Italian

Learners Guide

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG

Singapore Branch, Singapore

ITALIAN
LEARNERS GUIDE

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Contents
Overview of the Course and Study Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Whats in it and how to get the most out of it
Grammar Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Handy reference with all the rules and lots of examples
Italian-English Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Look up the meaning of any word that appears in the program

Overview of the Course and Study Tips

Whos It For?
Its designed for adult learners with no previous knowledge of Italian, but is also
useful for people who have studied Italian in the past and want to brush up their
skills. Whether youre studying in preparation for foreign travel, for your job, for an
exam, or just for pleasure, this course will fit the bill.
Whats the Approach?
The focus is on spoken conversation, and the goal is to bring you to the point
where youll be able to function in a wide variety of everyday situations. Youll be
working on all of the four most important skills in language learning:
understanding whats being said, speaking, reading, and writing.
Course Book and Audio
The course book is the primary tool. It will tell you when to work with the audio.
The presenters on the audio will give additional instructions. At times youll be
asked to simply listen, at other times to listen and repeat or to answer orally, and at
other times to write your answers in the course book.
How Is the Material Structured?
The course is divided into units and each unit deals with a different theme. Each
unit is in turn divided into three short lessons, so youll never feel overwhelmed.

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

Introduction

Recurring Features
Word Bank
Each lesson opens with a Word Bank that contains all the new words for that lesson
together with their English translations. Dont worry, theres a comprehensive
glossary beginning on page 20 of this booklet that contains all the terms covered in
the course, so youll never be at a loss for words. Spend a few minutes reviewing the
Word Bank before beginning each lesson, but dont try to learn all the meanings at
once. Theyll come up in context one by one, and thats when the real learning will
take place.
Close-Up
These brief segments each address a different aspect of grammar, spelling, or
punctuation. Generally, a rule is stated with examples, together with any major
exceptions.
Pronunciation
These segments, which are always accompanied by a recorded exercise, provide tips
on correct pronunciation. Remember to take advantage of the native Italian voices
on the audio and try to imitate exactly what you hear. Heres a trick: everyone
knows how to put on an Italian accent. When youre speaking Italian with the
audio, try to impersonate an Italian person speaking the Italian words. Youll be
amazed how much it helps.
Did You Know?
These segments focus on cultural aspects of Italy. Weve kept it very practical,
discussing such things as levels of formality, business hours, and so on.
Checkpoints
This segment comes at the very end of each unit, and is designed to give you an
opportunity to test yourself on what youve learned. All the major points of the unit
are included, and if you pass the test, youre ready to move on to the next unit.
Extra!
This material is designed to give you the opportunity to take on an additional
challengeto expand beyond the level of the unit youve just completed. But dont
worry, its entirely optional. With this in mind, weve carefully separated this
material from the rest of the unit, placing it at the very back of the course book.

2 Italian

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How to Get the Most Out of the Course

Learning Styles
One of the advantages of self study is that you can work at your own pace and in
the way that suits you best. If youre visually oriented, the illustrated course book
will provide excellent support. Or maybe you learn best by listening (thats our
favorite part!). You can immerse yourself in Italian using the audio recordings. If
you feel more comfortable when you know the rules, youll find weve
accommodated you in this regard as well.
Discipline Yourself!
Self study has a lot to offer, but it does make one important demand on you:
discipline. You can set your own pace, but you must set aside a regular block of
time, at least twice a week (preferably more often) to work with the material. Its
more important to set a steady pace than an intensive one. Try to work with the
material for at least 30 minutes each timewithout interruption. You should do
this at a time of day when you can best concentrate, and this varies for each person.
Choose a location where you will not be interrupted (even if its in your car), and
where you can feel free to speak out loud.
Other Study Tips
Work with the recordings.
In order to learn to speak you must first hear the language spoken. The recordings
contain a wide range of authentic native speakers. Listen carefully and try to
imitate exactly what you hear. After looking over the Word Bank youll be asked to
listen to a portion of the audio. This should be done with the course book closed.
The presenters on the audio will lead you through a series of activities. They will
announce the purpose of each activity and tell you what you should do. Sometimes
youll be asked to simply listen, but it will be for some specific purpose. At other
times youll be asked to repeat what you hear, to answer questions, or to assume the
role of one of the characters in a dialogue. For some activities youll be asked to
open your course book to refer to an illustration or map, or to complete a written
exercise.
Speak out loud.
Listening alone is not enough. You have to repeat what you hear, and then answer
the questionsout loud. Learning to speak a language is as much a physical as an
intellectual activity. Your vocal chords have to be trained to do things they arent
used to doing. Remember: you learn to speak by speaking!

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

Introduction

 Dont be afraid to make mistakes.

Dont be afraid to sound silly. To an Italian-speaking person it sounds a lot sillier if
you dont speak the way they do. Try to throw yourself completely into the sounds
and rhythms of the language.
Keep an open mind.
Dont expect your new language to work the same as your own, and dont look for
a neat set of rules. Accept the differences. Much of the charm of a foreign language
is that it can permit us to see the world from a different perspective.
Review frequently.
Go back over the material as many times as necessary until you feel comfortable
with it. And its always a good idea to go back over previously covered material.
One good way is to go back over the Checkpoints page at the end of each unit to
see if you can still perform at the same level as when you had just completed the
unit.
Enjoy yourself!
Treat this as an exciting adventure. The more you allow yourslef to enjoy the
program, the faster youll improve your learning rate.

4 Italian

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Grammar

Section

This grammar section offers both a summary of the grammar throughout the course book
as well as additional useful details of the essentials of grammar. However, you dont have to
refer to this learners guide in order to proceed with your work.

1. Spelling
The spelling of Italian corresponds quite closely to its pronunciation. Throughout the
course book, pronunciation sections at the end of each unit will give you detailed
guidance.

Letters of the Alphabet

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

a
bi
ci
di
e
effe
gi

H
I
J
K
L
M
N

acca
i
i lunga
kappa
elle
emme
enne

O
P
Q
R
S
T
U

o
pi
cu
erre
esse
ti
u

V
W
X
Y
Z

vu
doppia vu
ics
ipsilon
zeta

Capitalization
Capitalization is less common in Italian than in English. For example, the following
categories of words are not capitalized in Italian:
days of the week: marted, domenica
months of the year: febbraio, aprile
proper adjectives: italiano, spagnolo
titles: signora, signore
the pronoun for I: io

Accents
Modern Italian has two accents, the grave and the acute. The grave accent is mostly used
with the vowels (, , , ) whereas e can have both depending on the pronunciation: is
pronounced with an open sound (caff), sounds shorter: (perch).
The grave accent is also used to distinguish words that have the same spelling but different
meanings. Examples: e for and and for is; la for the (singular feminine) and l for
there.

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

Grammar

2. Nouns
Nouns are words that name something. A noun can be an idea, a person, a place, a quality,
or a thing.

Gender
In Italian, all nouns have gender. They are either masculine (maschile) or feminine
(femminile). There are no neuter nouns. Gender can often be determined by the natural
gender: for example, the words men, brother, father, and son are masculine, while
woman, sister, mother, and daughter are feminine. Other nouns cannot always be
predicted, but gender is usually indicated by the ending of a noun. If a noun ends in -o, it
is generally masculine: cappuccino, espresso, macchiato, zucchero. If a noun ends in -a, it is
generally feminine: citt, frutta, granita, limonata. If a noun ends in -e, it may be either
masculine or feminine, and the gender must be memorized. For example, caff and
bicchiere are masculine, lezione and carne are feminine.

Plurals
In Italian, the masculine noun ending -o changes to -i: ragazzo/ragazzi, biglietto/biglietti,
momento/momenti. But the masculine noun ending in -co and -go changes to -chi and -ghi
or to -ci and -gi: cuoco/cuochi, fungo/funghi, medico/medici, sindaco/[Link] feminine -a
becomes -e: lingua/lingue, bicicletta/biciclette, ragazza/ragazze. But the masculine -a
becomes -i: poeta/poeti, problema/problemi, giornalista/giornalisti. The masculine noun
ending in -ca and -ga changes to -chi and -ghi: monarca/monarchi, stratega/strateghi. The
feminine noun ending in -ca and -ga becomes -che and -ghe: barca/barche, bottega/botteghe.
Singular nouns ending in -e, regardless of gender change to -i: bicchiere/bicchieri,
studente/studenti, lezione/lezioni.
Some nouns have the same ending in both the singular and plural forms: film, bar, auto,
This is also true of nouns that end in a stressed vowel: citt, universit, caff.

foto.

3. Deter miners
This is a general term for small words that place nouns in a context. Some determiners
show whether the speaker assumes that we know the person, thing, or idea he or she is
talking about. Other determiners show to whom the person, thing, or idea belongs, how
many there are, and so on.

Def inite Ar ticles

Definite articles are most often used before a noun to clarify what is being referred to.
Clearly, the book is not the same as a book.
In Italian, the definite article has many forms, which vary according to gender
(masculine/feminine), number (singular/plural), and the initial sound of the noun that
follows (consonant/vowel).

6 Italian

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

MASCULINE
Singular
Plural
Before a noun beginning with a vowel:
l
gli
lavvocato
gli avvocati
the lawyer
the lawyers
lafricano
the African

gli africani
the Africans

FEMININE
Singular
Plural

l
lagenda
the diary

le
le agende
the diaries

ledicola
the newsstand

le edicole
the newsstands

Before a noun that begins with a consonant (except masculine nouns beginning with
a z or with s + a consonant):
il
i
la
le
il numero
i numeri
la cucina
le cucine
the number
the numbers
the kitchen
the kitchens
il vento
the wind
Before a masculine noun
lo
lo zingaro
the Gypsy
lo stadio
the stadium

i venti
the winds

la copia
the copy

le copie
the copies

beginning with a z or with an s + a consonant:

gli
gli zingari
the Gypsies
gli stadi
the stadiums

The definite article is used with a noun when expressing a general concept:
Il caff italiano eccezionale.
Italian coffee is exceptionally good.
The definite article is used before a title when you are speaking about someone but
not when you are speaking to that person:
Il professor Campagno di Milano.
Professor Campagno is from Milan.
Professor Campagno, Lei di Milano? Professor Campagno, are you from Milan?
The definite article is used with nouns that are the names of languages and countries:
Lei parla bene il francese.
You speak French well.
Io sono degli Stati Uniti.
Im from the United States.
When a definite article comes before a day of the week, it is the same as saying
on in English:
Il marted non ho niente da fare.
On Tuesdays I dont have anything to do.

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

Grammar

Indef inite Ar ticles

The indefinite article emphasizes the type of thing or person being referred to, rather than
a specific individual or object. In Italian, indefinite articles do not have plural forms in the
way that definite articles do. Instead, they have partitives (see below).
SINGULAR FORMS
MASCULINE

FEMININE

Before any noun that begins with a vowel:

un
un
un avvocato
unacqua
un espresso
unidea
Before any noun that begins with a consonant (except masculine
nouns beginning with a z or with s + a consonant)
un
una
un figlio
una marca
un cappuccino
una giacca
Before masculine nouns beginning with a z or s + a consonant:
uno
uno zio
uno stadio

Par titives
The partitive is the plural of the indefinite article, and it conveys the idea of some or
any. It is formed by combining the preposition di with a form of the definite article:
MASCULINE
di + i = dei
di + il = del
di + lo = dello
di + gli = degli

Ho comprato dei libri.

Vorrei del formaggio.
Vorrei dello zabaione.
Ho comprato degli spinaci.

FEMININE
di + la = della
di + l = dell
di + le = delle

Vorrei della panna.

Ha delluva?
Ho comprato delle fragole.

The partitive can also be expressed by using the phrase un po di:

Vorrei un po di fragole.
Id like some strawberries.
Ho comprato un po di frutta.
I bought some fruit.

8 Italian

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4. Adjectives
Adjectives describe and limit nouns. In Italian, adjectives generally follow the noun they
modify and agree with it in gender and number.
Masculine Singular
Gianni uno studente bravissimo.
Gianni is a very good student.
Masculine Plural

Gianni e Giulio sono studenti bravissimi.

Gianni and Giulio are very good students.

Feminine Singular

Paola una studentessa bravissima.

Paola is a very good student.

Feminine Plural

Paola e Ippolita sono studentesse bravissime.

Paola and Ippolita are very good students.

Feminine Singular

La signora Rostagna intelligente.

Mrs. Rostagna is intelligent.

Feminine Plural

La signora Rostagna e sua figlia sono intelligenti.

Mrs. Rostagna and her daughter are intelligent.

Mixed (therefore m.) Plural

I signori Franchi sono intelligenti.

The (Mr. and Mrs.) Franchis are intelligent.

Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives permit us to indicate who is the owner of an object or thing. In
Italian, possessive adjectives agree with the object that is owned, not with the owner.
Possessive adjectives are generally used with the definite article.

my
your (familiar)
his/her
your (formal)
our
your (familiar pl.)
their
your (formal pl.)

MASCULINE
Singular
Plural

FEMININE
Singular
Plural

il
il
il
il
il
il
il
il

la mia
la tua
la sua
la Sua
la nostra
la vostra
la loro
la Loro

mio
tuo
suo
Suo
nostro
vostro
loro
Loro

i miei
i tuoi
i suoi
i Suoi
i nostri
i vostri
i loro
i Loro

le mie
le tue
le sue
le Sue
le nostre
le vostre
le loro
le Loro

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Grammar

Demonstrative Adjectives
A demonstrative adjective is like a strong definite article: it enables a speaker to identify
something that is nearby or far away. In English, the demonstrative adjectives are this,
that, these, and those. In Italian, the demonstratives agree in number and gender
with the nouns they modify.
MASCULINE
this
these
questo
questi

FEMININE
this
these
questa
queste

that
quello

those
quelli

that
quella

those
quelle

Before a vowel:
quell

quegli

quell

quelle

Before a consonant (except masculine nouns beginning with a z or with s + a consonant)

quel
quei
quella
quelle
Before masculine nouns that begin with a z or with s + a consonant:
quello
quegli

Compar isons
Equality
To say that people or things are the same, use ...come or . . . qu a n t o :
Il tennis difficile come il calcio.
Tennis is as difficult as soccer.
Il tennis divertente quanto il calcio.
Tennis is as much fun as soccer.

Inequality
To say that people or things are not the same, use meno . . . di. For all else
use meno . . . che:
Giancarlo meno simpatico di Roberto.
Giancarlo isnt as nice as Roberto.
Il nuoto meno popolare del calcio.
Swimming is less popular than soccer.
Gianni studia meno linglese che litaliano. Gianni studies English less than Italian.

Superiority
To say that one person or thing is better than another, use pi . . . di. In all other
comparisons that express superiority, use pi . . . che:
Marco pi gentile di Paolo.
Marco is friendlier than Paolo.
Anna pi simpatica di Giuletta.
Anna is nicer than Giulietta.
Io pratico pi il calcio che il nuoto.
I play soccer more than I swim.
10 Italian

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5. Pronouns
Pronouns take the place of, or stand in for, nouns. Italian pronouns vary depending
on their grammatical function.

Subject Pronouns
Because verb forms make clear who or what the subject of a sentence is, speakers of
Italian, unlike speakers of English, often do not use pronouns to let a listener know
who is speaking. However, subject pronouns are not always omitted. They may be used
for emphasis, clarity, or style.
io
tu
lui
lei
Lei

SINGULAR
I
you (familiar)
he/him
she/her
you (formal)

PLURAL
noi
we/us
voi
you (familiar)
loro
they/them (m.)
loro
they/them (f.)
Loro you (formal m./f.)

Italian has two forms of the pronoun you: a familiar formtu, voiand a polite form
Lei, Loro. The familiar form is usually employed when speaking with family, friends,
colleagues, members of a group or political party, and with younger people. The polite
form is used when talking with a stranger, your boss, a teacher, an older person, or
someone elses parents or relatives.

Direct Object Pronouns

The direct object is the person or thing that is on the receiving end of the verb. For
example, in the sentence I bought it, the pronoun it refers to that which was bought.
first person
second person (familiar)
second person (formal)
third person (m.)
third person (f.)

SINGULAR
mi
me
ti
you
La
you
lo
him
la
her

PLURAL
ci
us
vi
you
Li/Le you
li
them
le
them

Gianni ha comprato le scarpe? S, le ha comprate.

Did Gianni buy the shoes? Yes, he bought them.

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Grammar

11

Indirect Object Pronouns

The indirect object pronouns might be said to answer the questions to whom or for
whom. For example, in the sentence I bought the book for her, the pronoun her
refers to the person for whom the book was bought. In the following sentence, the
indirect object pronoun le has been substituted for the noun professoressa Guidice:
Carlo le ha parlato.
Carlo has spoken to her.

first person
second person (familiar)
second person (formal)
third person (m.)
third person (f.)

SINGULAR
mi to me
ti
to you
Le to you
gli to him
le
to her

PLURAL
ci
to
vi
to
Loro to
loro
to
loro
to

us
you
you
them
them

Note that the third person plural indirect object (Loro, loro) follows the verb.

6. Inter rogatives
Interrogatives are words that let speakers ask a question or request information. The
words in this list are used to ask such questions as how much something costs or where
something is located.

7.

Che/Cosa? What?

Che cosa desidera?

What would you like?

Chi?

Who?

Chi ?

Who is it?

Come?

How?

Come stai?

How are you?

Dove?

Where?

Dov il mio biglietto?

Wheres my ticket?

Perch

Why?

Perch esci adesso?

Why are you leaving now?

Quale?

Which?

Qual e il mio libro?

Which one is my book?

Quando?

When?

Quando viene Gianni?

When is Gianni coming?

Quanto?

How much?

Quanto costa il libro?

How much does the book cost?

Prepositions
A preposition is a connecting word. It allows speakers to indicate relationships between
people and objects. Prepositions often specify a location: Jack was in school. I went there
with him.
Some common Italian prepositions are:
a

at/to/toward

di of

12 Italian

con

with

da

from

in

in

su

on

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Some prepositions form special contractions with certain definite articles. Here is a list of
some of the more common ones.
a
da
di
in
su

il
al
dal
del
nel
sul

i
ai
dai
dei
nei
sui

lo
allo
dallo
dello
nello
sullo

l
all
dall
dell
nell
sull

gli
agli
dagli
degli
negli
sugli

la
alla
dalla
della
nella
sulla

le
alle
dalle
delle
nelle
sulle

The book is on the professors table.

C un articolo interessante sul giornale. Theres an interesting story in the paper.
Lei nella casa dei miei genitori.
She is at my parents house.
Il libro sul tavola del professore.

8. Negation
In Italian, the simplest way to create a negative statement is to place the word non in
front of the verb: Parlo italiano. Non parlo italiano.
Lui adesso non vuole uscire.
He doesnt want to leave right now.
Mia mamma non parla linglese.
My mom doesnt speak English.
Other important negative words are:
mai never
niente/nulla nothing

no one
non pi no longer
nessuno

A negative word that occurs at the beginning of a sentence can be used without non.
Non voglio mai uscire con lui.
I never want to go out with him.
Nessuno dei miei studenti ha capito
None of my students understood
la lezione.
the lesson.
Niente, lui non fa niente.
He doesnt do anything at all.
These words will combine with non to form negative constructions:
non . . . mai
Non ho fatto mai un viaggio a Roma. Ive never traveled to Rome.
non . . . nessuno
Theres no one here.
Qua non c nessuno.
non . . . n . . . n . . . Non bevo n vino n birra.
I dont drink wine or beer.
non . . . neanche
Non ha ragione neanche Giorgio.
Not even Giorgio is right.
non . . . niente
Lui non ha detto niente.
He didnt say a thing.
non . . . pi
Lei non parla pi di politica.
Shes not saying any more
about politics.

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Grammar

13

9. Adverbs
Adverbs are words that modify verbs and adjectives. Typically adverbs are formed in Italian
by adding -mente to the feminine form of the corresponding adjective:
pericolosa/pericolosamente, energica/energicamente.

If an adjective ends in -e, just add -mente: elegante/elegantemente, felice/felicemente.

Some adverbs are always the same form. Here are some of the most important of these
invariable adverbs:
abbastanza

quite, enough

Scrivo abbastanza bene.

bene

well, good

Sto bene.

molto

a lot; very

Parli il francese molto bene.

presto

early

Sono arrivato presto.

troppo

too much

Hai mangiato troppo.

10. Verbs
Verbs let people express actions, reveal their state of mind, and describe situations.
Lui domani va a Firenze.
Hes going to Florence tomorrow.
Io sono contento.
Im happy.
Lei adesso in Italia.
Shes in Italy now.

Inf initives
The infinitive is the essential form of a verb. In English, infinitives are a two-word
combination: to + a verb (for example, to speak). In Italian, the infinitive form of the
verb ends in one of three groups: -are, -ere, or -ire.
Examples:
-are

-ere

-ire

mangiare to eat

chiudere to close

aprire to open

parlare to speak

volere to want/to like

partire to leave

Unlike English verbs, Italian verbs do not require a subject pronoun to identify the subject
of the verb. Italian verbs are conjugatedthat is, given a series of endings to identify not
only the subject but the tense.
Most verb conjugations follow a predictable pattern of conjugations. These are known as
regular verbs. Those that follow irregular patterns are called irregular verbs.

14 Italian

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Present Tense:
parlare (to speak)

leggere (to read)

aprire (to open)

io
tu
lui
lei
Lei

parlo
parli
parla
parla
parla

leggo
leggi
legge
legge
legge

apro
apri
apre
apre
apre

noi
voi
loro
Loro

parliamo
parlate
parlano
parlano

leggiamo
leggete
leggono
leggono

apriamo
aprite
aprono
aprono

Imperatives
Verbs are also used to give commands. Italian, like most Romance languages,
distinguishes between familiar and polite commands. These are created by
replacing the infinitive ending with one of the following endings:
tu
Lei
voi
Loro

parlare (to speak)

prendere (to take)

aprire (to open)

parla
parli
parlate
parlino

prendi
prenda
prendete
prendano

apri
apra
aprite
aprano

Past Tenses
The two most commonly used past tenses in Italian are the past perfect (il passato
the imperfect (limperfetto).

prossimo) and

The Past Per fect

The past perfect tense is used to talk about things that you have completed. It is a
compound tense (it is made of more than one verb). Have completed is an example of
the past perfect tense in English. The first verb in the compound is either avere (to have)
or essere (to be). The second is the past participle of any verb.
essere

avere
io
tu
Lei/lui/lei
noi
voi
Loro/loro

ho
hai
ha
abbiamo
avete
hanno

+ past participle

sono
sei

siamo
siete
sono

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

+ past participle

Grammar

15

Past participles are usually formed by replacing the infinitive ending of a verb
(-are, -ere, or -ire) with -ato, -uto, or -ito:
parlare

to speak

-are changes to -ato

parlato

vendere to sell

-ere changes to -uto

venduto sold

partire

-ire changes to -ito

partito

to leave

spoken
left

Some irregular past participles:

fare to do

fatto done

leggere to read

letto read

dire to say

detto said

mettere to put

messo put

aprire to open

aperto opened

scrivere to write

scritto written

When essere is used to create the past perfect, it is usually combined with verbs that
express motion: andare, arrivare, partire, tornare, venire.
Marco tornato a casa.
Marco has returned home.
Maria tornata a casa.
Maria has returned home.
Marco e Maria sono tornati a casa.
Marco and Maria have returned home.
Maria e Angela sono tornate a casa.
Maria and Angela have returned home.
Note that in compounds created with essere, the past participle must agree with the
subject: Marco tornato but Maria tornata.
Marco non ha fatto niente.
Marco has not done anything.
Maria non ha fatto niente.
Maria has not done anything.
Mario e Maria non hanno fatto niente.
Marco and Maria have not done anything.
Maria e Angela non hanno fatto niente. Maria and Angela have not done anything.
Note that in compounds created with avere, the past participle does not agree with the
subject. It always takes the masculine singular form.

The Imper fect

The imperfect tense is used to describe past actions that were habitual, repetitive, or not
yet completed when another action occurred: I used to go there. She was always doing
that. While we were talking, Janet arrived.

16 Italian

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

The imperfect is formed by replacing the last two letters of the infinitive with these forms:
-vo, -vi, -va, -vamo, -vate, and -vano. The same endings are used for all three types of verbs.
parlare (to speak)

leggere (to read)

aprire (to open)

io
tu
lui
lei
Lei

parlavo
parlavi
parlava
parlava
parlava

leggevo
leggevi
leggeva
leggeva
leggeva

aprivo
aprivi
apriva
apriva
apriva

noi
voi
loro
Loro

parlavamo
parlavate
parlavano
parlavano

leggevamo
leggevate
leggevano
leggevano

aprivamo
aprivate
aprivano
aprivano

Subjunctive
Technically, the subjunctive (il cogiuntivo presente) is a mood, not a tense. It is a way of
expressing such things as doubt, possibility, emotion, point of view, and uncertainty. It can
also be used to soften a request or commandthat is, to make it seem more polite.
Dubito che capiscano.
I doubt that they understand.
(a doubt)
probabile che lui ricordi.
It is likely that he will remember. (a possibility)
Maria crede che tu scriva bene. Maria believes that you write well. (a point of view)
Lui spera che usciamo presto.
He hopes that we leave soon.
(a wish)
Voglio che visiti Roma.
I want you (fam.) to visit Rome. (a request)
The subjunctive occurs mainly in subordinate clauses when the two clauses have
different subjects.

Present Subjunctive
parlare

scrivere

partire

io
tu
lui/lei
Lei

parli
parli
parli
parli

scriva
scriva
scriva
scriva

parta
parta
parta
parta

noi
voi
loro
Loro

parliamo
parliate
parlino
parlino

scriviamo
scriviate
scrivano
scrivano

partiamo
partiate
partano
partano

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

Grammar

17

As you probably noticed, che is a common signal that the subjunctive is required
(although not every use of che requires the subjunctive).
If any of the following verbs appear in the main clause and there is a change of subject in
the dependent clause, then the verb in the dependent clause will be in the subjunctive:
avere paura
bisognare
credere
dispiacere
dubitare
stare bene
essere importante
essere necessario
essere ora

essere possibile
essere probabile
immaginare
non sapere
pensare
sembrare
sperare
volere

Ref lexive verbs

The reflexive is a construction in which the subject and the object are the same; in other
words, the reflexive verb expresses an action that reflects back or refers to the subject.
Io mi alzo alle otto di mattina.
I get up at eight oclock in the morning.
Lei si diverte molto.
She enjoys herself.
Non si svegliano presto.
They dont wake up early.
The infinitive forms of reflexive verbs have the suffix -si attached to the usual infinitive
form minus the final -e. For example, the verb meaning to raise or to lift, alzare,
becomes alzarsi when it means to get (oneself ) up. Other examples are lavarsi meaning
to wash oneself and vestirsi meaning to get dressed or to dress oneself.

Ref lexive Pronouns

myself
yourself (familiar)
himself
herself
yourself (formal)

mi
ti
si
si
si

Mi alzo alle sette di mattina.

Ti alzi alle sette di mattina.
Si alza alle sette di mattina.
Ci alziamo alle sette di mattina.
Vi alzate alle sette di mattina.
Si alzano alle sette di mattina.

18 Italian

ourselves
yourselves (familiar)
themselves (m.)
themselves (f.)
yourselves (formal m./f.)

ci
vi
si
si
si

I get (myself ) up at 7:00 A.M.

You get (yourself ) up at 7:00 A.M.
He gets (himself ) up at 7:00 A.M.
We get (ourselves) up at 7:00 A.M.
You get (yourselves) up at 7:00 A.M.
They get (themselves) up at 7:00 A.M.

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

11. Reference
Weather Expressions
Many expressions relating to weather make use of the verb fare.
For example:
Fa bel tempo.
The weathers beautiful.
Fa brutto tempo.
The weathers awful.
Fa caldo.
Its warm.
Fa freddo.
Its cold.
Fa fresco.
Its cool.
Che tempo fa?
Whats the weather like?
Other kinds of weather are expressed by specific verbs:
gelare
to freeze
piovere to rain
tuonare to thunder

nevicare
to snow
tirare vento to be windy
lampeggiare to lighten (lightning)

Day s of the week

The days of the week are not capitalized in Italian. All are masculine except Sunday:
luned, marted, mercoled, gioved, venerd, sabato, domenica.

Use the definite article with the name of the day when expressing habitual action:
Vado da Marco il venerd.
I go to Marcos (house) on Fridays.
La domenica lavoro.
I work on Sundays.
Do not use the definite article when expressing a onetime action:
Luned mi sono divertita.
I enjoyed myself on Monday.

Months
The months of the year are masculine. They are not capitalized.
gennaio January

febbraio

February

marzo

March

aprile

April

maggio

May

giugno

June

luglio

July

agosto

August

settembre September

ottobre October

novembre November

dicembre

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

December

Grammar

19

Italian-English

Glossar y

lambulatorio veterinario
veterinarians office

attentamente carefully

amore mio my love

lautobus bus

analcolico nonalcoholic

lautofficina autoshop

lananas (m.) pineapple

lautunno autumn

anche se even if

avere bisogno di to need

andare to go

Avete? Do you have? (plural)

A venerd. See you Friday.

andare a cavallo to go on
horseback, to ride

lavvocato lawyer

abbastanza quite, enough

andiamo we are going / we go

abito I live... / I am living...

gli animali animals

accanto a next to

animali piccoli small animals

accomodarsi to sit down

lanno year

accorgersi to realize

annoiarsi to get bored

acqua water

annullare to cancel

acquistare to buy

lantipasto appetizer

adesso now

laperitivo aperitif

affettuoso/a affectionate

aperto/a open

lagenda the diary

appena just

lagenzia agency

appetitoso appetizing

aggiungere to add

lappuntamento appointment

ai ferri grilled

aprire to open

aiuta helps

larancia orange

al burro cooked with butter

al forno baked

laranciata a carbonated orange

drink

gli alimentari grocery store, foods

larchitetto architect

alla griglia grilled

laria air

il biglietto andata e ritorno

(round-trip) ticket

lallenamento training

articoli sportivi sports equipment

il binario platform

allestero abroad

ascoltare to listen to

la birra beer

allora well

il biscotto cookie

alto/a tall

aspetta un bambino expecting a

baby

altro/a other

assaggiare to taste

alzarsi to get up

lassegno check

lamaro a popular, bitter-tasting

liqueur

assicurata contro terzi insured

third party

A
a casa at home
A che ora? At what time?
a letto to bed / in bed
a piedi by foot
a pois polka dot
A presto. See you soon.

lassicurazione insurance

20 Italian

un attimo one moment

il bagaglio luggage
bagnare to soak
la banana banana
la banca bank
il barattolo can (for food)
basta Thats all. Thats enough.
bello/a beautiful
benissimo very well
Benvenuti! Welcome!
benzina gasoline, petrol
bere to drink
bianco white
il bicchiere glass
il biglietto solo andata (one-way)
ticket

la bistecca steak
bizzarro strange
blu blue
la borsa bag, purse
la bottiglia bottle

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

il bottone button

la cartolina postcard

Come? How?

la braciola di maiale pork cutlet

la casalinga housewife

comodo/a convenient, comfortable

il Brasile Brazil

cattivo/a bad

bravo/a good

c there is/is there

compra you buy (formal), he/she

buys

la bresaola salted beef

celibe unmarried (man)

compreso included

i broccoli broccoli

cenare to have supper

compri you buy (informal)

brutto/a ugly, bad

cercare to look for

con with

la buca delle lettere mailbox

certo of course; certainly

con i fiori flowery

bucato/a torn

il cestino small basket

confermare to confirm

Buon viaggio! Have a good

journey!

che who, whom, which

la confusione confusion

Che peccato! What a pity!

la conoscenza knowledge

Buongiorno! Good day! / Hello!

Chi? Who?

conoscere to know / to meet

Buonasera! Good afternoon.

/ Good evening.

chi who

conquistare to conquer

Mi chiamo . . . My name is...

continuare to continue

buono/a good

Si chiama . . . Your name is...

(formal); His/Her name is...

il conto bill

chiedere to ask

controllare to check

il chilo kilo

convalidare to validate

la cabina telefonica telephone

booth

il chilometraggio
illimitato unlimited mileage

conveniente convenient

il caff coffee

chiudere to close

la cornice frame

la caffettiera coffeemaker

chiuso closed

il coro choir

il calamaro squid

la chiusura lampo zipper

correre to run

il calcio soccer

ci there / us

il corso boulevard; course

caldo hot, warm

la ciambella doughnut

cos so, like that

cambiare to change

il cibo food

cos tanto so much

la camera room

la ciliegia cherry

cospargere to dust, sprinkle with

il camerino dressing room

la Cina China

costa it costs, seashore

la camicia shirt

cinese Chinese

costano they cost

la campagna countryside

la cintura belt

la cotoletta cutlet

il campeggio camping

il cinturino watchband

cotto cooked

il Canada Canada

il cioccolato chocolate

credere to believe

cantare to sing

circa about

la crociera cruise

il capello hair

la citt city

crudo raw

il capolinea end of the line,

last stop

la clementina clementine

il cucchiaio spoon

la cognata sister-in-law

la cucina cooking, cuisine

il cappotto coat

il cognato brother-in-law

il cugino, la cugina cousin

la carne meat

la coincidenza connection

il cuore heart

la carota carrot

la colazione breakfast

il custode security guard

la carrozza train car

colorato/a colored

la carta di credito credit card

il Colosseo the Colosseum

buttare to throw, to throw away

il contorno side dish

il cornetto croissant

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

Glossary

21

D
daccordo agreed

il duomo cathedral

il fiasco bottle, flask

durante during

la fibbia buckle
la figlia daughter

da fare to do

il figlio son

ecco here is/here it is

il filetto filet

da solo on ones own

e(d) and

il filtro filter

dal dentista to the dentist

edicola newspaper kiosk

fino a until

dargento silver

educato/a well-mannered

il fioraio florist

davanti a in front

elementare elementary

Firenze Florence

delle volte sometimes

lerrore (f.) mistake

la forchetta fork

il deposito deposit

Esce? Are you going out? (formal)

il formaggio cheese

a destra on the right

esperienza experience

il fornaio baker

devo I must

essere abituato to be used to

il Foro Romano the Roman Forum

di buone maniere good-mannered

lestate (f.) summer

la fragola strawberry

di cotone cotton

letto one hundred grams

francese French

di cristallo crystal

lex-moglie ex-wife

il francobollo stamp

da parte di mia madre on my

mothers side

il fratello brother

di fronte a opposite
di lino linen

di seta silk

fa you do (formal), he/she does

di solito usually

. . . fa ...ago

dietro behind

la fabbrica factory

dimenticare to forget

faccio I do

il direttore manager

facile easy

discretamente quite well

fagiolini green beans

discutere to discuss

la famiglia family

disoccupato/a unemployed

fare bollire to let boil

disperatamente desperately

fare colazione to have breakfast

il distributore gas station

fare uno strato to make a layer

il distributore automatico
automatic ticket machine

la farina flour

la galleria darte art gallery

la farmacia drugstore

il gancio hook

divorziato/a divorced

il/la farmacista pharmacist

il gelato ice cream

la ditta firm

faticoso tiring

il genero son-in-law

la doccia shower

la fattura invoice

i genitori parents

il dolce dessert

la femmina female

Genova Genoa

la domanda question

feriale weekday

genuino/a genuine

la donna woman

la Germania Germany

dopo after

la fermata (dellautobus)
(bus) stop

doro gold

festivo weekend and bank holiday

gi already

Dove? Where?

la fetta slice

la giacca jacket

dritto straight ahead

la fiamma flame

giallo yellow

22 Italian

freddo cold
frequentare to attend, frequent
fresco/a fresh
la frittura di pesce mixed fried fish
il fungo mushroom
il fruttivendolo fruit and vegetable
vendor
funzionare to work
fuori sede out of the main office

il ghiaccio ice

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

giapponese Japanese
giocare to play

impegnato/a committed, involved,

busy

il giornalaio newspaper vendor

limpegno engagement

i giorni feriali working days

limpiegato office worker, the

employee

i giorni festivi public holidays

including Sunday

L
i lacci laces
lamentarsi to complain
lasciare raffreddare to cool

limpresa business

il latte milk

il giorno day

in anticipo too early

la lattina can (for soft drinks)

girare to turn

in bicicletta by bicycle

il giro short trip

in corriera by local bus

lavora you work (formal), he/she

works

la gita trip

in discoteca to the disco

il giubbotto bomber jacket,

denim jacket

in effetti in fact

la gonna skirt

in fondo a at the end of

il gorgonzola gorgonzola cheese

in genere in general

graffiata scratched

in metropolitana by subway

grasso fatty

in motorino by motorbike

grattugiato grated

in orario on time

gratuito/a free, gratis

in proprio self-employed

Grazie. Thank you.

in ritardo late

grazie mille many thanks

in scatola canned

grigio gray

in tass by taxi

la grigliata mista mixed grill

lincrocio crossroads, intersection

il gruppo group

indaffarato/a busy

guardare to watch, to look at

indietro back

la guida guidebook

lindirizzo address

il gusto flavor

linfermiere/a nurse

in esilio in exile

lavoro I work
il lavoro work/job
leggere to read
Lei you (formal)
lei she
lentamente slowly
la lettera letter
la lezione lesson
l there
libero free
la libert freedom
il liceo classico classical
high school
lieto/a glad
il libro book
il limone lemon
la lingua language
il litro liter

lingegnere (m.) engineer

lontano far

inglese English

ha you have (formal), he/she/it has

innamorato/a in love

hai you have (informal)

linsalata salad

hanno they have

linsalata russa Russian salad

ho I have
Ho fame. Im hungry.

linsegnante (m./f.) high school

schoolteacher
gli insetti insects

macchiato/a stained

Ho sete. I am thirsty.

intelligente intelligent

in macchina by car

intensivo intensive

la macelleria butcher shop

interessante interesting

la madre mother

intero standard ticket

la maglietta tee-shirt

invece on the other hand

il maglione sweater

linverno winter

mah . . . well... (when thinking

before answering)

a luglio in July

I
lidraulico plumber
ieri yesterday
immagino I imagine
imparare to learn

lui he

io I

M
ma but

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

Glossary

23

mamma Mom

manca/mancano is/are missing

mandare to send

neanche neither
la nebbia fog

il mandarino mandarin orange

mangiare to eat

il negoziante shopkeeper
un negozio a shop

la manica sleeve

lordinazione (f.) order

organizzare to organize
organizzato organized
lorologio watch
gli orecchini earrings
lorologeria watchmaker

il negozio di abbigliamento
clothes store

il manico handle
il mare sea

il negozio di calzature shoe store

marrone brown
il Marsala Marsala wine
il maschio male
matrimoniale double (bed)
la mattina morning, in the morning
il mazzo bunch
il meccanico mechanic
il medico doctor
medio/a fair
la mela apple
la melanzana eggplant
Meno male! Thank goodness!
mescolare to mix

nel garage in the garage

nero black

il pacchetto package

nessuno/a none, nobody

il pacco parcel

la neve snow

il pacco regalo gift wrapped

nevicare to snow

il padre father

nientaltro nothing else

il paio di scarpe pair of shoes

niente nothing

in palestra in / to the gym

il nipote grandson/nephew

la palestra gym

la nipote granddaughter/niece

la pallacanestro basketball

noioso/a boring

il pane casareccio farm-style bread

noleggiare to hire/to rent

il pane integrale whole-wheat

bread

noleggio rent
il nome first name

il mese month

ottimo/a excellent

il panino roll (with ham, cheese,

and so on)

il messaggio message

il numero di telefono telephone

number

il Messico Mexico

non not

Parigi Paris

mettere to put

Non so. I dont know.

Mi dispiace. I am sorry.

il nonno grandfather

parla you speak (formal), he/she

speaks

miei/mie my (plural)

la nonna grandmother

migliore best, better

nubile unmarried (woman)

la minigonna miniskirt

nuotare to swim

mio my

la nuora daughter-in-law

il modulo discrizione enrollment

form

nuovo/a new

moltissimo very much

molto very

il parmigiano parmesan cheese

la parrucchiera/il parruchiere
hairstylist
partire to leave
la partita game
passare to spend
il passeggero passenger
la pasta pasta / small cake

occupato busy

la pasticceria pastry shop

offendersi to take offense

la patata potato

offro I am offering / I offer

il pecorino type of sheeps cheese

ogni every

peggiore

lolio oil

la pelletteria leather store

ordinare to order

la pentola pan

montare to whisk
morbido/a soft, delicate
morto dead
Mosca Moscow
la mucca cow

24 Italian

parlato/a spoken

occuparsi to look after

la montagna mountain

il museo museum

i pantaloni trousers

worse, worst

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

il pepe pepper

il portafoglio wallet

la peperonata stewed peppers,

tomatoes, and onions

possibile possible

per for, in order to

la posta post office

la pera pear

il posto seat

Perch? Why?

il pranzo lunch

perch because

praticare practice

Perch no? Why not?

preferisco I prefer

permesso permit

preferito favorite

per however

Prego! Dont mention it!

il personale staff

Prenda! Take!

il pesce fish
la pescheria fish store

prende you take (formal), he/she/it

takes

Le piace? Do you like? (formal)

prendete you take (inf. plural)

Mi piace . . . I like...

prenotare to book (a room)

il pianoforte piano

prenotato booked

una piantina della citt a street

map of the town

prenotazione booking (reservation)

preoccuparsi to worry

raffinata refined

la piazza square

la preparazione preparation

la ragioniera (f.) accountant

piccola/media/grande macchina
small/medium/large car

la pressione delle gomme

tire pressure

rag meat sauce

piccolo/a small

presto early

respirare to breathe

a piedi on foot

il prezzo price

rettangolare rectangular

pigro/a lazy

la prima classe first class

la ricevuta fiscale receipt

piovere to rain

la primavera spring

ridere to laugh

in piscina to the swimming pool

primo/a first

ridotto reduced fare

i piselli peas

il primo first course

rilassante relaxing

pi more

prodotti omeopatici homeopathic

products

rilassarsi to relax

pi grande older/taller/bigger
pi piccolo/a younger, smaller

progressivo/a go ahead (progressive)

ripetere to repeat

piuttosto rather

Pronto? Hello?

riposarsi to rest

la pizzetta small pizza

proporre to propose

riposo settimanale day off

placcato plated

proprio just

riscaldare to heat

il poeta poet

il prosciutto cured ham

il risotto risotto

poi then

provare to try on

la risposta answer

il pollo chicken

pulito/a clean

il ristorante restaurant

la polvere powder, dust

puntuale prompt, punctual

la riunione meeting

il pompelmo grapefruit

Pu . . . ? Can you...?

romantico romantic

il pomeriggio afternoon

purtroppo unfortunately

rosa pink

Q
qualche some

posso I can
qualche volta sometimes
qualcosa something
Quando . . . ? When...?
Quanti?/Quante? How many?
Quanto? How much?
quarto/a fourth
quasi almost
quello/a that, that one
questa sera this evening
questo/a this
qui here
quindi therefore

il rapido express

il rimborso refund

il portacandele candlestick

il rosso duovo egg yolk

il portacenere ashtray

rotondo round

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

Glossary

25

la rughetta arugula (salad green)

servire to serve

rosso/a red

servizi (restroom) facilities

studia you study (formal), he/she

studies

russo/a Russian

la settimana week

lo studio medico doctors office

il rumore noise

sfortunatamente unfortunately

studioso/a studious

sia . . . che . . . both... and...

subito right away

signora Mrs./Madam

il succo di frutta fruit juice

il salame salami

signore/signor Mr./Sir

il sugo sauce

salire to get on

simpatico/a friendly, nice

la suocera mother-in-law

il salmone salmon

singola single

il suocero father-in-law

San Pietro Saint Peter

a sinistra on the left

suo your (formal), his, her

sano/a healthy

la soddisfazione satisfaction

sardo Sardinian

sofisticato sophisticated

suonare to play (a musical

instrument)

sbagliato wrong

il sole sun

il supermercato supermarket

scaduto expired

solo only

il supplemento surcharge

la scaloppina scallop (of

veal/chicken)

sono I am, they are

svegliarsi to wake up

la sorella sister

svizzero/a Swiss

la scatoletta can

spagnolo/a Spanish

scendere to get off

lo specchio mirror

sciare to ski

la specialit speciality

tabaccaio tobacconist

la sciarpa scarf

spegnere to turn off

la taglia size

scolare to drain

spesso often

tagliare to cut

lo sconto discount

lo spezzatino di vitello stewed

veal

tagliolini fine noodles

lo scopo della visita objective of

the visit

gli spinaci spinach

la tariffa notturna night rate

sporco/a dirty

il tartufo truffle

scorsa last

sportivo/a sporty

il tassista taxi driver

scotto overcooked

il tass taxi

lo scultore sculptor

la spremuta darancia freshly

squeezed orange juice

a scuola at school

la stagione season

tedesco/a German

scusi excuse me

stancarsi to get tired

il telegiornale the news

secondo/a second

stanco/a tired

il tempo time, weather

la seconda classe second-class

stasera tonight

terzo/a third

il secondo second course

gli Stati Uniti the United States

tesoro darling

segnalato/a signposted

gli stivali boots

il semaforo traffic lights

la storia dellarte history of art

Ti chiami . . . You are called...; Your

name is... (informal)

semplice plain

la strada street

la tomba tomb

sempre always, still

lo straniero foreigner

tornare to return

Senta . . . Listen...

strappato torn

il torneo tournament

senti listen

lo strato layer

la torta cake

senza without

stretto tight

trovare to find

separato/a separated

lo studente/la studentessa student

la tovaglia tablecloth

lo scontrino receipt

26 Italian

tanto so much, so long

il t tea

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

il tragitto route

vistoso/a showy, ornate

il trasporto transport

volentieri willingly; with pleasure

trovarsi to be located
si trova it is situated

Volete . . . ? Do you want...?

(inf. plural)

il tubetto tube pasta

il volo flight

tutto all

la volta time, occasion

vorrei I would like

vuoi you want (informal)

lufficio the office

vuole you want (formal), he/she

wants...

lufficio degli scavi archaeological

excavations office
luovo egg

luva grape

la zanzara mosquito
la zia aunt

lo zio uncle

Va bene. OK

lo zucchero sugar

la vacanza studio study vacation

la zucchina zucchini

vado I am going, I go
la valigia suitcase
la vaniglia vanilla
vedere to see
la vedova widow
il vedovo widower
vegetariano vegetarian
Venezia Venice
verde green
Vero? True?
versare to pour
verso about
la vetrina shopwindow
la via street
viaggiare to travel
il viale avenue
vicino/a near
la villa villa
il villaggio turistico vacation
resort
il vino wine
il vino della casa house wine
la visita visit

Berlitz Publishing/APA Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG Singapore Branch, Singapore

Glossary

27