-Are Verbs in the Present Tense
There are three categories of verbs in Italian: first conjugation verbs, second conjugation verbs, and third conjugation verbs. First conjugation verbs are verbs whose infinitive forms end in
To conjugate first conjugation verbs, remove the
The present tense in Italian can carry different meanings in English, depending on the context:
The present tense in Italian can also be used to express an action that will take place in the future:
Exercise 1: Conjugating -Are Verbs
Rewrite the sentences, replacing the subject.
Io Noi Voi Tu Pietro ed io Tutti i miei cugini Noi Mio padre Tu e Elena Loro Ogni studente I figli del signor Gianni
Tu lavori il venerdì?
Tutti gli studenti Loro Mio fratello ed io Gli avvocati Gianni Marcello ed il suo amico Voi Marco e Angela Tu e Marco Loro I miei amici ed io Tutte le ragazze
Exercise 2: Translation Exercise Using -Are Verbs
Translate the following sentences into Italian. Choose from among the
I am learning to speak Italian.
They are starting to work on Friday.
We are thinking of eating in the new restaurant.
The boys want to explain the situation.
The professor is speaking with a student.
John lives in Boston. He is thinking about working in San Diego.
Do you play tennis? Do you want to play tennis with Marco?
He is afraid of the other children.
We feel like eating the pizza.
You and John do not need the computer today.
Exercise 3: Listening Comprehension with -Are Verbs
Listen to the verbs spoken in Track 13. Repeat each verb, then write each infinitive in Italian in the first space provided and the English equivalent in the second space.
Verbs Ending in -Iare
There are a few commonly used first conjugation verbs that end in
Verbs Ending in -Care and -Gare
There are a few commonly used first conjugation verbs that end in either
Ascoltare, Aspettare, Guardare
In Italian, the verbs
Pensare a/Pensare di
Double Verb Constructions
In a double verb construction, the first verb is conjugated and the second is left in its infinitive form:
Exercise 4: Correct or Incorrect?
Some of the following sentences contain errors. If a sentence is correct, move on to the next one. If it is incorrect, rewrite it, correcting the error.
Noi pensiamo a mangiare in un ristorante. Alfredo non ha molto pazienza. Io studio perché desidero imparare. Dove aspettate per il treno? Avete fame? Desiderate mangiare la pizza? Penso a mio fratello. Lui è alla verde. Io lavori il martedì. Tu pagi il conto? Noi giochiamo a tennis ogni giorno. Hai voglia di studaire l'italiano?