by Serena | Aug 19, 2025 | Italian grammar
If you’ve ever wondered what me ne vado really means (and how it’s different from vado or parto), this guide is for you! In short Andarsene means “to go away, to leave”: Me ne vado! (I’m off!) It’s andare + two pronouns: me ne, te ne, se ne, ce...
by Serena | Aug 13, 2025 | Italian grammar
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...
by Serena | Aug 7, 2025 | advanced, beginner Italian, Italian grammar
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.)...
by Serena | Aug 5, 2025 | beginner Italian, beginners, Italian grammar
One of the most common questions I get from my students is this one: potevo or ho potuto? Both translate as “I could” or “I was able to”, and in English the difference often disappears. In Italian, choosing one or the other tells your listener...
by Serena | Jul 24, 2025 | Italian grammar
“Ho dovuto” or “Dovevo”? Some Italian verbs change meaning depending on the tense you use: passato prossimo or imperfetto. These verbs include: dovere, volere, potere, and conoscere. In this article, let’s look at just one: dovere. Dovere...
by Serena | Jun 26, 2025 | Italian grammar
What is the Passato Remoto? The passato remoto (literally “remote past”) is a past tense in Italian used to describe actions that happened a long time ago and are completely over. Think: fairy tales, history books, legends, and stories about your great-grandparents....
