Italian Present Tense
What’s the present tense in Italian? The Italian present tense (presente indicativo) has four main uses: To describe actions happening right now: Marco mangia una pizza. (Marco is eating a pizza.) To express general truths or habits: Gli...
17 Common Italian Irregular Verbs and How to Learn Them
What’s an irregular verb? An irregular verb in Italian is one that doesn’t follow standard conjugation rules, like verbs ending in -are, -ere, or -ire in Italian. Every language has them, with examples like “to be,” “can,” or...
Conoscere vs. Sapere: The Difference and How to Use Them
What’s the difference between “sapere” and “conoscere”? Although both “sapere” and “conoscere” translate to “to know” in English, in Italian they have distinct meanings and are rarely...
What Does “Ce l’ho” Mean in Italian?
Wondering why Italians say “ce l’ho” instead of just “l’ho”? Or why it’s “ce l’hai” and not simply “l’hai”? Bella domanda—this post will explain exactly why. Ce l’ho / Non ce l’ho → I have...
Italian Numbers: A Guide for Beginners
My English teacher at university was an Irish woman who had lived in Italy for over a decade. One day, she admitted to us that numbers were still a pain for her. Having learned several languages myself, I know firsthand how difficult it is to master numbers in a...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.