Italian Practice

Second and Third Conjugation Verbs and Adverbs

-Ere and -Ire Verbs in the Present Tense
Irregular -Ere Verbs
Irregular -Ire Verbs
Modal Verbs: Dovere, Potere, and Volere
“To Know”: Sapere and Conoscere

Irregular -Ire Verbs by Ronald Glenn Wrigley, M.A.

There are many third conjugation verbs that add an -isc- between the stem and ending in all forms except the noi and voi forms. There is no foolproof method to distinguish the -isc- verbs from the regular -ire verbs. To memorize them is to learn them.

Some common verbs that follow this pattern of conjugation: <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>capire</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to understand</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>costruire</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to build</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>finire</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to finish</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>preferire</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to prefer</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>pulire</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to clean</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>restituire</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to give back</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>riferire</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to report, to relate</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>spedire</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to send</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>suggerire</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to suggest, to recommend</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>ubbidire</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>to obey</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <p>Here's a sample conjugation:</p> <bridgehead>Capire (to understand)</bridgehead> <table frame="all" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>io capisco</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>noi capiamo</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>tu capisci</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>voi capite</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>lui capisce</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>loro capiscono</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>lei capisce</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Loro capiscono</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>Lei capisce</emphasis></p></td> <td><para/></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 6: Questions and Answers</h2> <p>Answer the questions in complete sentences in Italian.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Quale ristorante preferisci: il ristorante italiano o il ristorante cinese?</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Quando finisci di mangiare, prendi un caffè?</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Tu capisci l'italiano?</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Puoi suggerire un film italiano?</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>A che ora finisci di lavorare il venerdì pomeriggio?</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> </ul> <h2>More Irregular -Ire Verbs</h2> <p><emphasis>Dire, uscire,</emphasis> and <emphasis>venire</emphasis> are three commonly used third conjugation verbs that are irregular in the present tense.</p> <bridgehead>Dire (to say/to tell)</bridgehead> <table frame="all" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>io dico</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>noi diciamo</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>tu dici</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>voi dite</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>lui dice</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>loro dicono</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>lei dice</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Loro dicono</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>Lei dice</emphasis></p></td> <td><para/></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <bridgehead>Uscire (to go out)</bridgehead> <table frame="all" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>io esco</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>noi usciamo</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>tu esci</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>voi uscite</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>lui esce</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>loro escono</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>lei esce</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Loro escono</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>Lei esce</emphasis></p></td> <td><para/></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <bridgehead>Venire (to come)</bridgehead> <table frame="all" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="0" align="center"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>io vengo</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>noi veniamo</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>tu vieni</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>voi venite</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>lui viene</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>loro vengono</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>lei viene</emphasis></p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Loro vengono</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p><emphasis>Lei viene</emphasis></p></td> <td><para/></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 7: Listening Comprehension</h2> <div class="npmo"> <img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/italian-practice/track.jpg"> <div class="npcp"><p>TRACK 19</p></div> </div> <p>Listen to the sentences in Track 19. Repeat each sentence, and then rewrite it with the new subject provided.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Elena e Caterina</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Tu e Mario</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Io</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Gli altri ragazzi ed io</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Il signor Giovanni</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> </ul>  <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/italian-practice/second-and-third-conjugation-verbs-and-adverbs/irregular-ere-verbs.htm" title="Irregular -Ere Verbs">Irregular -Ere Verbs</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/italian-practice/second-and-third-conjugation-verbs-and-adverbs/modal-verbs-dovere-potere-and-volere.htm" title="Modal Verbs: Dovere, Potere, and Volere">Modal Verbs: Dovere, Potere, and Volere</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a 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