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The Italian Modal Verbs Explained for Beginners

The Italian Modal Verbs Explained for Beginners

What’s the Difference Between the Italian Modal Verbs and Other Types of Verbs?

When your teacher (or your book) is telling you “this is a modal verb,” there’s no need to panic!  Saying a verb a is “modal” is just a label to remind you that, in Italian, there are three (modal) verbs that have a lot in common and are kind of different from the other verbs.

Voglio – I want

Posso – I can

Devo – I have to, I need, I must

What do they have in common? Simple. They are followed by infinitive verbs (e.g. non conjugated verbs) 

An infinitive verb is a base form of any verb, the way you look it up in a dictionary.

So, we can say that modal verbs are always followed by infinitive verbs. 

  • Voglio vivere in Italia – I want to live in Italy
  • Posso aprire la porta? – Can I open the window?
  • Devo andare – I must go or I need to go or I have to go  

A common mistake made by beginner Italian learners is to use a conjugated verb after a modal verb, such as in the incorrect phrase “Voglio vado = I want I go,” which should be corrected to “Voglio andare”. The correct way to say  “I want to go” in Italian, is by using the infinitive form of the verb “andare” after the modal verb “voglio.”

How to Conjugate an Volere / Potere / Dovere  in the Present Tense?

The Italian modal verbs dovere, potere, and volere express necessity, possibility, and desire, respectively. They are also used to request permission, make requests, and offer assistance. Modal verbs are always followed by an infinitive and are irregular, so they need to be memorized. Since they are high-frequency verbs, it’s crucial to know their conjugations.

Conjugation of the modal verbs in the present tense 

Edit
VOLERE (want, wish) POTERE (can, may) DOVERE (need, have to, must)
io voglio
tu vuoi
lui/lei vuole
noi vogliamo
voi volete
loro vogliono		 io posso
tu puoi
lui/lei può
noi possiamo
voi potete
loro possono		 io devo
tu devi
lui/lei deve
noi dobbiamo
voi dovete
loro devono

Examples:

  • Voglio andare al supermercato (modal verb + infinitive + object) – I want to go to the grocery store.
  • Devo comprare della cioccolata (modal verb + infinitive + object) – I need to buy some chocolate.
  • Non posso aspettarti (modal verb + infinitive ) –  I can’t wait for you.

Let’s see now how to use the Italian modal verbs in-depth…

How to Use the Verb “Dovere”

Dovere + infinitive:  must, to have to, to need to 

  • Devo andare in palestra – I must (need, have to) go to the gym.

Dovere is a common Italian verb that has three possible translations into English:

  • I must
  • I have to
  • I need to
English vs. Italian 

In English, “I must” and “I need to” have different meanings. However, Italian does not make this distinction. To express the obligation implied by “must” in English, the only option in Italian is to pronounce “devo” more emphatically.

  • Devo studiare – I need to study
  • DEVO studiare – I must study

So, remember that there’s no formal difference between “I must,” “I need,” and “I have to” in Italian. They can all be translated with the verb dovere.

Dovere can also be used as a non-modal verb with a different meaning than its modal form. When used as a non-modal verb, “dovere” is followed by a noun instead of an infinitive verb. In this case, “dovere” means “to owe”

Dovere + noun: to owe 

  • Ti devo 5 euro per la piazza – I owe you 5 euros for the pizza

How to Use the Verb “Potere” 

Potere means “can or may” when asking for permission or being allowed (or not allowed) to do something.

  • Posso uscire un momento? – Can I leave for a second?
  • I bambini non possono guardare la tv di sera tardi – Children are not allowed to watch TV late.
English vs. Italian [sapere vs. potere]

Potere does not express the ability to do something, as it does in English. 

To express the ability to do something in Italian, you should use the verb “sapere” which means “to know how to” or “to be able to”.

Examples: 

  • Io posso parlare italiano means “I am allowed to speak Italian” or “I might be able to speak Italian”.
  • Io so parlare italiano means “I can speak Italian” or “I know how to speak Italian.”
  • Posso cantare means “I’m allowed to sing”.
  • So cantare means “I can sing” or “I know how to sing”.

Avoid the common mistake of using potere in these types of sentences. If you ask someone “puoi cucinare?” – you are actually requesting him or her to cook.

  • Puoi cucinare? – Will you cook? (I want you to cook) 
  • Sai cucinare? – Can you cook? (Do you know how to cook?)

How to Use the Verb “VOLERE”

Volere: to want, to wish

  • Voglio mangiare giapponese – I want  to eat Japanese
  • Voglio il sushi e la tempura – I want sushi and tempura

The Modal Verbs with the Passato Prossimo

Conjugating modal verbs with the passato prossimo (and other compound tenses*) needs a special construction.

A compound tense is a verb resulting from the combination of an auxiliary verb and a past participle (e.g. past conditional, compound future, past perfect, etc..)

How to Conjugate an VOLERE / POTERE / DOVERE  in Passato Prossimo?

If you have already learned the passato prossimo (the main past tense in Italian), you know that it’s a combination of an auxiliary and a past participle (e.g. ho parlato = I spoke, I’ve spoken).

But, what’s the correct auxiliary to use with modal verbs in the passato prossimo? 

When using a modal verb in the past tense, the correct auxiliary to use depends on the main verb that follows the modal verb. In general, both “essere” and “avere” can be used as auxiliary verbs with modal verbs in the passato prossimo.

The auxiliary verb used depends on the main verb that follows the modal verb.

If the main verb is transitive and takes a direct object, such as “mangiare” (to eat), the auxiliary verb used will be “avere”. If the main verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object, such as “andare” (to go), the auxiliary verb used will be “essere”.

For example: 

If you want to say in Italian – I wanted to eat, you need to chose the correct auxiliary of the verb “mangiare = to eat“, which is avere.

So, I wanted to eat goes to “ho voluto mangiare”

However, if you wanted to say – I wanted to go, you’d need to choose the correct auxiliary of the verb “andare = to go“, which is essere.

  • Sono voluta andare  – I wanted to go

The same rule applies for dovere and potere, of course. For example: 

  1. Ho dovuto preparare la cena – I had to prepare the dinner. 
  2. Sono dovuta andare in aeroporto in autobus – I had to go to the airport by bus.
  3. Non ho potuto preparare la cena – I could not prepare dinner.
  4. Non sono potuta andare a pranzo – I could not go to the lunch.

In the above examples, “preparare” is transitive and thus uses “avere” as its auxiliary in the passato prossimo, while “andare” is intransitive and takes “essere” as its auxiliary in the passato prossimo.

Note that when the auxiliary verb preceding the modal verb is essere, the past participle of the modal verb agrees in gender and number with the subject of the sentence.

  • Sono dovuta andare via – I had to leave  (dovuta, feminine singular).
  • Ci siamo alzati tardi – we got up late  (alzati, masculine plural)
  • Non siamo potuti venire – we could not come (potuti, masculine plural)

How to Use the Modal Verbs with the Pronouns 

This is more advanced topic, if you are a beginner Italian learner, you can skip it for now. 
 
Modal verbs in Italian allow for the position of pronouns to be flexible. In Italian, a pronoun usually comes before the verb, unlike in English where it comes after. However, with modal verbs, the pronoun can come before the modal verb or after the infinitive verb that follows the modal verb.  For example:
  • Voglio comprarlo – I want to buy it [pronoun attached onto the infinitive]
  • Lo voglio comprare –  I want to buy it [pronoun before the modal verb]

Both structures are interchangeable and commonly used in spoken Italian.

If you don’t understand well the idea of pronouns in Italian, I encourage you to visit this page: The Italian Direct Pronouns 

Let’s recap: 

There are three modal verbs in Italian. 

They are volere, potere, and dovere. And we call them modal verbs to remind us that they are different from the majority of other verbs in Italian, because:

  • they are irregular.
  • they are always followed by an infinitive verb.
  • they can use both essere and avere as auxiliaries in compound tenses, like the passato prossimo 
  • when they come in conjunction with a pronoun, the pronoun can either precede the modal verb or be joined onto the end of the infinite that follow the modal verb. 

The imperfetto of modals verbs 

If this is easy for you, you might be interested in learning about the difference of usage of the modal verbs between the passato prossimo and the imperfetto.

What’s The Difference Between “Dovevo & Ho Dovuto?”


mentre and durante

Mentre vs. Durante: the difference explained 

MENTRE

Mentre is a conjugation that is always followed by a verb.

In English, the equivalent of mentre is “while.”

This word always requires the use of a verb conjugated in the present, past, or future.

Mentre and the past

A note goes to the use of the past with “mentre”.

As mentre implies the ongoing duration of action over a period of time, the right past tense to use is the “imperfect tense”. As a result, “mentre” can never be followed by a passato prossimo. 

  • mentre mettevo in ordine la stanza, ascoltavo un Podcast – while tidying up the room, I was listening to a podcast.
  • mentre il professore spiegava, prendevo appunti – while the professor was explaining the lesson, I was taking notes 
  • mentre cucinavo, ho ricevuto una telefonata – while I was cooking, I got a phone call

English vs. Italian

Unlike in English, “mentre” can’t ever be followed by a gerund form. If in English it’s OK to say “while doing something”, in Italian it’s not possible and you’ll need to conjugate the verb.

Using a gerund verb form after “mentre” is a typical mistake English speakers make when speaking Italian.

For example, the phrase “while taking a walk, I listen to a Podcast” is correctly translated into Italian with “mentre faccio una passeggiata, ascolto un Podcast” and not with “mentre facendo…”

DURANTE 

Durante is a preposition and is the equivalent of during in English. It is always followed by a noun (and never by a verb).

  • Durante la cena, guardo la tv – during dinner, I watch TV 
Mentre vs. durante 
 

Let’s compare the use of mentre (+ verb) and durante (+noun) in the following sentences  

  • Mentre passeggiavo, ho raccolto dei mirtilli buonissimi – While I was walking around, I picked some yummy blueberries 
  • Durante la passeggiata, ho raccolto dei mirtilli buonissimi – During the walk, I picked some very good blueberries
  • Mentre cenavamo, abbiamo parlato di molte cose interessanti – While we were eating dinner, we talked about many interesting things 
  • Durante la cena, abbiamo parlato di molte cose interessanti – During dinner, we talked about many interesting things 

 

The Italian Preposition DA

The Italian Preposition “Da”

Most of the time, the Italian preposition “da” means “from,” but it can also mean “since/for,” “to,” “at,” and other things. Yes, it sounds difficult because prepositions in English and Italian do not have a binary correspondence. That is why, in my classes, I always tell my private students to learn the prepositions in context, that is, in phrases or expressions.

Da is generally used to express the following: 

Origin: I’m from 

  • Da dove vieni? – Where are you coming from? 
  • Vengo dagli Stati Uniti – I come from the United States
  • I miei cugini vengono dalla Francia – My cousins are coming from France 
  • Il treno è  arrivato da Roma – The train arrived from Rome  

As you can see, when the preposition “da” means from, frequently appears with the verb “venire” which means “to come”.

  • Venire da = to come from 

Venire da is used with cities or countries, and it’s not to be confused with “essere di”, which means the same, but it’s used only with cities.

For example:

  • vengo da Roma (city), vengo dall’Italia (country)
  • sono di Roma (city)

Time: how long? Since / For

Da is used with the meaning of for or since to indicate an action that started in the past and is continuing in the present. For example:

  • Studio italiano dal 2019 – I’ve learned Italian since 2019
  • Vivo a Roma da 5 mesi – I’ve been living in Rome for 5 months
  • Da quanto tempo conosci Marco? – How long have you known Marco?

As you can see from the foregoing phrases, the way to say “how long..?” in Italian, is with “da quanto tempo + present tense” and not with a past tense, like in English.

  • Da quanto tempo sei sposato? – How long have you been married?
  • Da quanto tempo studi italiano? – How long have you been studying Italian?

Time: through, from…to

 Da is also used with the preposition “a”, with the meaning of “from..to” or “through”

  • da martedì a venerdì – Tuesday through Friday 
  • da gennaio a febbraio – January through February 
  • dalle 10 alle 11 – 10 am through 11 am

Place (to go to someone’s place)

Going to a place, as you may know, is translated with andare in or a. However, there’s a third way to say “go to” and it’s when you are going to someone (a person) or at the place of someone. In this case, “to” is transited with the preposition “da.”

  • vado dal dentista – I’m going to the dentist.
  • vado dai miei amici – I’m going to my friends 
  • sono andato dai miei genitori – I went visiting my parents 
  • vado da Angela – I m visiting Angela (I’m going to Angela’s place)

Function, Purpose 

Da is used in a number of different compound words. In this case, da indicates the purpose of the object.

All it takes is simply memorizing the fixed expression. 

  • una camera da letto – a  bedroom
  • una sala da pranzo – a living room
  • occhiali da sole – shades
  • vasca da bagno – bath tub 
  • scarpe da tennis – basket shoes  

Value

Sometimes, da appears in expressions to indicate the value of something, and it means “worth”.

  • un gelato da 3 euro – a 3 euro gelato
  • una villa da un milione di euro  – a one million euro villa 
  • un bottiglia di vino da 100 dollari – a 100 dollar bottle of wwine 

Passive: By

In the passive forms, da is the translation of the agent “by” in English, which means the person by whom the action was carried out.

  • L’edificio è stato disegnato da Renzo Piano – The building was designed by Renzo Piano
  • Il progetto è stato finanziato dallo Stato – The project was funded by the state

Da + infinitive  

DA often appears after the Italian adverbs molto (a lot), poco (little), niente (nothing), qualcosa (something) when they are followed by an infinitive verb. 

  • Vuoi qualcosa da bere? – Would you like to have something to drink?
  • Non ho niente da fare oggi – I have nothing planned for today
  • Hai qualcosa da dirmi?  – Do you have something to tell me? 

Verbs with “da”

There are also a number of verbs which use the preposition da. 

  • dipendere da – to depends on 
  • venire da – to come from
  • partire da – to leave from 
  • proteggersi da – to protect against 
  • pretendere da – to expect from  
  • nascondersi da – to hide from
 

The articuritated prepositions are: dal, dall‘, dallo, dalla, dai, dagli, dalle

You can skip this if you’re just starting out with Italian grammar.
As you may know, in Italian, simple prepositions are distinguished from articulated prepositions. A simple preposition is a single word, such as a, di, da, su, and so on. When a simple preposition joins with a definite article, the result is an articulated preposition, such as dal, degli, sul, nella, and so on. 
Because most nouns in Italian are preceded by an article, this is a common thing in the grammar of the language, too.
 
When “da” is combined with the definite articles, it becomes
  • da + il = dal
  • da + l’ = dall’
  • da + la = dalla
  • da + lo = dallo 
  • da + i = dai
  • da + gli = dagli
  • da + le = dalle 

This is why we say 

  • Vado dal dentista – vado (da + il) dentista 
  • Studio italiano dal 2017 – studio italiano (da + il) 2017
  • Ho lezione dalle 14 alle 15 –  ho lezione (da+le) 14 (a+le) 15
How to use the verb mettersi

How to use the verb METTERSI

Mettersi is an Italian verb that non-native speakers may struggle with. It is, nevertheless, commonly used in everyday Italian, and you may want to learn how to use it. 

First of all, you might be familiar with mettere, which simply means to put. Well, mettersi, the reflexive version of mettere, is a whole different verb with a number of different meanings. 

Before learning the meaning of this peculiar verb, let’s have a look at the conjugation of the verb in presente and passato prossimo of this reflexive verb.

 Present Tense 

  • mi metto 
  • ti metti 
  • si mette
  • ci mettiamo
  • vi mettete
  • si mettono

Passato prossimo (past tense)

  • mi sono messo/a
  • ti sei messo/a
  • si è messo/a
  • ci siamo messi/e
  • vi siete messi/e
  • si sono messi/e
Now, let’s dive into the most common meanings of mettersi.
 

To put on/to wear

Mettersi is to put on or wear something in its most basic sense. 

  • Mi metto sciarpa e cappello – I’m wearing a scarf and a hat 
  • Ti metti una gonna o un vestito per la cerimonia? – Are you putting on a skirt or a dress for the reception?
  • Luca si mette gli occhiali da sole anche in inverno – Luca is wearing shades even in the winter

To start doing something 

Mettersi is also commonly used with the pattern mettersi a + infinitive verb. Mettersi indicates to begin doing something in this context. It’s very common in spoken and informal Italian.

  • Domani mi metto a dieta – Tomorrow I am starting a diet
  • Devo mettermi a pulire la casa – I need to start cleaning up 
  • Mettiamoci a lavoro – let’s get down to business

Sometimes we can use mettersi in the context of taking up a new hobby or starting a new interest, for example

  • Patrizia si è messa a studiare russo – Patrizia took up Russian
  • MI sono messa a fare yoga – I took up yoga 

To stay/to stand 

Mettersi is a colloquial Italian word that implies to stay or stand.

For example, 

  • Mettiti seduto – stay sit
  • Mettiti qui – stay here
  • Mettiti in piedi – stay still

(all the forgoing sentences are in the imperative form) 

Turning out well (or badly)

Mettersi can also be used to say that things are turning out well or badly for you in the expressions mettersi bene per and bettersi male per.

  • Le cose si mettono bene per Franco, ha appena ricevuto una bella promozione a lavoro – Things are turning out well for Franco, he’s just got a promotion at work.
  • Le cose si mettono male per Federica, ha perso il lavoro e ha finito i soldi – Things are turning out badly for Federica, she lost her job and ran out of money.
Common idiomatic expressions with mettersi

In addition, the verb mettersi appears in a number of idiomatic expressions. 

The following are the most well-known: 

  • Mettersi in proprio: to set up one’s own business
  • Mettersi a letto: to go to bed
  • Mettersi in agitazione : to get worked up
  • Mettersi all’opera : to get down to business 
  • Mettersi da parte: to back away, to set oneself aside
  • Mettersi d’accordo su/con: to agree on/with
  • Mettersi in cattiva luce : to appear in a bad light
  • Mettersi in guardia: to take one’s guard
  • Mettersi insieme: to start having a love affair
  • Mettersi in malattia: to go on a sick leave
  • Mettersi l’anima in pace: to send one’s mind at rest
  • Mettersi nei panni di qualcuno: to put oneself in somebody else’s shoes
  • Mettersi nei guai: to get into troubles
  • Mettersi in contatto con qualcuno: to reach/contact someone
How to use”Ancora” in Italian

How to Use “Ancora” in Italian 

Ancora is one of those words used in a number of different ways in Italian—and it’s very common. As always, when learning something new, it’s paramount to consider the context and the sentence in which the word is used.

In the case of ancora, I recommend memorizing a few examples for every use and then trying to re-use them by replacing the vocabulary in the examples with the vocabulary you want.

Still 

The most common meaning of ancora is “still“. It implies the idea that the action described by the verb has been carried out until now. Ancora is especially used for this meaning with the present progressive (the stare + gerund form).

  • Stai ancora dormendo?  – Are you still sleeping?
  • Sto ancora aspettando l’auto – I’m still waiting for the bus 
  • Sto ancora cucinando – I’m still cooking

However, it’s common to use it with other tenses, like the present tense. 

  • Sono ancora qui – I’m still here
  • Ancora dormi? – Are you still sleeping? 

Again

Ancora is also used with the meaning of doing something again. 

  • Fallo ancora – do it again
  • Prova ancora – try it again
  • Ripeti ancora – repeat again 

In the foregoing sentences, ancora can be replaced by its synonym, di nuovo.

  • Fallo di nuovo – do it again
  • Prova di nuovo – try it again
  • Ripeti di nuovo – repeat again 

Non…ancora = not…yet

When ancora appears with non, it means not…yet. This pattern is commonly used with the passato prossimo. 

  • Non ho ancora mangiato oggi – I haven’t eaten yet today
  • Non sono ancora stato in Italia  – I haven’t been to Italy yet
  • Non abbiamo ancora preparato la colazione – we haven’t yet made breakfast 

The position of non..ancora is always fixed in these sentences.

More

When Italians mean to add a quantity of something to something else, (e.g. more coffee, more sugar, more salt, more days, more time, etc.), they use the adverb ancora (and not più).

  • Vuoi ancora zucchero? – Do you want more sugar?

Ancora is used with this meaning, especially in the following types of sentences:

  • ancora due giorni – two more days 
  • ancora un minuto – one more minute
  • ancora una volta – one more time 

Even

Lastly, Italians use ancora together with the adverbs più or meno when they want to say even more (or less).

For example,

  • even hotter – ancora più caldo
  • even chapter – ancora più economico
  • even less attractive – ancora meno attraente

Espressioni con ESSERE & AVERE

Common expressions using ESSERE and AVERE

In Italian, the verbs “essere” and “avere” are certainly amongst the most popular ones. This is why they are widely used in many common Italian idiomatic expressions like the one following.

Bear in mind that a certain number of recurring expressions use the verb avere (to have) while English would use the verb essere (to be) and vice-versa. For instance, being hungry becomes having hunger in Italian.

The rule of thumb is to memorize the most common expressions, by making a list of the oens that use “avere” and the ones that use “essere”. 

Common expressions with “avere”

  • avere sonno: to be sleepy
  • avere fame: to be hungry
  • avere sete: to be thirsty
  • avere freddo: to be cold
  • avere caldo: to be hot
  • avere 20 anni: to be 20 years old
  • avere fretta: to be in a hurry
  • avere ragione: to be right
  • avere torto: to be wrong
  • avere successo: to be successful
  • avere fortuna: to be lucky
  • avere paura di: to be afraid
  • avere mal di pancia: to have a stomach ache 
  • avere mal di testa: to have a headache
  • aver mal di gola: to have a sore throat
  • avere la febbre: to have a fever

 

Common expressions with “essere”

  • essere in ritardo: to be late
  • essere bravo: to be good at doing something
  • essere buono: to be nice (food), to be good people
  • essere sveglio: to be awake
  • essere malato: to be sick
  • essere ammalato: to be sick
  • essere occupato: to be busy
  • essere pronto: to be ready
  • essere fidanzato: to be in relationship
  • essere sposato: to be married
  • essere felice: to be happy
  • essere triste: to be sad
  • essere depresso: to be depressed
  • essere contento: to be content 
  • essere innamorato: to be in love
23 expressions with the verb “FARE”

23 expressions with the verb “FARE”

Other than being an irregular verb, FARE is used in Italian in a number of many useful expressions. Let’s see some of them:

Fare i compiti: to do the homework

Fare le pulizie: to do the cleanings

Fare un biglietto: to buy a ticket

Fare una passeggiata: to go for a walk

Fare un giro: to go around

Fare una fotografia: to take a picture

Fare colazione: to eat breakfast

Fare la spesa: to buy groceries

Fare shopping: to go shopping

Fare la valigia (le valigie): to pack

Fare pace: to make peace

Fare il compleanno: to have a birthday

Fare il pieno: to tank up

Fare una domanda: to ask a question

Fare la coda/la fila: to queue

Fare soldi: to become rich

Far bene: to be good (for something)

Far male: to be painful, to ache

Fare una vacanza: to go on vacation (holiday)

Fare una prenotazione: to make a reservation

Fare un errore (o sbaglio): to make a mistake

Fare tardi: to be late

FARE is also the verb used to ask information about the weather and to answer about it. In Italian, we say CHE TEMPO FA? And we answer FA bel/cattivo tempo o FA caldo/freddo.

tempo

As I was previously mentioning, FARE does not follow the regular pattern of the second conjugation, being irregular.

Presente indicativo: io faccio, tu fai, lui fa, noi facciamo, voi fate, loro fanno

Imperfetto: io facevo…

Passato prossimo: io ho fatto…

Futuro semplice: io farò…

Condizionale semplice: io farei…

Gerundio: facendo…

Congiuntivo presente: che io faccia…

Congiuntivo imperfetto: che io facessi..

 

BELLO and BEL in Italian

BELLO vs. BEL/QUELLO vs. QUEL

Everybody knows that quello means that and bello means beautiful or nice.

And if you have been learning Italian for a while, you may have noticed that sometimes bello and quello are used in different forms.

In fact, it is not rare that bello becomes bel or begli or bei and quello becomes quel or quegli or quei.

Many students are not sure about the difference between bel and bello in Italian, or between quel and quello. Their use is easier than you think, and I’ll explain why in the followings sections.

 

Bello, bel, bei, begli

What is the difference between bello and bel/begli/bei?

When bello is positioned before a noun, it changes its ending in the same way as the definite articles (il, l’, gli, i).

In other words, the root of the adjective (be-) merges with the definite articles that would precede the noun, and so it results in the following variations: 

  • Bel libro – nice book 
  • Bell’albero –  beautiful tree
  • Begli alberi – beautiful trees
  • Bei libri – nice books
  • Bella donna – beautiful woman
  • Belle donne – beautiful women

If the adjective bello follows the noun or the verb essere, it doesn’t follow the above rule, but it will simply change its ending just as a regular adjective does.

  • Questa casa è bella – this house is beautiful
  • Queste case sono belle – these houses are beautiful 
  • Questo uomo è bello – this guy is handsom
  • Questi uomini sono belli – these guys are handsome

 

Quello, quel, quei, quegli

When does quello change its form and become quello/quel/ quei/quegli?

The rule for bello applies to quello too. 

If quello is positioned before a noun (and so it is used as an adjective), its spelling changes by merging its root with the definite articles (il, lo, la, i, gli, le) that would normally precede the noun, as in the following examples. 

  • Quel libro – that book 
  • Quell’albero –  that tree
  • Quegli alberi – those trees
  • Quei libri – those books
  • Quella donna – that woman
  • Quelle donne – those women

The above varieties are possible only when quello is used as an adjective.

If quello is used as a pronoun instead of an adjective, the changes only reflect gender and the number of people in the group.

  • Quello è il mio gatto – That one is my cat
  • Quelle sono le mie amiche – those are my girlfriends

 

Buono, buon

What is the difference between buon and buono?

The same rule for bello and quello applies to the adjective buono.

Buono changes its endings by following the pattern of the indefinite adjective (uno, una, un, un’), when preceding a noun. 

  • un buon amico – a good friend 
  • una buon’amica – a good girl-friend 
Essere and Stare: what’s the difference?

Essere & Stare: What’s the Difference? 

In Italian, there are two verbs that have just one equivalent in English: stare and essere. They are not interchangeable, though. 

The good news is that in 95% of the cases, the verb to use is essere. So, when in doubt, use essere! However, there are cases where use stare is expected and mandatory. 

In this article, I clarify when to use essere and especially when it is necessary to use stare. 

How to use ESSERE

You should use essere to talk about:
 
  • yourself and your nationality: sono Serena e sono italiana
  • your job: sono un’insegnante di italiano per stranieri
  • origins: sono di Milano
  • your physical appearance and personality: sono alta e sono simpatica

Essere also indicates the state of being and is used to:

  • describe locations: Roma è una bella città.
  • describe objects: la mia casa è grande e luminosa.
  • locate objects: dove è la mia borsa? E‘ sulla sedia

Essere is also widely used in combination with “ci” in the verb esserci (c’è/ci sono, in English, there is/there are). Esserci states the existence of someone or something. 

  • C’è un bambino nuovo a scuola – there is a new kid in the school
  • Ci sono quattro sedie in cucina – there are four chairs in the kitchen

How to use STARE

Stare has a variety of uses, some of which are idiomatic expressions. We can generally say that stare indicates location, health, and appearances. It is also used in a good number of idiomatic expressions and with the present continuous tense.

Location

In this case, stare means rimanere (to remain or to stay in English).

  • Oggi sto a casa – I’m staying home today

Health

  • come stai? – How’re you?
  • sto bene  – I’m good 
  • sto male – I’m not good 
  • sto meglio  – I’m better 

Appearance

Stare bene and stare male mean that something (e.g. a piece of clothing) looks great on you or not. In English you would say “it suits me/you, etc”.

  • Questa giacca mi sta benissimo – this jacket looks great on me!
  • Quel capello ti sta male – that hat does not suit you 

Idioms 

Stare means to be in a variety of idiomatic expressions, as in the following examples:

  • Stare in piedi – to be standing/to stand 
  • Stare seduto – to be seated 
  • Stare zitto/a – to be quiet
  • Stare attento – to pay attention
  • Stare calmo – to stay calm 
  • Stare a cuore – to have at heart 
  • Stare con – to be in a relationship with someone

Stare vs essere 

In some of the above expressions, stare and essere are interchangeable. There is a subtle difference between them, though. Essere states a quality or a statement, while stare implies a voluntariness in the action described.

  • sono in piedi – I stand / sto in piedi – I voluntarily stand
  • sono seduto – I’m seated / sto seduto – I’m voluntarily seated 
  • sei calmo – you are calm person (quality) / stai calmo! – please, try to stay calm (voluntarily)
The Present Continuous with stare

The present continuous describes an action that is happening at the moment that you speak, right now. The present continuous in Italian is expressed by the present tense of the verb stare plus the gerund. 

  • Sto cucinando – I am cooking
  • Sto parlando al telefono – I am on the phone with Maira

Stare + Per + Infinitive 

When stare appears in combination with per and an infinitive, it describes an action that will happen in the near future.

  • La lezione sta per finire – the lesson is about to finish
  • Sto per uscire – I am leaving at any moment
How to express positive emotions in Italian

How to express positive emotions in Italian

Italians have a reputation for being emotional and sentimental, and this is entirely right. No need to say, we like to express positive and (negative) emotions with friends and family, and we do it often.

Have you ever wondered what the most common ways to say in “well done” or” was happy about..” or “cool‘” are?

Keep reading this article to find it out!

 

RIMANERE + ADJECTIVE 

By using the present perfect of rimanere followed by an adjective you will mean you were happy/excited/ satisfied with something

 

  • Sono rimasto soddisfatto della lezione di ieri
  • Lucia è rimasta molto contenta del regalo che hai ricevuto
  • L’insegnante rimane contento del mio livello di italiano durante ogni lezione

Don’t forget, most adjectives expressing feelings are followed by the preposition di and the verb infinitive

 

  • Essere /rimanere felice di + infinito
  • Essere /rimanere contento di+ infinito
  • Essere /rimanere soddisfatto di + infinito
  • Essere /rimanere scioccato di + infinito
  • Essere /rimanere sorpreso di + infinito
  • Avere paura di + infinito

 

POSITIVE EXCLAMATIONS 

Exclamations are the most everyday ways to express positive emotions.

Many joyous Italian exclamations result from the combination of che with adjectives.

 

  • Che bello! – How beautiful!
  • Che buono! – How good!
  • Che dolce! – How sweet!
  • Che piacere! – How nice!
  • Che bel film! – What an excellent movie!
  • Che bella donna! – What a beautiful woman!
  • Che giornata fantastica! –What a fantastic day!

There are also many other exclamations used in day to day Italian that take the shape of simple adjectives.

 

  • Bravissimo! – Well done!
  • Ottimo! – Excellent!
  • Bello! – Beautiful!
  • Figo! – Cool! (very informal)
  • Eccezionale! – Outstanding!

Another way to express satisfaction or happiness in Italian is using the expression fare piacere a qualcuno (literally: making pleasure for someone)

  • Mi fa molto piacere che tu sia arrivato
  • Mi fa piacere che tu abba superato l’esame 

Remember that the subjunctive must follow the expression “mi fa piacere the.” 

Fare piacere is an impersonal expression; so it has to be conjugated in the same way you would conjugate the verb piacere:

Mi fa piacere – mi ha fatto piacere

Tti fa piacere – ti ha fatto piacere

Gli fa piacere – gli ha fatto piacere

Ci fa piacere – ci ha fatto piacere

Vi fa piacere – vi ha fatto piacere

Gli fa piacere – gli ha fatto piacere

 

SHOWING APPROVAL IN ITALIAN

Expressing positive emotions can take the shape of showing approval. The most common ways to show support or approval in Italian are:

  • Va bene! – All right!
  • D’accordo! – Agreed!
  • Giusto! – Correct!
  • Certo! – Of course!
  • Esatto! – Precisely!

 

SHOWING RELIEF IN ITALIAN

Last but not least, let’s see how to express relief in Italian:

 

  • Meno male! – Thank goodness!
  • Per fortuna! – Luckily!
  • Grazie a Dio! – Thank God!
  •  

Meno male is Italy’s most common verbal sigh of relief. This phrase is used when you want to explain that you have prevented a possible situation, like in the following examples:

 

  • Meno male che ho preso l’autobus delle 11, sennò avrei perso l’aereo.
  • Meno male che Lucia è arrivata in orario per l’appuntamento con il capo.

Both Grazie a Dio and per fortuna are used with the same meaning. However, meno male is the expression you are most likely to hear in your Italian conversations.

12 Latin words (and expression) used in Italian

12 Latin sayings and expressions in  Italian 

Of the Romance languages , Italian is the closest language to Latin.

And so, it should not be surprising, that many Latin words or even entire Latin phrases have become so naturalized in Italian that we use them in full, without a second thought.

No need to mention, by learning (and using) them your Italian will sound more natural and fancier.

Crazy about Italian idioms? Read also this post! 15 well-known Italian saying and proverbs 

This is a list of some of the most common Latin expressions I hear on a day-to-day basis. Don’t forget to to throw them in in your next conversation! 

1. IDEM

Exclamation meaning  same /me too / I agree with what you said

  • Come ti senti oggi? Alla grande, e tu? Idem!
  • Qui c’è un tempo tremendo, da te? Idem!
 

2. BIS

Exclamation with whom one calls for a replication of a show or a song. Also, the sentence ‘fare il bis’ means repeating something for the second time.

  • Quella pasta era così buona che ho fatto il bis!
 

3. SUI GENERIS

It is a Latin sentence meaning of its (his, her, or theirs) own kind; something unique or constituting a class alone.

  • Un film sui generis
  • Un libro sui generis
  • Una canzone sui generis
 

4. AD MAIORA!

It’s a formula of greeting which is used to wish more success in life. It literally means towards greater things, success, in general, good things.

 

5. DEO GRATIAS

Simply Thanks to God! Or Grazie a Dio, in Italian.

 

6. DE GUSTIBUS

Very popular (and wise) latin maxim meaning in matters of taste, there can be no dispute or simply tastes differ and one can argue about it.

 

7. ERGO

Ergo is one of my favorite words. It means therefore or dunque, perciò, quindi  in Italian and implies a logical conclusion.

  • Non c’è più motivo di restare qui, ergo vado via
  • Non hai mantenuto la promessa, ergo non ti posso più credere
  • La mia azienda mi ha licenziato, ergo cercherò un nuovo lavoro
 

8. INTER NOS

Latin sentence meaning between you and me or in Italian tra di noi implying a sense of secrecy about the matter that one is talking about.

  • Te lo dico, ma che rimanga inter nos!
  • Inter nos, non lasciarti perdere quell’affare
 

9. IN EXTREMIS

Literally meaning at the point of death, in its figurative sense means at the last moment or all’ultimo momento in Italian.

  • Abbiamo preso l’aereo in extremis, stavamo per perderlo!
 

10. REPETITA IUVAT

Latin maxim meaning repeating things helps, which is so true when it comes to learning a foreign language!

 

11. AVERE UN LAPUS

An idiom you can use when you make an involuntary mistake while writing or speaking. A slip of the mind, in short.

 

12. SUPER PARTES

Literally above the sides or simply imperial.

  • E’ stato nominato un commissario super partes a tutela dell’azienda.
Compunds verbs: auxiliary Essere o Avere?

Tenses are normally divided into simple and compound ones, the letter result from the union of the past participle and the conjugated form of the verb essere (to be) or avere (to have). Many students have come to be with doubts concerning the use of the one or the other auxiliary.

Although it might sound confusing whether to opt for the first or second option, all you need to know can be summed up in a few rules that you need to remember whenever you need to conjugate a compound verb in Italian.

The verbs that take the auxiliary avere are the transitive verbs that take a direct object, for example:

Ho fatto una torta stasera. I have made a cake tonight.

Ho pulito la casa. I have cleaned the house.

Ho guidato l’auto. I have driven the care.

The verbs that take the auxiliary essere are the intransitive verbs such as the verbs of movement (andare, salire, scendere, tornare, arrivare), the reflexive verbs (arrabiarsi, lavarsi, vestirsi), the pronominal verbs (accorgersi, vergognarsi) and the impersonal verbs (succedere).

Sono salito sull’areo senza valigie. I got on the plane without any luggage.

Mi sono arrabbiato con i miei oggi. I got mad at my parents today.

Mi sono accorto troppo tardi di aver perso il portafogli. I realized too late that I had lost my wallet.

Cosa é successo? What happened?

There are some verbs that can take both ESSERE and AVERE.

They are the verbs that describe the weather conditions (piovere, grandinare, nevicare) or the verbs, vivere, volare e scivolare.

The Italian modal verbs, aka verbi servili, take the auxiliary AVERE when they are simple tenses, while in the compound tenses followed by an infinitive, they takes the auxiliary of the infinitive.

For example:

Sono dovuto andare mangiare. I had to go to eat.

Ho dovuto cucinare in fretta, non avevo tempo. I had to cook in a rush, I was short of time.