Italian Verbs - Irregular, Modal & Reflexive

Irregular Verbs

Modal Verbs

Reflexive Verbs

Practice Exercises

Irregular Verbs (Present Tense)

In this lesson we will study some of the most common irregular verbs in Italian. They are widely used in everyday conversations, so it's important to memorize them. We will focus only on the present indicative tense.

Verbs included: andare, venire, uscire, fare, dare, dire, salire, bere, stare.

andare – to go

Italian	English
io vado	I go
tu vai	you go
lui/lei va	he/she goes
noi andiamo	we go
voi andate	you (plural) go
loro vanno	they go

venire – to come

Italian	English
io vengo	I come
tu vieni	you come
lui/lei viene	he/she comes
noi veniamo	we come
voi venite	you (plural) come
loro vengono	they come

uscire – to go out

Italian	English
io esco	I go out
tu esci	you go out
lui/lei esce	he/she goes out
noi usciamo	we go out
voi uscite	you (plural) go out
loro escono	they go out

fare – to do / to make

Italian	English
io faccio	I do / make
tu fai	you do / make
lui/lei fa	he/she does / makes
noi facciamo	we do / make
voi fate	you (plural) do / make
loro fanno	they do / make

dare – to give

Italian	English
io do	I give
tu dai	you give
lui/lei dà	he/she gives
noi diamo	we give
voi date	you (plural) give
loro danno	they give

dire – to say / to tell

Italian	English
io dico	I say
tu dici	you say
lui/lei dice	he/she says
noi diciamo	we say
voi dite	you (plural) say
loro dicono	they say

salire – to go up / to get in

Italian	English
io salgo	I go up / get in
tu sali	you go up / get in
lui/lei sale	he/she goes up / gets in
noi saliamo	we go up / get in
voi salite	you (plural) go up / get in
loro salgono	they go up / get in

bere – to drink

Italian	English
io bevo	I drink
tu bevi	you drink
lui/lei beve	he/she drinks
noi beviamo	we drink
voi bevete	you (plural) drink
loro bevono	they drink

stare – to stay / to be

Italian	English
io sto	I stay / am
tu stai	you stay / are
lui/lei sta	he/she stays / is
noi stiamo	we stay / are
voi state	you (plural) stay / are
loro stanno	they stay / are

Examples

Io vado a scuola. → I go to school.
Lei viene con noi. → She comes with us.
Stasera esco con gli amici. → Tonight I go out with friends.
Noi facciamo i compiti. → We do homework.
Lui dà un regalo a Maria. → He gives a gift to Maria.
Cosa dici? → What are you saying?
Loro salgono sull'autobus. → They get on the bus.
Tu bevi acqua? → Do you drink water?
Io sto bene, grazie. → I am fine, thank you.

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs in Italian are used together with another verb in the infinitive form.

They express ability, necessity, willingness, or knowledge of how to do something.

Main modal verbs: potere (can), dovere (must/have to), volere (want), sapere (can/know how).

potere – can / to be able to

Italian	English
io posso	I can
tu puoi	you can
lui/lei può	he/she can
noi possiamo	we can
voi potete	you (plural) can
loro possono	they can

dovere – must / to have to

Italian	English
io devo	I must / I have to
tu devi	you must / have to
lui/lei deve	he/she must / has to
noi dobbiamo	we must / have to
voi dovete	you (plural) must / have to
loro devono	they must / have to

volere – to want

Italian	English
io voglio	I want
tu vuoi	you want
lui/lei vuole	he/she wants
noi vogliamo	we want
voi volete	you (plural) want
loro vogliono	they want

sapere – to know how / can

Italian	English
io so	I know (how)
tu sai	you know (how)
lui/lei sa	he/she knows (how)
noi sappiamo	we know (how)
voi sapete	you (plural) know (how)
loro sanno	they know (how)

Examples

Io posso parlare italiano. → I can speak Italian.
Tu devi studiare. → You must study.
Noi vogliamo mangiare una pizza. → We want to eat a pizza.
Lei sa nuotare. → She knows how to swim.

Important Note

When using modal verbs in Italian, the second verb is always in the infinitive form and comes after the modal verb.

Example: Voglio mangiare (I want to eat) - not ~~Voglio mangio~~

Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs in Italian are verbs where the action reflects back on the subject. They are formed with a reflexive pronoun before the verb.

Common examples: alzarsi (to get up), vestirsi (to get dressed), chiamarsi (to be called), lavarsi (to wash oneself).

Reflexive Pronouns

Italian	English
mi	myself
ti	yourself
si	himself / herself / itself
ci	ourselves
vi	yourselves
si	themselves

alzarsi – to get up

Italian	English
io mi alzo	I get up
tu ti alzi	you get up
lui/lei si alza	he/she gets up
noi ci alziamo	we get up
voi vi alzate	you (plural) get up
loro si alzano	they get up

vestirsi – to get dressed

Italian	English
io mi vesto	I get dressed
tu ti vesti	you get dressed
lui/lei si veste	he/she gets dressed
noi ci vestiamo	we get dressed
voi vi vestite	you (plural) get dressed
loro si vestono	they get dressed

chiamarsi – to be called

Italian	English
io mi chiamo	my name is
tu ti chiami	your name is
lui/lei si chiama	his/her name is
noi ci chiamiamo	our name is
voi vi chiamate	your (plural) name is
loro si chiamano	their name is

Examples

Io mi alzo alle 7. → I get up at 7.
Maria si veste velocemente. → Maria gets dressed quickly.
Noi ci chiamiamo Rossi. → Our surname is Rossi.

Important Note

Reflexive pronouns always come before the conjugated verb in Italian.

Example: Mi lavo (I wash myself) - not ~~Lavo mi~~

In negative sentences, the negative word comes before the reflexive pronoun: Non mi lavo (I don't wash myself)

Practice Exercises

Irregular Verbs Practice

1. Translate into English:

Noi beviamo vino.

Loro vanno in ufficio.

Io sto a casa.

2. Complete with the correct form:

(dire) la verità.

Maria

(fare) una torta.

Noi

(uscire) stasera.

3. Translate into Italian:

They give me a book.

We go out every Saturday.

I say hello to my friend.

Modal Verbs Practice

1. Translate into English:

Devo andare a scuola.

Possiamo uscire stasera.

2. Complete with the correct verb form:

(volere) un gelato.

(sapere) cucinare?

Reflexive Verbs Practice

1. Translate into English:

Mi chiamo Anna.

Ci alziamo presto.

2. Complete with the correct verb form:

(vestirsi) alle 8.

Loro

(alzarsi) tardi.