Purpose
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to conjugate any regular -ARE verb in the present tense across all six subject pronouns.
Lesson Explanation
Italian verbs fall into three groups: -are, -ere, and -ire. This lesson covers the largest group, -are verbs, modeled on parlare (to speak):
io parlo — I speak tu parli — you speak lui/lei parla — he/she speaks noi parliamo — we speak voi parlate — you all speak loro parlano — they speak
Remove -are to get the stem (parl-), then attach -o, -i, -a, -iamo, -ate, -ano. Every regular -are verb follows this pattern.
Other common regular -are verbs: camminare (to walk), lavorare (to work), studiare (to study), comprare (to buy), ballare (to dance).
A genuinely important spelling note with no Spanish equivalent: -are verbs whose stem ends in -c or -g (like cercare, to search) insert an h before endings starting with i, to keep the hard sound established in Part 1, Lesson 1: cerchi (you search), not “cerci.”
Practice Questions
1. What are the three infinitive endings for Italian verbs?
View Answer
-are, -ere, and -ire.
2. What is the stem of “parlare” (to speak)?
View Answer
Parl-.
3. Conjugate “parlare” for “io.”
View Answer
Parlo.
4. Conjugate “parlare” for “tu.”
View Answer
Parli.
5. Conjugate “parlare” for “noi.”
View Answer
Parliamo.
6. Conjugate “parlare” for “loro.”
View Answer
Parlano.
7. Write the Italian verb meaning “to work.”
View Answer
Lavorare.
8. Write the Italian verb meaning “to study.”
View Answer
Studiare.
9. Why does “cercare” (to search) add an “h” before certain endings?
View Answer
To keep the hard “k” sound before an ending starting with “i.”
10. Conjugate “cercare” for “tu,” including the added “h.”
View Answer
Cerchi.
11. Conjugate “camminare” (to walk) for “voi.”
View Answer
Camminate.
12. Conjugate “ballare” (to dance) for “noi.”
View Answer
Balliamo.