Italian Reference Grammar - Verbs
The present tense
The simple present tense and the present progressive tense are the forms most commonly used.
Simple present tense
This tense describes when you simply 'do' something. To form it, use the simplest form of the verb in the present tense.
For example:
'(Io) guardo la televisione.' - 'I watch television.'
Present progressive tense
This tense describes when you 'are doing' something. It implies more of a continuous action. To form it, use the appropriate form of the verb 'stare' and the gerund of your main verb.
For example:
'(Io) sto guardando la televisione.' - 'I am watching television.'
Forming the present tense
To form the present tense of a verb:
- take the infinitive, which ends in '-are', '-ere' or '-ire'
- remove the ending -are/-ere/-ire
- add the first, second and third person endings, singular and plural.
These endings are:
| Pronoun | Ending with -are verb | Ending with -ere verb | Ending with -ire verb |
| io | - o | - o | -o/isco |
| tu | - i | - i | -i/isci |
| lui/lei/esso/essa | -a | - e | -e/isce |
| noi | - iamo | -iamo | -iamo |
| voi | - ate | -ete | -ite |
| loro/essi/esse | -ano | -ono | -ono/iscono |
- Note: the '-ire' verbs have two forms. Those following the '-isc' pattern do have it in addition before the first, second and third person singular and before the third person plural.
Present tense of 'guardare'
The simple present tense of the verb 'guardare' (to watch) is:
Pronoun | Verb form | English translation |
| io | guardo | I watch |
| tu | guardi | You (singular, informal) watch |
| lui/lei/esso/essa | guarda | He/she/it or you (singular, formal) watch/es |
| noi | guardiamo | We watch |
| voi | guardate | You (plural) watch |
| loro/essi/esse | guardano | They watch |
Present tense of 'temere'
The simple present tense of the verb 'temere' ('to fear') is:
Pronoun | Verb form | English translation |
| io | temo | I fear |
| tu | temi | You (singular, informal) fear |
| lui/lei/esso/essa | teme | He/she/it or you (singular, formal) fear/s |
| noi | temiamo | We fear |
| voi | temete | You (plural) fear |
| loro/essi/esse | temono | They fear |
Present tense of 'capire'
The simple present tense of the verb capire (to understand) is:
Pronoun | Verb form | English translation |
| io | capisco | I understand |
| tu | capisci | You (singular, informal) understand |
| lui/lei/esso/essa | capisce | He/she/it or you (singular, formal) understand/s |
| noi | capiamo | We understand |
| voi | capite | You (plural) understand |
| loro/essi/esse | capiscono | They understand |
Present tense of 'dormire'
The simple present tense of the verb dormire (to sleep) is:
Pronoun | Verb form | English translation |
| io | dormo | I sleep |
| tu | dormi | You (singular, informal) sleep |
| lui/lei/esso/essa | dorme | He/she/it or you (singular, formal) sleep/s |
| noi | dormiamo | We sleep |
| voi | dormite | You (plural) sleep |
| loro/essi/esse | dormono | They sleep |
Affirmative
'Si, (io) guardo la televisione tutte le sere.' - 'Yes, I do watch television every evening.'
Negative
To make a verb negative, the word 'non' is placed before the verb.
For example:
'(Lui) non sta guardando la televisione.' - 'He's not watching television.'
'(Io) non guardo la televisione.' - 'I don’t watch television.'
'(Io) non vado in città.' - 'I’m not going into town.'