Italian grammar

Every grammar guide of Lingora’s Italian A1 course, with examples you can listen to.

01Verbs: Present TenseThe present tense (il presente) is highly versatile. It corresponds to three different concepts in English: the simple present ("I read"), the present…
02Expressing 'to be'Italian uses two primary verbs for the English "to be": essere and stare. While they can seem similar, they are not interchangeable and carry distinct…
03Personal PronounsSubject pronouns indicate who or what is performing the action of a verb.
04Possessive AdjectivesPossessive adjectives indicate ownership or a relationship. The most important rule is that they must agree in gender and number with the noun being…
05Reflexive Pronoun 'si'The pronoun si is used for the third person (he, she, it, they) and has several distinct functions, including reflexive, reciprocal, impersonal, and…
06Pronouns: Usage of 'ne'The pronoun ne is a versatile particle that typically translates to "of it," "of them," "about it," "from there," or "some." It is used to replace a noun…
07Pronouns: Following a VerbWhile object pronouns typically precede the verb, they must attach to the end of the verb in specific grammatical contexts, forming a single word. This…
08Pronouns: DisjunctiveDisjunctive pronouns, also known as stressed or tonic pronouns, are used to give weight or emphasis to a person or to function in grammatical positions…
09Pronouns: Combined FormsWhen an indirect object pronoun (to whom/for whom) and a direct object pronoun (what) are used together with the same verb, they combine into a single…
10Adjectives: Apocopic FormsApocope, also known as troncamento, is the dropping of the final vowel or syllable of a word. This typically occurs when the word comes before another…
11ElisionItalian dislikes two vowels meeting across a word boundary. A short word ending in a vowel drops it before a word beginning with one, and an apostrophe…
12Joined Prepositions & PronounsWhen certain simple prepositions are followed by a definite article (il, la, i, etc.), they must combine to form a single word. These combined forms are…
13Definite ArticlesDefinite articles correspond to the English word "the". They must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they…
14Indefinite ArticlesIndefinite articles correspond to "a" or "an" in English. They are used to introduce a singular, non-specific noun. The form of the article changes…
15Nouns: DeclensionAll nouns have a grammatical gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural). This affects the articles and adjectives used with them.…
16Verbs: Imperative MoodThe imperative mood is used to give commands, make requests, offer advice, or provide instructions. It addresses someone directly. The form of the verb…
17Reflexive Form of PronounsReflexive pronouns are used when the subject of a verb is also its object. This means the subject performs an action on or for itself. These pronouns…
18Expressing Politeness with 'Lei'The pronoun Lei is the standard way to say "you" in formal singular contexts. It is used to show respect and politeness, contrasting with the informal tu…
19Pronouns: Direct ObjectsA direct object is the person or thing that directly receives the action of a verb. To find it, ask "who?" or "what?" after the verb. Direct object…
20Pronouns: Indirect ObjectsIndirect object pronouns replace a noun that answers the question "to whom?" or "for whom?" an action is done. They are used to avoid repeating the full…
21Verbs: Perfect TenseThe passato prossimo is a compound past tense used to describe completed actions or events. It is the most common tense used in spoken language to refer…
22Verbs: Conditional MoodThe conditional mood, or condizionale, is used to talk about hypothetical events, possibilities, and polite requests. It is the equivalent of using…
23Verbs: Imperfect TenseThe imperfect tense (imperfetto) is used to describe past actions or states that were ongoing, repeated, or incomplete. Think of it as setting the scene…
24Verbs: Subjunctive MoodThe subjunctive mood (congiuntivo) is used to talk about actions or states that are subjective, uncertain, or not factual. It contrasts with the…
25Verbs: GerundsThe gerund (gerundio) is an impersonal verb form that describes an action in relation to the main verb of a sentence. It often corresponds to the "-ing"…
26Past ParticiplesThe past participle, or participio passato, is a verb form that has two primary functions. It is used with an auxiliary verb (essere or avere) to create…
27Forming Adverbs with 'a'The preposition a can be combined with a noun or an adjective to form an adverbial phrase. These phrases function as a single unit to modify a verb,…
28Nouns: DiminutivesDiminutives are modified nouns used to express smallness, affection, or cuteness. They are formed by removing the final vowel of a noun and adding a…