In this lesson we’re going to learn how to conjugate the simple present tense of Italian regular verbs. Similar to the English simple present, presente Italian verbs express what is happening at this exact moment time.

 

Conjugating the Present Tense

The infinitives of regular Italian verbs end in either –ARE, –ERE, or –IRE. These are referred to as first, second, and third conjugation verbs, respectively. To conjugate the present tense, remove the infinitive ending and replace it with the appropriate subject pronoun ending.

 

First Conjugation: –ARE Verbs

 

Subject Pronoun	Ending	Lavorare to work	Translation	Prestare to lend	Translation
io	-o	lavoro	I work	Presto	I lend
tu	-i	lavori	you work	Presti	you lend
lui/lei	-a	lavora	he/she/it works	Presta	he/she/it lends
noi	-iamo	lavoriamo	we work	prestiamo	we lend
voi	-ate	lavorate	all of you work	Prestate	all of you lend
loro	-ano	lavorano	they work	Prestano	they lend

 

 

Second Conjugation: –ERE Verbs

 

Subject Pronoun	Ending	Credere to believe	Translation	Precedere to precede	Translation
io	-o	Credo	I believe	precedo	I precede
tu	-i	Credi	you believe	precedi	you precede
lui/lei	-e	Crede	he/she/it believes	precede	he/she/it precedes
noi	-iamo	crediamo	we believe	precediamo	we precede
voi	-ete	Credete	all of you believe	precedete	all of you precede
loro	-eno	credeno	they believe	precedeno	they precede

 

 

Third Conjugation: –IRE Verb Conjugations

 

Subject Pronoun	Ending*	Partire to leave	Translation	Capire to understand	Translation
io	-o/-isco	parto	I leave	capisco	I understand
tu	-i/-isci	parti	you leave	capisci	you understand
lui/lei	-e/-isce	parte	he/she/it leaves	capisce	he/she/it understands
noi	-iamo	partiamo	we leave	capiamo	we understand
voi	-ite	partite	all of you leave	capite	all of you understand
loro	-ono/ -iscono	partono	they leave	capiscono	they understand

 

*Certain regular –IRE verbs require an alternate conjugation in the io, tu, lui/lei, and loro forms in the present tense. These verbs, which include capire (to understand), preferire (to prefer), and gioire (to rejoice), require the insertion of –isc between the infinitive stem and the present tense ending.