FAQ on Italian Verbs
1) The parts of the Italian verbA verb is formed by two parts: the root and the verb ending.
The root does not change (except in some Italian irregular verbs) and it contains the meaning of the verb. To obtain the root, remove from the infinitive tense the verb endings "are", "ere", or "ire".
The verb ending is variable and it contains information about:
– The person who does the action or who is subjected to the action (I, you, he, etc.)
– The number of the persons (singular or plural)
– The way the action is expressed (certainty, doubt, order, etc.)
– The time when the action is performed (now, in the past, in the future).
2) Person, singular and plural in Italian verbs
In the Italian verbs there are three persons and they can be singular or plural.
|
SINGOLARE |
PLURALE | ||
|
1st person |
io (I) tu (you) egli, ella (he,she, it) |
1st person |
noi (we) voi (you) essi, esse (they) |
Egli, ella, essi and esse are rare in the everyday's use of the Italian language, both spoken or written. They are replaced by lui, lei and loro.