After this class you should;
be able to conjugate and use the following verbs:
Bere, Cogliere, Dovere, Porre, Potere, Rimanere, Sapere, Scegliere, Sedere, Spegnere, Tenere and Volere
Understand the purpose of and know how to use modal verbs.
Grammar
The present tense of the irregular Italian ERE verbs
These verbs do not follow the regular conjugation patterns of the Italian ERE verbs and thus will be looked at separately here. The first three are extremely important to know as they can be used often in everyday conversation. Additionally, these three verbs work exceptionally well with other verbs. For example; I have to go, I want to speak or I can swim. Learning these verbs will prove extremely useful in your quest to communicate in Italian. Additionally many of the other verbs are used often in normal conversation such as sapere or bere.
Potere
Subject Pronoun
Potere conjugated
English
Io
Posso
I can
Tu
Puoi
You can
Lui/Lei
Può
He/She can
Noi
Possiamo
We can
Voi
Potete
Y’all can
Loro
Possono
They can
Thus; Io posso = I can / Tu puoi = You can / Lui può = He can / Lei può = She can Noi possiamo = we can / Voi potete = Y'all can / Loro possono = They can
Dovere
Dovere conjugated
English
Devo
I must
Devi
You must
Deve
He/She must
Dobbiamo
We must
Dovete
Y’all must
Devono
They must
Thus; Io devo = I must / Tu devi = You must / Lui deve = He must / Lei deve = She must Noi dobbiamo = we must / Voi dovete = Y'all must / Loro devono = They must
Volere
Volere conjugated
English
Voglio
I want
Vuoi
You want
Vuole
He/She wants
Vogliamo
We want
Volete
Y’all want
Vogliono
They want
Thus; Io voglio = I want / Tu vuoi = You want / Lui vuole = He wants / Lei vuole = She wants Noi vogliamo = we want / Voi volete = Y'all want / Loro vogliono = They want
Bere
Subject Pronoun
Bere conjugated
English
Io
Bevo
I drink
Tu
Bevi
You drink
Lui/Lei
Beve
He/She drinks
Noi
Beviamo
We drink
Voi
Bevete
Y’all drink
Loro
Bevono
They drink
Thus; Io bevo = I drink / Tu bevi = You drink / Lui beve = He drinks / Lei beve = She drinks Noi beviamo = we drink / Voi bevete = Y'all drink / Loro bevono = They drink
Cogliere
Cogliere conjugated
English
Colgo
I gather
Cogli
You gather
Coglie
He/She gathers
Cogliamo
We gather
Cogliete
Y’all gather
Colgono
They gather
Thus; Io colgo = I gather / Tu cogli = You gather / Lui coglie = He gathers / Lei coglie = She gathers Noi cogliamo = we gather / Voi cogliete = Y'all gather / Loro colgono = They gather
Porre
Porre conjugated
English
Pongo
I put
Poni
You put
Pone
He/She puts
Poniamo
We put
Ponete
Y’all put
Pongono
They put
Thus; Io pongo = I put / Tu poni = You put / Lui pone = He puts / Lei pone = She puts Noi poniamo = we put / Voi ponete = Y'all put / Loro pongono = They put
Rimanere
Subject Pronoun
Rimanere conjugated
English
Io
Rimango
I stay
Tu
Rimani
You stay
Lui/Lei
Rimane
He/She stays
Noi
Rimaniamo
We stay
Voi
Rimanete
Y’all stay
Loro
Rimangono
They stay
Thus; Io rimango = I stay / Tu rimani = You stay / Lui rimane = He stays / Lei rimane = She stays Noi rimaniamo = we stay / Voi rimanete = Y'all stay / Loro rimangono = They stay
Sapere
Sapere conjugated
English
So
I know
Sai
You know
Sa
He/She knows
Sappiamo
We know
Sapete
Y’all know
Sanno
They know
Thus; Io so = I know / Tu sai = You know / Lui sa = He knows / Lei sa = She knows Noi sappiamo = we know / Voi sapete = Y'all know / Loro sanno = They know
Scegliere
Scegliere conjugated
English
Scelgo
I choose
Scegli
You choose
Sceglie
He/She chooses
Scegliamo
We choose
Scegliete
Y’all choose
Scelgono
They choose
Thus; Io scelgo = I choose / Tu scegli = You choose / Lui sceglie = He chooses / Lei sceglie = She chooses Noi scegliiamo = we choose / Voi scegliete = Y'all choose / Loro scelgono = They choose
Sedere
Subject Pronoun
Sedere conjugated
English
Io
Siedo
I sit
Tu
Siedi
You sit
Lui/Lei
Siede
He/She sits
Noi
Sediamo
We sit
Voi
Sedete
Y’all sit
Loro
Siedono
They sit
Thus; Io siedo = I sit / Tu siedi = You sit / Lui siede = He sits / Lei siede = She sits Noi sediamo = we sit / Voi sedete = Y'all sit / Loro siedono = They sit
Spegnere
Spegnere conjugated
English
Spengo
I turn off
Spegni
You turn off
Spegne
He/She turns off
Spegniamo
We turn off
Spegnete
Y’all turn off
Spengono
They turn off
Thus; Io spengo = I turn off / Tu spegni = You turn off / Lui spegne = He turns off / Lei spegne = She turns off Noi spegniamo = we turn off / Voi spegnete = Y'all turn off / Loro spengono = They turn off
Tenere
Tenere conjugated
English
Tengo
I keep
Tieni
You keep
Tiene
He/She keeps
Teniamo
We keep
Tenete
Y’all keep
Tengono
They keep
Thus; Io tengo = I keep / Tu tieni = You keep / Lui tiene = He keeps / Lei tiene = She keeps Noi teniamo = we keep / Voi tenete = Y'all keep / Loro tengono = They keep
bere
bevo
bevi
beve
beviamo
bevete
bevono
cogliere
colgo
cogli
coglie
cogliamo
cogliete
colgono
dovere
devo
devi
deve
dobbiamo
dovete
devono
porre
pongo
poni
pone
poniamo
ponete
pongono
potere
posso
puoi
puo
possiamo
potete
possono
rimanere
rimango
rimani
rimane
rimaniamo
rimanete
rimangono
to drink
I drink
you drink
he/she drinks
we drink
y’all drink
they drink
to gather
I gather
you gather
he/she gathers
we gather
y’all gather
they gather
must/to have to
I must/have to
you must/have to
he/she must/have to
we must/have to
y’all must/have to
they must/have to
to put
I put
you put
he/she puts
we put
y’all put
they put
to be able to
I can
you can
he/she can
we can
y’all can
they can
to stay
I stay
you stay
he/she stays
we stay
y’all stay
they stay
to know
I know
you know
he/she knows
we know
y’all know
they know
to choose
I choose
you choose
he/she chooses
we choose
y’all choose
they choose
to sit
I sit
you sit
he/she sits
we sit
y’all sit
they sit
to turn off
I turn off
you turn off
he/she turns off
we turn off
y’all turn off
they turn off
to keep
I keep
you keep
he/she keeps
we keep
y’all keep
they keep
to want
I want
you want
he/she wants
we want
y’all want
they want
Using only the vocabulary we have learned so far, learn how to say everything below in Italian (except anything that may be in " "), print out and bring the printable form of this dialog and be prepared to say the dialog below for one of the persons in class.
Person #1 – Hi ___________.
Person #2 – Hi ______________, how are you?
Person #1 – I am well, thank you. And you, how are you?
Person #2 – I am very well, thank you. What do you want to do this evening (sta sera)?
Person #1 – I don’t know, please sit here while (siedi qui mentre) we talk. What do you want to do?
Person #2 – I want to go to Rome. Paul and Phil play guitar (chitarra) every Friday in Rome (ogni venerdì a Roma)!
Person #1 – They can play guitar?
Person #2 – Paul can’t play guitar very well but he tries. He plays better when he drinks some wine (del vino).
Person #1 – I can’t go to Rome, I have to stay home today (a casa oggi). Do you remember Laura?
Person #2 – Yes I remember Laura. We dance every Friday, why do you ask?
Person #1 – My parents have to buy a car (una macchina) for her (per lei). I have to say here with my brother (mio fratello) while they choose a car for her.
Person #2 – Ok (va bene), we can stay here. We can watch a game (una partita) on TV (in television). You can choose the game!
Person #1 – No, you choose while I turn off the radio (la radio). In addition (inoltre) I want to study during (durante) the game.
Person #2 – Why do you always (sempre) have to study?
Person #1 – Because Chuck always asks questions (le domande) in class.
Person#2 – I know that he insists that (che) all students (tutti gli student) speak Italian.
Person#1 – Yes and I want to respond correctly (correttamente)!
Person#2 – Ok (Ecco), here is the game!
Person #1 – Let’s listen!
You can learn more about irregular ERE verbs on these pages of the following books.
101 - 103 (page #'s may vary as I have an older edition) of "Ciao" by Carla Federici & Carla Larese Riga, copyright 1986.
112 - 114 of the book "Complete Italian Grammar" by Marcel Dansesi, copyright 1976.
19 & 20 of the book "Italian Verb Drills" (Third Edition) by Paola Nanni-Tate, copyright 2011.
If you do not own these books, don't worry, it is not mandatory that you do unless you were instructed to buy them at the beginning of the class. However, they can be very useful in a lot of ways and if you would like to know more about these books and where to buy them, simply go to our online bookstore or quicker yet, just click on the appropriate book below.
Did you know?
" Lombardy is a region in northern Italy between the Alps and the Po river valley. Its capital is Milan, the largest city in Northern Italy.
Lombardy is divided physically into three parts from north to south--a mountainous Alpine and pre-Alpine zone; a zone of gently undulating foothills; and a zone of alluvial plains sloping gently to the Po River in the south. Alpine division reaches a height of 4049 m in the Bernina Range. The foothill zone is partly composed of morainic material and contains a number of scenic lakes. The region is drained southward by many rivers, all of them tributaries of the Po, including the Ticino, the Adda, and the Oglio, with its affluents the Mella and Chiese, and the Mincio. The regione abounds in lakes and contains all or part of Lake Garda (Italy's largest lake), Maggiore, Lugano, Como, Iseo, Idro, and Varese."
This information about Lombardy obtained from http://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/italy/political.html
Have you heard?
James Blunt chips in by singing this English/Italian duet with Laura Pausini and it proves to live up to it's hype being the title song for this CD. And with that being said I hope you thoroughly enjoy Primavera in Anticipo!
This and many other great songs are available on --->
Printable Homework 
basic online exercise 
Downloadable Podcast
printable crossword
