How To Use ” CI” and “NE” in Italian
How To Use ” CI” and “NE” Have you been learning Italian for a while? Then, I am sure you have been faced with the quirky usage of the Italian particles ci and ne (also known as particelle pronominali in Italian). And you’ve been wondering dozens of times how to use ci and how to use ne. Maybe you have also decided to neglect […]
The Italian Indirect Object Pronouns Explained
The Italian Indirect Object Pronouns Explained Yes, pronouns are not easy to grasp, but they’re worth mastering. Why? It’s simple. We use them all the time. We use them to avoid repeating things and be concise, typically in a conversation. It’s the same in English and in many other languages. Knowing the Italian pronouns will […]
Conoscere and Sapere: The Difference Explained
Conoscere and Sapere: The Difference Explained What’s the difference between “sapere” and “conoscere”? If you came across this page, it’s because you have been confused by using the Italian verbs sapere and conoscere. Fair enough! English (and other languages) uses only one verb, the verb “to know,” to cover knowledge’s meaning in all possible forms. […]
Smettere & Fermare: What’s The Difference?
Smettere & Fermare: What’s The Difference? Misusing or swapping the verbs smettere and fermare is one of the most frequent errors Italian learners make, and I understand why. The confusion is driven by the fact that both verbs, in English, have only one translation:to stop. Instead, unlike English, Italian has two different verbs to indicate the action of stopping. One verb is […]
The Guide to Italian Verbs with a Double Auxiliary and How They Work
The Guide to Italian Verbs with a Double Auxiliary and How They Work What’s the difference between ho cambiato and è cambiato? Ho cambiato casa – I’ve changed home (I moved to a different home? il clima è cambiato – The climate changed If you have an eye for details, you have already noticed that […]
Dovere, avere bisogno and servire: what’s the difference?
DOVERE / AVERE BISOGNO DI / MI SERVE / BISOGNA In this post, I want to discuss the differences between three Italian verbs that are often confused. Each of them expresses a need in English. However, they are used in different contexts and are not interchangeable. What’s the difference between dovere, avere bisogno di and servire? The […]
The difference between Lasciare, Partire, Uscire & Andare via
The difference between Lasciare, Partire, Uscire, Andare via In this article I want to shed light on the difference in the usage of four Italian verbs that my students mix up all the time! lasciare – to leave (permanently) partire – to leave for/from uscire – to leave, to go out, to hang out andare […]
13 Most Irregular Common Italian 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 […]