I can say where I live and work and what languages I speak, and put any -are verb in the right person — including cerchi and paghi.
-are verbs: parlo, parli, parla
-are verbs: parlo, parli, parla
With these verbs you say where you live and work and which languages you speak.
Drop -are from the infinitive and add the ending: -o, -i, -a, -iamo, -ate, -ano. Unlike English (he speaks), every person has its own ending. In the loro form the stress stays where it is in the io form and doesn't move to the ending: parlo → pàrlano, abito → àbitano, lavoro → lavórano.
The subject is usually left out: “Parlo italiano”, not “Io parlo italiano”. The ending already shows who. The pronoun appears only for contrast: “Io lavoro in banca, tu lavori a scuola”.
Three groups already change their spelling in the tu form: -care and -gare add h before -i and -iamo — cerchi, cerchiamo, paghi, paghiamo (the h keeps the sounds [k] and [g]); -ciare and -giare don't double the i — cominci, mangi; -iare also keeps one i: studi.
Place: a + city (a Roma, a Mosca), in + country or region (in Italia, in Russia, in Toscana); English says “in” for both. No article: in ufficio, in banca, a scuola, a casa. A language takes no preposition: parlo italiano.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “Abito in Roma” → Abito a Roma.
• NOT “Parlo in italiano” → Parlo italiano.
• NOT “Tu cerci” → Tu cerchi.
• NOT “Noi studiiamo” → Noi studiamo.
• NOT “Lavoro in la banca” → Lavoro in banca.
The present tense of -are verbs
In the loro form, the stress stays where it is in the io form: pàrlo → pàrlano, àbito → àbitano.
| Person | parlare | abitare |
|---|---|---|
| io | parlo | abito |
| tu | parli | abiti |
| lui, lei, Lei | parla | abita |
| noi | parliamo | abitiamo |
| voi | parlate | abitate |
| loro | parlano | abitano |
Three spelling groups
The change already shows in the tu form — before -i and -iamo.
| Group | What changes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -care, -gare | h is added before -i and -iamo | cerchi, paghiamo |
| -ciare, -giare | one i stays | cominci, mangi |
| -iare | also one i | studi |
Place: a or in
With ufficio, banca, scuola, and casa there is no article at all.
| a | in |
|---|---|
| a Roma (city) | in Italia (country, region) |
| a casa | in ufficio |
| a scuola | in banca |
Lesson notes
-are verbs: parlo, parli, parla
With these verbs you say where you live and work and which languages you speak.
Drop -are from the infinitive and add the ending: -o, -i, -a, -iamo, -ate, -ano. Unlike English (he speaks), every person has its own ending. In the loro form the stress stays where it is in the io form and doesn't move to the ending: parlo → pàrlano, abito → àbitano, lavoro → lavórano.
The subject is usually left out: “Parlo italiano”, not “Io parlo italiano”. The ending already shows who. The pronoun appears only for contrast: “Io lavoro in banca, tu lavori a scuola”.
Three groups already change their spelling in the tu form: -care and -gare add h before -i and -iamo — cerchi, cerchiamo, paghi, paghiamo (the h keeps the sounds [k] and [g]); -ciare and -giare don't double the i — cominci, mangi; -iare also keeps one i: studi.
Place: a + city (a Roma, a Mosca), in + country or region (in Italia, in Russia, in Toscana); English says “in” for both. No article: in ufficio, in banca, a scuola, a casa. A language takes no preposition: parlo italiano.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “Abito in Roma” → Abito a Roma.
• NOT “Parlo in italiano” → Parlo italiano.
• NOT “Tu cerci” → Tu cerchi.
• NOT “Noi studiiamo” → Noi studiamo.
• NOT “Lavoro in la banca” → Lavoro in banca.