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
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:        

The exceptions are        

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

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

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 vowel followed 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.            

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

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.

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.

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

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

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
divẹllere, to uproot:  divelgo, divelli, divelle, divelliamo, divellẹte, divẹlgono
                Like divẹllere:                                     eccẹllere, to excel                                espẹllere, to expel
                repẹllere, 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

ęssere, to be:  sọno, sei, è, siamo, siete, sọno
                                Like essere:       rięssere, to be again

nuǫcere, to harm:  noccio, nuoci, nuoce, nociamo, nocẹte, nǫcciono
parere, to seem:  paio, pari, pare, pariamo, parẹte, pạiono

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

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.            

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

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

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

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