The Definite Articles (gli articoli determinativi)
How to Use the Definite Articles in Italian (articoli determinativi) Building solid foundations is key in every foreign language you learn. Mastering the nitty-gritty of the basics will be your pathway to fluency, I promise. That’s why today we’ll cover the Italian definite articles (gli articoli determinativi) and especially when to use them and when not, […]
How to say in Italian: “How long have you been doing something?”
How to say in Italian: “How long have you been doing something?” To ask how long someone has been doing something, Italian uses the present tense (and not the present perfect, like in English). These types of questions are introduced by “da quando” or “da quanto tempo”, meaning how long + the presente indicativo. For example, Da […]
Common Irregular Verbs
13 Most Irregular Common Italian Verbs What is an irregular verb? One of the most common difficulties for learners is learning and remembering irregular Italian verbs. The irregular verbs are those that do not follow the standard conjugation rules, such as the verbs ending in -are, -ere, or -ire (see my blog post here). There […]
How to Use the Verb Servire in Italian
How to Use the Verb Servire in Italian What does “servire” mean? First, let’s focus on the meaning and use of servire and how it differs from the other verbs expressing need, like dovere or avere bisogno di. Servire means to need something. You ought to use servire with a noun (a thing or a person) and […]
The Italian Present Conditional
The Present Conditional in Italian: How To Use It The conditional is a verb form that is the equivalent of the English pattern ” would + any verb”, when it’s used to express a wish or possibility. In other words, the conditional is used to express what you would do if, ask something politely, make […]
Essere and Esserci: The Difference
Essere and Esserci: The Difference Essere vs. esserci Essere and esserci are different verbs. Essere is the infinitive verb (the stem verb) meaning “to be”. Esserci is the infinitive verb of the common forms “c’è” and “ci sono“, which state the presence and existence of something or someone. They express the idea of being in place. For […]
