is used to describe past actions with a time reference. The action you are describing is not a repeated action, it happened at a specific time, and you know when it started and ended. 

For example,

  • Due anni fa ho partecipato ad una competizione sciistica  – two years ago I participated in a ski competition
  • Ieri sera ho guardato un bel film  – I watched a good movie last night
  • La scorsa estate sono andato in Italia  – last summer I went to Italy
  • Lo scorso weekend sono stato allo stadio – last weekend I was at the stadium

Common time expressions using the passato prossimo

  • Ieri, ieri sera, l’altro ieri
  • Due anni fa, 10 anni fa 
  • L’anno scorso, il mese scorso, la settimana scorsa

When to Use the Imperfetto 

The are three main uses of the imperfect tense in Italian 

# 1 The Italian imperfetto tense is used to describe actions or states in the past that were continuous or repeated without a specific end point. This can include events from different periods in a person’s life, such as childhood experiences, daily routines, or long-term habits. For example, you might use the imperfect to talk about your experiences growing up, your daily activities during a specific time period, your last job, your hobbies and interests in the past.

  • Quando andavo l’università, passavo molto tempo in biblioteca – When I was in school, I spent [I used to spend, I was spending] a lot of time in the library
  • Quando avevo vent’anni, vivevo in appartamenti condivisi – In my 20s, I lived [I used to live, I was living] in shared flats.
  • Quando ho cominciato a lavorare, non guadagnavo molto – When I started working, I didn’t earn much [I was not earning much]

#2 The Imperfetto is also used to contrast past and present states or actions. In these cases, it is often introduced by the adverb “prima” which means “before.”

  • Prima le persone guardavano i film in TV, adesso guardano i film su Netflix –  Before, people used to watch movies on TV, now they watch movies on Netflix
  • Prima i bambini giocavano fuori in strada, adesso giocano con i videogiochi  – Before the children played outside in the street, now they play video game

You might also use the imperfetto to describe how things were in the past and then use the passato prossimo to describe a specific event that happened and changed things, creating a contrast between past and present.

  • Prima, giocavo a calcio ogni pomeriggio. Poi, ho rotto la gamba e ho dovuto smettere – Before, I used to play soccer every afternoon. Then, I broke my leg and had to stop.

#3 The imperfect tense is also used to describe people, objects, situations, or places in the past.

  • Maria era una bambina allegro e vivace. Viveva in una casa piccola con i suoi genitori, che erano entrambi medici all’ospedale centrale di Roma. Aveva un piccolo criceto come animale, perché la sua casa era molto piccola – Maria was a cheerful and lively little girl. She lived [she used to live, she was living] in a small house with her parents, who were both doctors at the central hospital in Rome. She had [used to have] a small hamster as a pet, because her house was very small.

Common time expressions used with imperfetto:

Some time expressions indicate that an action was regularly repeated in the past, and therefore we tend to use them with the imperfetto.

  • Ogni mattina / ogni settimana / ogni mese
  • Regolarmente / solitamente / di solito
  • Quando avevo “x” anni
  • Sempre
  • Tutti i giorni / tutti i mesi / tutti gli anni

How to Translate the Imperfetto in English 

In English grammar, it can be translated as the past continuous tense, used to describe a past action that was ongoing or repeated at a specific time in the past. For example, “I was studying” or “I used to live” or “I would go (when used I the past”

So, for example, “vivevo” can be translated into English, like:

  • I used to live…
  • I would live…(in the past)
  • I was living  

When the Passato Prossimo and the Imperfetto Are Used in the Same Sentence

It’s common in Italian to encounter the use the passato prossimo and the imperfetto in the same sentence. This is normal in Italian because, both 

Imperfetto + passato prossimo 

When used in the same sentence, the passato prossimo is used to describe the main event, while the imperfetto is used to describe the background or setting of the main event. In other words, the imperfect tense describes the “ongoing action,” while the passato prossimo describes the main event.Usually these types of sentences are introduced by “mentre  =  while,” followed by the imperfect tense.

For example,

  • Mentre lavoravo al computer, ho ricevuto una chiamata dal mio capo – While working on the computer, I received a call from my boss.

In the above sentence “mentre lavoravo” is the background or setting of the main event which is “il mio capo ha chiamato”.  

  • Stavo andando al mercato a piedi, quando ha cominciato a piovere e sono dovuto ritornare a casa – I was walking to the market when it started to rain and I had to go home. 

In the above sentence “stavo andando al mercato” is setting, while “ha cominciato a piovere” and “sono dovuto ritornare a casa” are the main events. 

How to practice the difference between the passato prossimo and imperfetto

Getting a good understanding of how the Imperfetto works in Italian can be a challenge. While learning the theory is one thing, using it correctly in actual Italian conversation is another. In my experience, one of the best ways to grasp the use of the imperfetto and passato prossimo in Italian is by reading stories. These naturally switch between the two tenses, making it easier to understand their use. You can find short stories easily on Amazon or online (I made a list of the some good short stories in Italian here) . If you’re a grammar buff (just like me), you can also consider using this textbook for reference:

  

How to master the Italian Imperfetto

The Italian Imperfect Tense 

First things first..

What’s The Imperfect Tense? 

The imperfect (or imperfetto, in Italian) is a past tense. We mainly use the imperfect tense to talk about past actions that happened as a habit, to describe the context of past actions or events, and in a few other cases.

Smart tip 

As the name says, the action described by this tense is “imperfect,” so we can say that, as a rule of thumb, we use it when we can’t apply a time reference  to the past action we want to talk about. You should picture the imperfect tense as the frame of a picture or the background to the main event. The frame is the context (descriptions, feelings, ongoing actions). The picture is of you or a specific event.

Example,

  • Quando siamo arrivati (event), pioveva (background, frame) [When we arrived, it was raining] 
  • Quando andavano all’università (background, context), ho vinto (even) una borsa di studio. [When I was in school, I got a scholarship]

Most non-romance languages don’t have an “imperfetto,” so using the imperfetto correctly in Italian can be confusing. Reading and listening to Italian will help you naturally develop a good understanding of how and when to use the imperfect. Learning the rules, as always, is just the first step.

 

Italian vs.English 

In English, the imperfect tense in usually translate with: 

I used to: 

  • I used to live in that area – Vivevo in quel quartiere 

I was -ing:

  • I  was feeling sick yesterday, so I didn’t go to work – Mi sentivo male ieri, così non too andata a lavoro. 

Sometimes, though, the imperfetto can be translated with the regular English past tense ending in – ed. 

How to Conjugate the Imperfect Tense in Italian 

I have some great news for you. The imperfect is the most regular Italian verb.

It just adds the imperfect endings –avo, -avi, -ava, -avamo, -avate, -avano to the stem of the verb. The conjugation is the same for all the verbs, no matter what group they belong to.

Irregular Verbs  

There are just four irregular imperfect verbs in Italian, which are super easy to remember.

  • Fare → facevo, facevi, faceva, facevamo, facevate, facevano
  • Bere → bevevo, bevevi, beveva, bevevamo, bevevate, bevevano
  • Dire → dicevo, dicevi, diceva, dicevamo, dicevate, dicevano
  • Essere → ero, eri, era, eravamo, eravate, erano
     

When Do You Use the Imperfect tense in Italian?

Since there is not a straightforward translation in English when it comes to the Italian imperfetto, using this verb in Italian is one of the most complex aspects of the language. However, there are some rules you can look at when deciding whether to use the imperfetto or not.

We use the imperfetto to describe your life as it used to be.

Common word prompts: prima, una volta, nel passato, negli anni “X”, quando + imperfect tense 

  • Negli anni 90, vivevo a Londra e facevo il barista nei weekend – In the 90s I was living in London and I would work as bartender over the weekends.

We use the imperfetto to make a comparison between “before and nowadays”.

Common word prompts: prima…adesso.

  • Prima i bambini giocavano in strada, adesso giocano al cellulare – Before children used to play in the streets, today the play on their phones.

We use the imperfetto to talk about the weather in the past.

  • Ieri faceva caldo – Yesterday it was hot.
  • Ieri nevica – It snowed yesterday.
  • Ieri c’era una bella giornata di sole – Yesterday, it was a sunny day.

 We use the imperfetto to give a description of a situation, a place or a thing in the past.

  • La mia città era diversa quando ero piccola: c’erano meno macchine e il traffico era più lieve – My city was very different was I was little: there were less cars and traffic.
  • Il mio primo appartamento era molto luminoso e si trovava nel centro città – My first apertamente was very bright and was in the city center.

We use the imperfetto to talk about your childhood.

Common word prompts: da piccolo/a, quando avevo + your age / Quando ero piccolo/a 

  • Quando ero piccola, mi piaceva preparare le torte con mia madre – When I was little I liked to bake with my mum.
  • Quando ero piccolo, passavo le estati a casa dei miei nonni – When I was a child, I used to spend my summers at my grandparent’s house.

We use the imperfetto to describe the context or background of a specific event.

Common prompt words: mentre 

  • Mentre passeggiavo al mare, ho ricevuto una chiamata importante – While I was walking on the beach,  I got an important phonecall 

We use the imperfetto to describe how people state of mind or health in the past.

  • Ieri sera avevo mal di testa – Last night I had a headache.
  • Ieri mattina stavo male – Yesterday morning I felt sick. 
  • Al liceo, ero innamorata di Marcello – In high school, I was in love with Marcello.

We use the imperfetto to describe the personality traits or other characteristics of people in the past.

  • Mio nonno era molto saggio – My grandfather was very wise
  • La mia insegnate d’inglese era molto preparata – My English teacher in middle school was knowledgeable

We use the imperfetto to say what people knew or meant in the past.

  • Non sapevo cosa pensare – I didn’t know what to think.
  • Non volevo dire quello – I didn’t want to say that 
  • Non sapevo che Marco e Maria stavano insieme  – I didn’t know Marco and Maria were together 

We use the imperfetto to translate the English pattern “I used to do…”

  • Vivevo a Roma quando studiavo all’università – I used to live in Rome when I was in school. 
  • Viaggiavo molto prima di avere bambini – I used to travel a lot before having children.

More Uses of the Imperfect Tense in Italian

We use the imperfetto to express a polite request in place of the present conditional (vorrei) 

  • Volevo/Vorrei chiederti una cosa – I wanted to ask you something.
  • Volevo/Vorrei chiederti un favore – I wanted to ask you for a favore
  • Volevo/Vorrei farti una domanda – I wanted to ask you a question 

We use the imperfetto if two actions happen at the exact same moment in the past, we use the imperfect.

  • Mentre scrivevo il mio diario, mio figlio disegnava nella sua camera – While I was writing in my journal, my child was drawing in his room.

We use the imperfetto if one action interrupts an ongoing action, we use the imperfect tense for the ongoing action and the passato prossimo for the interruption.

  • Mentre dormivo [ongoing action], mi hanno chiamato al telefono [interruption] e mi sono svegliata – While I was sleeping, someone called and I woke up.

Passato Prossimo vs. Imperfetto: The Difference 

When to use the imperfect tense instead of the passato prossimo?

Passato prossimo 

The Italian passato prossimo indicates an event that occurred at some point in the past, at a specific moment. To put it another way, we know when the event started, and when it ended. The passato prossimo often appears in combination with time expressions.

Common time expressions that trigger the use of the passato prossimo:

  • Due giorni fa, un anno fa – two days ago, one year ago 
  • Ieri – yesterday 
  • L’anno scorso – last year 
  • Questa mattina – this morning 
  • Ieri sera – last night 
  • L’estate scorsa, giovedì scorso and similar phrases 
  • Ultimamente – lately 
  • L’altro ieri – the other day

If one of the above time expressions is used, we always use the passato prossimo. We would also use the passato prossimo if we didn’t say one of the above expressions, but they were still implied in the conversation.

For example,

  • Ho mangiato troppo ieri sera 
  • Due anni fa sono andato in Sud Africa
  • Ho comprato una macchina la scorsa settimana 

The imperfetto (the imperfect tense) 

The imperfect indicates an event that repeatedly occurred in the past, and we don’t know when it started or when it ended. It was an ongoing action for some time. The imperfect often appears in combination with time expressions indicating a routine or a habitual activity.

Common time expressions used with the imperfect tense

  • Normalmente – typically 
  • Di solito – usually
  • Mentre – while 
  • Ogni volta che – every time that 
  • Da piccola/da piccolo – when I was little
  • Tutto il tempo – all the time

For example,

  • Di solito andavo in quel caffè a studiare – Typically, I would go to that caffè for studying 
  • Ogni volta che andavo a Roma, andavo a trovare i miei amici – Every time I would go to Rome, I would visit my friends 

Notice that if you say, “Ho comprato una macchina” and you don’t mention the time expression, I would still understand that the action happened at the specific moment in the past. Using the imperfetto and saying “compravo una macchina” would also sound weird, as the act of buying a car is never ongoing. Saying “compravo una macchina” would sound in English like “I used to buy a car.”

The imperfect continuous in Italian [advanced topic]

This is a more advanced grammar topic. If you’re a beginner or intermediate student, you can skip it for now. The Italian imperfect continuous is a combination of the imperfect of “stare” and the gerund from. It is used to describe what was going on at a specific time in the past.
 
  • Cosa stavi facendo ieri alle 3? – What were you doing yesterday at 3? 
  • Mi stavo rilassando sul divano con I miei amici, quando i miei amici sono arrivati – I was relaxing on the couch yesterday when my friends arrived.