Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense
In Italian, there are several verbs that do not follow the regular conjugation patterns in the present tense. These verbs are commonly referred to as irregular verbs. Knowing the conjugation of irregular verbs is essential for building fluency in Italian. In this guide, we will cover the conjugation patterns of some of the most common irregular verbs in the present tense.
Essere (To Be)
The verb "essere" is used to express the state of being or identity. Here is the conjugation of "essere" in the present tense:
- Io sono (I am)
- Tu sei (You are)
- Egli/ella è (He/she is)
- Noi siamo (We are)
- Voi siete (You all are)
- Essi/esse sono (They are)
Avere (To Have)
The verb "avere" is used to express possession or to indicate the auxiliary verb "have" in compound tenses. Here is the conjugation of "avere" in the present tense:
- Io ho (I have)
- Tu hai (You have)
- Egli/ella ha (He/she has)
- Noi abbiamo (We have)
- Voi avete (You all have)
- Essi/esse hanno (They have)
Fare (To Do/Make)
The verb "fare" is used to express actions or to indicate the auxiliary verb "do/make" in compound tenses. Here is the conjugation of "fare" in the present tense:
- Io faccio (I do/make)
- Tu fai (You do/make)
- Egli/ella fa (He/she does/makes)
- Noi facciamo (We do/make)
- Voi fate (You all do/make)
- Essi/esse fanno (They do/make)
Stare (To Stay/Be)
The verb "stare" is used to express the state of staying or being in a specific place. It can also be used to indicate health or emotional conditions. Here is the conjugation of "stare" in the present tense:
- Io sto (I stay/am)
- Tu stai (You stay/are)
- Egli/ella sta (He/she stays/is)
- Noi stiamo (We stay/are)
- Voi state (You all stay/are)
- Essi/esse stanno (They stay/are)
Andare (To Go)
The verb "andare" is used to express movement or to indicate the auxiliary verb "go" in compound tenses. Here is the conjugation of "andare" in the present tense:
- Io vado (I go)
- Tu vai (You go)
- Egli/ella va (He/she goes)
- Noi andiamo (We go)
- Voi andate (You all go)
- Essi/esse vanno (They go)
Venire (To Come)
The verb "venire" is used to express movement towards the speaker or to indicate the auxiliary verb "come" in compound tenses. Here is the conjugation of "venire" in the present tense:
- Io vengo (I come)
- Tu vieni (You come)
- Egli/ella viene (He/she comes)
- Noi veniamo (We come)
- Voi venite (You all come)
- Essi/esse vengono (They come)
Dire (To Say/Tell)
The verb "dire" is used to express communication or to indicate the auxiliary verb "say/tell" in compound tenses. Here is the conjugation of "dire" in the present tense:
- Io dico (I say/tell)
- Tu dici (You say/tell)
- Egli/ella dice (He/she says/tells)
- Noi diciamo (We say/tell)
- Voi dite (You all say/tell)
- Essi/esse dicono (They say/tell)
These are just a few examples of irregular verbs in the present tense. It's important to note that irregular verbs do not follow a specific pattern, so it's necessary to memorize their conjugation individually. By practicing these conjugations, you will become more comfortable using irregular verbs in your Italian conversations.