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Questions tagged [verbs]

Questions about verbs, i.e. words that express an action, occurrence, or a state of being

26 votes
5 answers
2k views

Why do Italian road signs use the infinitive tense and not the imperative?

Why do Italian road signs use the infinitive tense in their warning, while, for example, those in English use the imperative? Turn off lights Spegnere le luci (and not "Spegnete le luci" or ...
Kyriakos Kyritsis's user avatar
24 votes
4 answers
4k views

Past participle and changing endings with auxiliary verb "avere"

I have read many times that the endings of the past participle doesn't change when used in conjunction with the auxiliary verb "avere". However I am increasingly noticing that is is not the case. For ...
Groky's user avatar
  • 1,031
23 votes
4 answers
4k views

Perché "vendesi" e non "si vende"?

Gli annunci immobiliari italiani mi sono sempre sembrati molto curiosi. Perché si scrive "vendesi" o "affittasi" e non "si vende" o "si affitta"?
Charo's user avatar
  • 38.9k
16 votes
3 answers
10k views

When does passato prossimo become passato remoto?

I have searched past questions but cannot find an answer. Now I have reached a point in my learning when I am brave enough to use more then the present tense. I am confused about the difference ...
Jim's Mum's user avatar
  • 761
16 votes
2 answers
4k views

Quando si deve togliere la "e" finale di un verbo all'infinito?

So che a volte si deve scrivere un verbo all'infinito senza la "e" finale. Per esempio, scrivere Cerca di calmarti per poter pensare con chiarezza invece di Cerca di calmarti per potere pensare ...
Charo's user avatar
  • 38.9k
15 votes
4 answers
9k views

What's the difference between "cominciare" and "iniziare"?

Recently, an Italian friend of mine corrected my sentence, "Sono a dieta, l'ho cominciata tre giorni fa", like this: "Sono a dieta, ho iniziato la dieta tre giorni fa." Is there any difference between ...
Vic's user avatar
  • 2,121
15 votes
1 answer
377 views

What form should be used when showing messages to a user on a computer screen in Italian?

Often times, computer programs in English tend to give feedback on what they are and aren't doing in an impersonal form: Cannot locate the internet server or proxy server Unable to unlink old file (...
badp's user avatar
  • 648
13 votes
2 answers
295k views

Volevo chiederle se + congiuntivo o condizionale?

Quale delle seguenti frasi è corretta? 1) Volevo chiederle se potesse farmi questo favore 2) Volevo chiederle se potrebbe farmi questo favore Grazie
user4184's user avatar
  • 131
13 votes
2 answers
352 views

Most recent non-first conjugation Italian verb

Within the context of another question an interesting question has emerged: which is the most recent Italian verb that doesn't belong to the first conjugation (i.e., not ending in -are)? In fact, all ...
DaG's user avatar
  • 36.8k
13 votes
1 answer
4k views

"avrebbe potuto essere diverso"

Certe volte mi chiedo, è corretto dire ... sarebbe potuto essere diverso ... o, si dovrebbe dire ... avrebbe potuto essere diverso ... C'è una regola che governa questo costrutto? E se c'è, ...
Kyriakos Kyritsis's user avatar
12 votes
3 answers
5k views

Correct usage of the verb "divertirsi"

I was talking to my Italian professoressa and we were basically discussing how our long weekend went. Being an Italian class, she expected me to describe the whole endeavor in Italiano. However, our ...
Veer Singh's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
398 views

"Diménticatelo" oppure "Dimenticàtelo"?

Mi è capitato di recente di imbattermi in questa frase : Lo zio Giovanni? Dimenticatelo, visto che non risponde da anni alle nostre lettere. In quel caso, la frase era parte di un racconto più ...
Paola's user avatar
  • 601
11 votes
1 answer
282 views

PrEndere but tenEre

Could anyone refer me to a rule explaining why verbs ending with -ere have different stressed syllables? What I have understood so far is that I should look them up in the dictionary. Thank you
Logan Xav's user avatar
  • 113
11 votes
2 answers
2k views

Cosa significa "infrociarsi"?

Nel romanzo Il fu Mattia Pascal di Luigi Pirandello ho letto: Appena arrivato, si toglieva dal taschino del panciotto un vecchio cipollone di rame, e lo appendeva a muro con tutta la formidabile ...
Charo's user avatar
  • 38.9k
11 votes
3 answers
4k views

Complete table of Italian irregular verbs

Is there a complete list of all Italian irregular verbs? I would appreciate it in particular to find a table that includes the various subregularities, too.
shuhalo's user avatar
  • 211

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