Chapter 12 - Present tense

The present tense is a complex tense in the Italian language, with many irregular forms and exceptions to general rules.  The present tense is used to describe actions which are in progress, or which are continuous.  The English expressions such as “I speak, I am speaking, I do speak” are translated using the present tense.  To make the Italian forms, endings are added to the verb stems.

General pronunciation note:   Verbs in the present tense keep the accent on the stem of the verb, that is the stress falls on the last vowel of the stem, except for the “noi” and “voi” forms which ALWAYS follow the usual rules.  Verb forms in the present tense are usually written without accent marks, but in this text, accent marks will be used when the pronunciation departs from the regular rules.

Pronunciation of Group 1 verbs

Rule 1 - With nine exceptions, verbs which have a double consonant before the group ending -are have standard pronunciation.

          examples:         allungare, to lengthen:  allungo, allunghi, allunga, allunghiamo, allungate, allụngano

                                    eclissare, to eclipse:  eclisso, eclissi, eclissa, eclissiamo, eclissate, eclịssano

                                    incantare, to enchant:  incanto, incanti, incanta, incantiamo, incantate, incạntano

                             offuscare, to obscure:  offusco, offuschi, offusca, offuschiamo, offuscate, offụscano

                                    ritornare, to return:  ritorno, ritorni,ritorna, ritorniamo, ritornate, ritọrnano

The exceptions are        arbitrare, to arbitrate (ạrbitro); calibrare, to calibrate (cạlibro); celebrare, to celebrate

                                    (cẹlebro), compenetrare, to permeate (compẹnetro); elucubrare, to scheme, (elụcubro);

                                    disintegrare, to disintegrate (disịntegro); integrare, to integrate ( ịntegro);

                                    penetrare, to penetrate (pẹnetro); reintegrare, to reintegrate (reịntegro)

Rule 2 - With one exception (the verb purificare), verbs which end in -icare are stressed on the second to last vowel of the stem.  In the following examples, the stems are underlined.

                      beneficare (to do good): benẹfico, benẹfichi, benẹfica, benefichiamo, beneficate, benẹficano

                        esplicare (to explain): ẹsplico, ẹsplichi, ẹsplica, esplichiamo, esplicate, ẹsplicano

                        fabbricare (to fabricate): fạbbrico, fạbbrichi, fạbbrica, fabbrichiamo, fabbricate, fạbbricano

                        masticare (to chew): mạstico, mạstichi, mạstica, mastichiamo, masticate, mạsticano

                   significare (to signify, mean): signịfico, signịfichi, signịfica, significhiamo, significate, signịficano

Rule 3 - Verbs which end in -iare find the stress on the vowel which precedes the letter “i”.

          examples: alleviare, to alleviate:  allẹvio, allevi, allevia, alleviamo, allevate, allẹviano

                            affacciare, to show:  affạccio, affacci, affạccia, affacciamo, affacciate, affạcciano

                            alloggiare: to lodge, house:  allǫggio, allǫggi, allǫggia, alloggiamo, alloggiate, allǫggiano

Rule 4. - Verbs that end in -quiare (only 3) do not double the “i” when an ending begins with “i”.  The three verbs are colloquiare (to speak colloquially), ossequiare (to pay homage), and sproloquiare (to carry on, rant)

Rule 5 - Many of the group 1 verbs which have a single vowelfollowed by a single consonant before the group ending have regular pronunciation, that is they are stressed on the last vowel of the stem.  In the following example, the stem is underlined.

          bastonare (to cane): bastọno, bastọni, bastọna, bastoniamo, bastonate, bastọnano

However, approximately 45% of group 1 verbs of this type are stressed on the second to last vowel of the stem.  In the following examples, the stems are underlined.

            acclimatare (to acclimate): acclịmato, acclịmati, acclịmata, acclimatiamo, acclimate, acclịmatano

            esonerare (to exonerate): esǫnero, esǫneri, esǫnera, esoneriamo, esonerate, esǫnerano

            manipolare (to manipulate): manịpolo, manịpoli, manịpola, manipoliamo, manipolate, manịpolano

            ondulare (to undulate): ǫndulo, ǫnduli, ǫndula, onduliamo, ondulate, ǫndulano

            ventilare (to ventilate): vẹntilo, vẹntili, vẹntila, ventiliamo, ventilate, vẹntilano

All the verbs of this type are listed in the appendix.

Group 1 verbs end in -are.  The model for this group is the verb parlare, to speak; its stem is parl-.  The endings are shown in italics, and they are the same for all regular verbs in this group

            I speak                         Io                     parl + o            parlo                (pAHr-loh)

            You speak                   Tu                    parl + i             parli                 (pAHr-lee)

            He, she, who speaks    Lei, Lui, chi    parl + a            parla                (pAHr-lah)

            We speak                     Noi                  parl + iamo      parliamo          (pahr-lyAH-moh)

            You speak                   Voi                  parl + ate         parlate             (pahr-lAH-tay)

            They, who speak         Loro, chi          pạrl + ano        pạrlano                        (pAHr-lah-noh)

In group 1, the following verbs are irregular in the present tense

accecare, to blind:  accieco, acciechi, accieca, accechiamo, accecate, acciẹcano

andare, to go:  vado, vai, va, andiamo, andate, vanno

                Like andare:         riandare, to go back

arenare, to run aground:  arẹno, arẹni, arẹna, areniamo, arenate, arẹnano

dare, to give:  do, dai, dạ, diamo, date, danno

esaminare, to examine:  esạmino, esạmini, esạmina, esaminiamo, esaminate, esạminano

                                These verbs are irregular because, although the infinitives are pronounced regularly, the

                                accent is changed in the stem (esamin-) from the last vowel to the second to last vowel.  Using

                                esaminare as an example, the infinitive is pronounced ay-zah-mee-nAH-ray.  Thus, under the

                                regular rule, the io form would be pronounced ay-zah-mEEn-oh, but it is actually pronounced

                                ay-zAH-mee-noh.  There are too many of these verbs to be listed here. Please consult the

                                appendix for information.

fare, to do, make:  faccio, fai, fa, facciamo, fate, fanno

                Like fare:assuefare, to accustom, inure          contraffare, to counterfeit                 disassuefare, to give up a habit

                disfare, to undo                                                   liquefare, to liquify                             putrefare, to putrify

                rarefare, to rarefy                                               rifare, to do over, repeat                    sfare, to undo, to thaw, melt

                soddisfare, to satisfy                                           soprafare, to overwhelm                    strafare, to do too much, overdo

                stupefare, to stupefy                                           torrefare, to roast                                tumefare, to swell

ridare, to give back:  ridò, ridai, ridà, ridiamo, ridate, ridanno

ristare, to stop, desist:  ristò, ristai, ristà, ristiamo, ristate, ristanno

sonare, to sound, to play:  suono, suoni, suona, soniamo, sonate,suǫnono

                Like sonare:                                                         dissonare, to be dissonant                 risonare, to resound, to play again

                rotare, to rotate                                                   tonare, to thunder

stare, to stand:  sto, stai, sta, stiamo, state, stanno

Pronunciation of Group 2 verbs

The pronunciation of group 2 verbs is more regular than group 1 verbs.  Verbs in the present tense keep the accent on the last vowel of the stem, except for the “noi” and “voi” forms, which ALWAYS follow the usual rules.  In the loro form, the accent falls on the third to last vowel.  Verb forms are generally written without accent marks, but in this text, accent marks will be used whenever the pronunciation departs from the regular rules.

Group 2 verbs end in -ere or -rre.  The model for this group is the verb credere, to believe; its stem is cred-.  The endings are shown in italics, and they are the same for all regular verbs in this group.

            I believe                                   Io                     cred + o           credo               (crEH-doh)

            You believe                             Tu                    cred + i            credi                (crEH-dee)

            He, she, who believes             Lei, Lui, chi    cred + e           crede               (crEH-day)

            We believe                              Noi                  cred + iamo     crediamo         (cray-dyAH-moh)

            You believe                             Voi                  cred + ẹte        credẹte            (cray-dAY-tay)

            They, who believe                   Loro, chi          crẹd + ono       crędono           (crEH-doh-noh)

In group 2, the following verbs are irregular in the present tense

addurre, to adduce:  adduco, adduci, adduce, adduciamo, adducẹte, addụcono

                Like addurre:                                       condurre, to conduct                          dedurre, to deduce

                indurre, to induce                                                introdurre, to introduce                      produrre, to produce

                reintrodurre, to reintroduce               ricondurre, to bring, take, lead again

                ridurre, to reduce                                riprodurre, to reproduce                    ritradurre, to retranslate

                sedurre, to seduce                               tradurre, to translate                          trasdurre, to transduce

astrarre,to abstract:  astraggo, astrai, astrae, astraiamo, astraẹte, astrạggano

                Like astrarre:                                        attrarre, to attract                                               contrarre, to contract

                decontrarre, to relax                           detrarre, to detract                              distrarre, to distract

                estrarre, to extract                              protrarre, to protract                          ricontrarre, to contract again

                ritrarre, to retract                                sottrarre, to subtract                           trarre, to pull, draw toward

avere, to have:  hò, hai, ha, abbiamo, avẹte, hanno

cǫgliere, to gather:  colgo, cogli, coglie, cogliamo, cogliẹte, cǫlgono

                Like cǫgliere:                              accǫgliere, to welcome                      disciǫgliere, to dissolve

                distǫgliere, to withdraw                     equivalere, to be equivalent              invalere, to catch on, become fashionable

                prevalere, to prevail                            riaccǫgliere, to readmit someone    ritǫgliere, to take away again

                scẹgliere, to choose                            sciǫgliere, to untie, to loosen            tǫgliere, to take away

                valere, to be worth

conoscere, to know:  conọsco, conọsci, conọsce, conosciamo, conoscẹte, conọscono

                Like conoscere:                                   disconoscere, to disclaim                   riconoscere, to recognize

crẹscere, to grow:  crẹsco, crẹsci, crẹsce, cresciamo, crescẹte, crẹscono

                Like crescere:                                       nạscere, to be born                              ricrẹscere, to regrow

                rinạscere, to be reborn                       rincrẹscere, to regret

cuǫcere, to cook:  cuocio, cuoci, cuoce, cociamo, cocẹte, cuǫciono

                Like cuǫcere:                                       ricuǫcere, to recook                            scuǫcere, to overcook

                stracuǫcere, to overdo

divęllere, to uproot:  divelgo, divelli, divelle, divelliamo, divellẹte, divẹlgono

                Like divẹllere:                                     eccẹllere, to excel                                espẹllere, to expel

                repęllere, to repel                                                svẹllere, to tear out

dolere, to suffer, ache:  dǫlgo, duǫli, duǫle, dogliamo, dolẹte, dǫlgono

dovere, to be obliged to:  devo, devi, deve, dobbiamo, dovẹte, dẹvono

emęrgere, to emerge:  emergo, emergi, emerge, emergiamo, emergẹte, emẹrgono

                Like emẹrgere:                                     accǫrgere, to perceive                        aggiụngere, to add

                aspęrgere, to sprinkle                         attịngere, to attain                              cịngere, to surround

                congiụngere, to join, unite                 cospạrgere, to scatter, sprinkle         costrịngere, to compel

                convęrgere, to converge                     dipịngere, to depict                             dirịgere, to direct

                disgiụngere, to disjoin, separate      disụngere, to degrease                        divęrgere, to diverge

                emụlgere, to soften                             ęrgere, to raise, lift up                        erịgere, to erect

                esịgere, to demand                             espụngere, to expunge                        fịngere, to feign, pretend

                frạngere, to break                                                fụngere, to act as someone                giụngere, to join

                immęrgere, to immerge                      indụlgere, to indulge                           ingiụngere, to enjoin, to order

                interpụngere, to punctuate                mụngere, to milk                                  neglịgere, to neglect

            piạngere, to cry, weep                        pịngere, to paint                                  pǫrgere, to hand something to someone

                predilịgere, to be particularly fond of something                                          pụngere, to prick, sting, bite, nip

                raggiụngere, to catch up, up to, up with                                                          redịgere, to draw up, draft

                ricongiụngere, to reconnect              riemęrgere, to re-emerge                    rifrạngere, to refract

                rifụlgere, to shine                                 rimpiạngere, to regret                         rinvǫlgere, to rewrap

                ripịngere, to repaint                            risǫrgere, to rise again                       risospịngere, to push again

                ritịngere, to redye                                sconvǫlgere, to upset, throw into confusion

                scǫrgere, to make out, distinguish    smụngere, to bleed, milk, squeeze   soggiụngere, to add

                sommęrgere, to submerge                  sopragiụngere, to appear or arrive suddenly

                sǫrgere, to rise, get up                        spạrgere, to scatter, strew                  spịngere, to push, shove

                spǫrgere, to stick out, protrude         stịngere, to fade, lose color                strịngere, to clasp, hold tightly

                svǫlgere, to unwind                             tęrgere, to wipe clean, away             tịngere, to dye, tint

                vǫlgere, to wrap                                   ụngere, to oil, lubricate

ęssere, to be:  sọno, sei, è, siamo, siete, sọno

                                Like ęssere:                                                                           rięssere, to be again

giacere, to lie down:  giaccio, giaci, giace, giacciamo, giacẹte, giạcciono

                Like giacere:                                         dispiacere, to displease                      piacere, to please

                scompiacere, to be unkind                 soggiacere, to be subject to               spiacere, to be sorry, to regret

tacere, to be silent

lęggere, to read:  leggo, leggi, legge, leggiamo, leggẹte, lẹggono

                These verbs are irregular because the soft gg of the infinitive is hard in the “I”and “they” forms.

                Like lęggere:                                         affịggere, to affix                                afflịggere, to afflict

                corręggere, to correct                         distrụggere, to destroy                       elęggere, to elect

                figgere, to fix, stick                             frịggere, to fry                                      infịggere, to drive, thrust

                inflịggere, to inflict                              prefịggere, to arrange in advance    protęggere, to protect

                ręggere, to hold                                   rielęggere, to re-elect                          rifrịggere, torefry

                rilęggere, to read again                      sconfịggere, to defeat, vanquish      strụggere, to melt, thaw

                trafịggere, to transfigure

muǫvere, to move:  muovo, muovi, muove, moviamo, movẹte, muǫvono

                Like muovere:                                     commuǫvere, to move emotionally

                percuǫtere, to strike                            promuǫvere, to promote                    rimuǫvere, to remove

                riscuǫtere, to collect a salary            scuǫtere, to shake                                               smuǫvere, to budge

                sommuǫvere, to incite, stir up.

nuǫcere, to harm:  noccio, nuoci, nuoce, nociamo, nocẹte, nǫcciono

parere, to seem:  paio, pari, pare, pariamo, parẹte, pạiono

pọrre, to put, place:  pọngo, pọni, pọne, poniamo, ponẹte, pọngono

                Like pọrre:

                antepọrre, to place or put before                      appọrre, to append                             compọrre, to compose

                contrappọrre, to oppose; to contrast               contropropọrre, to counterpropose  decompọrre, to decompose

                depọrre, to put, set, lay down                           dispọrre, to dispose                             espọrre, to expose

                fotocompọrre, to photocompose                      frappọrre, to interpose                        giustappọrre, to juxtapose

                impọrre, to impose                                              indispọrre, to irritate; to annoy        interpọrre, to interpose

                oppọrre, to oppose                                              pospọrre, to postpone                        predispọrre, to predispose

                prepọrre, to place before, to set above           presuppọrre, to presuppose               propọrre, to propose

                ricompọrre, to reassemble, to recompose       ridispọrre, to rearrange                      riespọrre, to expound again

                ripọrre, to replace                                               ripropọrre, to repropose                    scompọrre, to take apart, dismantle

                sottoespọrre, to underexpose                            sottopọrre, to place underneath       sovraespọrre, to overexpose

                sovrappọrre, to superimpose                             sovrimpọrre, to overlay                      suppọrre, to suppose

                traspọrre, to transpose

potere, to be able, can:  pǫsso, puǫi, può, possiamo, potẹte, pǫssono

riavere, to have again, recover:  riò, riai, rià, riabbiamo, riavẹte, rianno

rimanere, to remain:  rimango, rimani, rimane, rimaniamo, rimanẹte, rimạngono

sapere, to know:  sò, sai , sa, sappiamo, sapẹte, sanno

sedere, to sit:  siẹdo, siẹdi, siẹde, sediamo, sedẹte, siẹdono

                                Like sedere:                          possedere, to possess          risedere, to reseat, to sit down again

solere, to be in the habit of:  sǫglio, suǫli, suǫle, sogliamo, solẹte, sǫgliono

                Like solere:                                                                           volere, to want

spęgnere, to extinguish:  spengo, spegni, spegne, spegniamo, spegnẹte, spẹngono

tenere, to hold:  tengo, tieni, tiene, teniamo, tenẹte, tẹngono

                Like tenere:                                          appartenere, to belong to                   contenere, to contain

                detenere, to detain                               mantenere, to maintain                      ottenere, to obtain

                ritenere, to retain                                 sostenere, to sustain                            trattenere, to restrain

tǫrcere, to twist:  torco, torci, torce, torciamo, torcẹte, tǫrcono

                These verbs are irregular because the soft c of the infinitive is hard in the “I”and “they” forms.

                Like torcere:                                         contǫrcere, to contort                         contǫrcersi, to writhe

                distǫrcere, to distort                            ritǫrcere, to twist again

trarre, to draw:  traggo, trai, trae, traiamo, traẹte, trạggono

                Like trarre:                                            attrarre, to attract                                               astrarre, to abstract

                contrarre, to contract                         detrarre, to detract                              distrarre, to distract

                estrarre, to extract                              protrarre, to protract                          ritrarre, to retract

                sottrarre, to subtract

vịncere, to win:  vinco, vinci, vince, vinciamo, vincẹte, vịncono

            These verbs are irregular because the soft c of the infinitive is hard in the “I”and “they” forms.

                Like vincere:                                        avvịncere, to charm                            convịncere, to convince

                convịncersi, to convince oneself      evincere, to be evident                       stravincere, to win overwhelmingly, trounce

volẹre, to want:  vǫglio, vuǫli, vuǫle, vogliamo, volẹte, vǫgliono

                Like volere:                                          benvolere, to like someone                disvolere, to stop liking someone

                malvolere, to dislike someone          rivolere, to want someone or something back

Pronunciation of Group 3 verbs

The pronunciation of group 3 verbs is generally regular.  Verb forms are usually written without accent marks, but in this text, accent marks will be used whenever the pronunciation departs from the regular rules.  In some texts, the authors divide this verb group into two parts, namely those verbs whose forms are like finire, and those whose forms are like partire.  Due to the fact that this group has 665 verbs of which 95 are formed like partire, this author treats the verbs like partire as irregular verbs.

Group 3 verbs end in -ire.  The model for this group is the verb finire, to finish or end; its stem is fin-.  The endings are shown in italics, and they are the same for all regular verbs in this group.

            I finish                         Io                     fin + isco         finisco             (fee-nEE-scoh)

            You finish                   Tu                    fin + isci          finisci              (fee-nEE-shee)

            He, she, who ends       Lei, Lui, chi    fin + isce         finisce              (fee-nEE-shay)

            We finish                     Noi                  fin + iamo       finiamo            (fee-nyAH-moh)

            You finish                   Voi                  fin + ite            finite                (fee-nEE-tay)

            They, who finish         Loro, chi          fin + ịscono     finịscono         (fee-nEE-scoh-noh)

In group 3, the following verbs are irregular in the present tense

aprire, to open:  apro, apri, apre, apriamo, aprite, ạprono

These exceptions are characterized by the presence of a pair of consonants or the letters "gu" before the group ending.

When the ber "partire" is used to mean "to divide or share", its forms are like the ber "finire".

The following verbs have other irregularities.

apparire (to appear): appaio, appari, appare, appariamo, apparite, appaiono

            Like apparire:              riapparire, to reappear                        scomparire, to disappear

cucire, to sew:  cucio, cuci, cuce, cuciamo, cucite, cụciono

                Like cucire:                                           ricucire, to sew again                                         scucire, to unravel

fuggire, to flee, to escape:  fuggo, fuggi, fugge, fuggiamo, fuggite, fụggono

                [These verbs are irregular because the soft gg of the infinitive is hard in the “I”and “they” forms.]

                Like fuggire:                                         muggire, to moo                                                  rifuggire, to flee again, escape again

                ruggire, to roar, bellow                       sfuggire, to shun, avoid

dire, to say:  dico, dici, dice, diciamo, dite, dịcono

                Like dire:                                               benedire, to bless                                                 contradire, to contradict

                disdire, to retract                                 interdire, to interdict, prohibit                           maledire, to curse

                predire, to predict                                ridire, to repeat                                                    ribenedire, to bless again

empire, to fill, fill up, fill in:  empio, empi, empe, empiamo, empite, empịrono

                                Like empire:                                                         riempire, to refill

morire, to die:  muoio, muori, muore, moriamo, morite, muoịono

                                Like morire:                                           premorire, to die before, predecease

salire, to go forth, go up, climb:  salgo, sali, sale, saliamo, salite, sạlgono

                                Like salire:                            assalire, to assault                                              risalire, to go up again

udire, to hear:  odo, odi, ode, udiamo, udite, ǫdono

                                Like udire:                                                            riudire, to hear again

uscire, to go out:  esco, esci, esce, usciamo, uscite, ẹscono

                                Like uscire:                           fuoriuscire, to come out, leak                           riuscire, to go out again

venire, to come;  vẹngo, viẹni, viẹne, veniamo, venite, vẹngono

                Like venire:                                          addivenire, to come to                                        avvenire, to happen

                circonvenire, to circumvent              contravenire, to contravene                              convenire, to convene

                divenire, to become                            intervenire, to intervene                                     pervenire, to reach

                prevenire, to prevent                          provenire, to come from, originate                   riconvenire, to reconvene

                ridivenire, to become again               rinvenire, to rediscover, recover                       risoveniresi, to remember, recollect

                rivenire, to come back                  sconvenire, to be unbecoming                          sovvenire, to help