Beginners Italian - Lesson 6

| Mon, 02/11/2008 - 11:33

As promised our beginner series on Italian Language, continues. This time Fabrizio Ulivieri guides us through those most essential of verbs "fare" and "essere". As ever, if you have any questions or comments just fill in the comment box.

   

Fare

to do, to make
   
Fare i compiti to do one's homework
   
Fare la spesa to go shopping
   
Fare una domanda to ask a question
   

Fare una fotografia

to take a picture
   

Fare colazione

to have breakfast
   
Fare un viaggio to
take a trip
   

Fare finta

to pretend
   
   

Esempi:

Examples:

   
faccio colazione alle 8 (I have breakfast at 8 o’clock)
   
posso farti una domanda? (may I ask you a question?)
   
Fa finta di cercare un libro (He pretends to be looking for a book)
   

Fare (from Latin facere) is an irregular second conjugation verb.

One conjugates it as follows:

(io)
faccio
I
do
(tu)
fai
you
do
       
(lui-lei)
fa
he-she-it
does
(noi)
facciamo
we
do
       
(voi)
fate
you
do
(loro)
fanno
they
do
       

The subject pronouns io, tu, lui-lei, noi, voi, loro are not normally used in Italian.

The pronouns can, however, be used in the case of emphasis:

1) Lei è italiana ma lui è inglese (she is Italian but he is english)
   
2) “Chi è?”, “Sono io!” (“Who is it?”, “It’s me!”)
   

 

Essere

to be
   

Essere is also an irregular verb:

   
(Io) sono I am
   
( Tu ) sei you are
   
( lui -lei) è (He- she- it) is
   

( noi ) siamo

We are
   

( voi ) siete

you are
   
(Loro) sono They are
   

Esempi:

Examples:

   
(Io) sono Italian – o I am Italian
   
(Lei) è italian - a She is Italian
   
( Noi ) siamo italian - i We (men) are Italian
   
( Loro ) sono Italian – e They (women) are Italian
   

Adjectives:

There are two main types of adjectives in Italian.

A)Those ending in – e (same for masculine or feminine) whose plural ends in – i :

Charlie è ingles- e Charlie is English
   
Sara è ingles- e

Sara is English

   
Charlie e Sara sono ingles -i

Charlie and Sara are English

   

B) Those ending in –o (masculine) and –a (feminine) whose plural is –I (masculine) and –e ( feminine ):

Carlo è Italian- o Carlo is Italian
   
Carla è Italian- a

Carla is Italian

   
Carlo e Piero sono italian- i

Carlo and Piero are Italian ( men )

   
Carla e Maria sono italian- e Carla and Maria are Italian ( women )
   
Carlo e Maria sono italian-i* Carlo and Maria are Italian *
   

*If there is one male and one female subject, the adjective becomes masculine for both of them


Chiamarsi

mi chiamo my name is
   
ti chiami

your name is

   
si
chiama

his/her name is

   
ci chiamiamo

vi chiamate
si chiamano
etc…

Esempio:

Come ti chiami (direct form)/ Come si chiama (polite form)? What is your name?


Italian lessons prepared by Fabrizio Ulivieri.

To view the Beginners Lessons, click here.
To view the Intermediate Lessons, click here.
To view the Advanced Lessons, click here.
To view the Italian Language Section click here.
To find Language Schools in Italy click here.