Top 22 Italian Verbs

You want to start your journey into mastering the Italian language, but did you know, Italy has several different languages from Venetian to Sardinian. The Italian language that is taught in classrooms all around the world is based on the Tuscan dialect originating from Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. In order to confidently transition to the other dialects if you choose is to start with the verbs in the standardized language. Barring essere (to be), avere (to have), and volere (to want), I am going to share with you the top 22 verbs that will build a strong foundation into Italian.

1. Fare (To do)

“What does it do?” is a wonderful question to get things started. Italians can pantomime actions to you to express what people, places, or things do in order to get their point across. In that instance, they will say the verb along with the expressive hand gestures and you have learned a new verb in context!

2. Andare (To go)

“I am going to ____.” You can insert a verb or a place after conjugating the verb andare because this expresses either you are going to do something or that you are going to a place. Italians will correct your preposition and gender agreement depending on the place you are going to, and you will have learned two things at once.

3. Venire (To come)

“I come from ____.” “They came from ____.” These are examples of how to use the verb venire. You can explain that you are from the United States or that people came from Milan to do a fashion show.

4. Potere (To be able to)

You can add literally any verb after potere to indicate that you or someone else is able to do something.

5. Dovere (Must)

The same idea as potere goes for dovere.

6. Preferire (To prefer)

I like to think of preferire as a nicer way of saying volere. It seems more indirect by saying what you want without outright saying what you want. You can also add any noun or verb after it without worrying too much about any specific object in front of you. “I prefer books.” “I prefer to dance at night.” “I prefer red wine, please.”

7. Vedere (To see)

“I want to see Vatican City.” Italians will offer directions either in English or a regional dialect of Italian depending on where you are visiting in Italy. You can express that you want to see something or that you can see or understand something pointed out by a local.

8. Sapere (To know)

“I know how to cook.” You can express this verb by saying that you know how to do something or that you know how to speak italian. Instead of adding “how to,” you just add the verb right after conjugating sapere.This has the same meaning in English but you will next learn of a similar way to say “I know ____.”

9. Conoscere (To know… but different)

Although related to sapere, this verb is typically used in the context that you are familiar with something. “I don’t know the area.” “I don’t know Giovanni.”

10. Riminare (To stay)

“I prefer to stay in Italy forever.” “She is staying with me!” This verb is useful if you want to express the immobility of either yourself or someone else. If you do not want to go anywhere, just say so!

11. Chiedere (To ask)

You are always going to be asking for something. Be sure to know how to say “I asked for the ____.” so that other people know what happened.

12. Mettere (To put)

For mettere, keep in mind that this will generally be used as a command such as “Put that here, please.” Conjugate this in the formal and informal so you can speak politely to adults and children.

13. Aprire (To open)

Great to know if a store, restaurant, or museum is open or not. Or to know at what time they open.

14. Chiudere (To close)

Same thing as aprire, know these things to ask if places are closed.

15. Perdere (To lose)

This is a great verb to let locals know that you are either lost in the city or confused during a conversation. You can even let the ticketer of a train station that you lost your ticket and need a new one.

16. Scrivere (To write)

When you have a hard time understanding spoken Italian, ask locals to write down the word or phrase in a little notebook. In that way, you can refer back to your notes and this recall method will help you in spaced repetition whenever you need it.

17. Prendere (To take)

Typically, when you order something at a restaurant, you would ask “May I have ____?” Instead, Italians would say “May I take ____?” or “I would take ____, please.”

18. Rompere (To break)

You are looking for souvenirs and, when you got home, you just noticed a small crack in a porcelain tea set you wanted to get your mom for her birthday. Just let the cashier know that it was broken and get either a refund or exchange if ever possible.

19. Correre (To run)

An outbreak is happening and people are telling you to run! Please, know this term before traveling anywhere in Italy as emergencies can happen. Honestly, just noticing people running is good enough, but to be on the safe side, you can ask “Why are you running?”

20. Tradurre (To translate)

You might be lucky enough to run into someone who is learning English as you are learning Italian, and this could be beneficial as you can ask to translate phrases into English, and they will do the same into Italian. Teamwork makes the dream work.

21. Accenzdere (To turn on)

The lights are off and you are in a crowded room. Figure out how to tell people to turn on the lights as this will help alleviate some of the anxiety you might be feeling when the outbreak is happening before your very eyes. You can also tell people, “Don’t turn on the lights,” if you are feeling kind of frisky.

22. Cercare (To look for)

When you are lost, you can tell people that you are looking for either the Vatican or the restroom as both of these places are top tourist destinations in Rome. Be sure to plan your itinerary before traveling to metropolitan areas in Italy, so you can ask locals that you are looking for a friend to help you find the Vatican!

Learning Italian might be easier than you think if you have a strong foundation. I recommend learning these verbs and how to use them in context so that you have something to build from. After you have mastered these 22 verbs, pop open a dictionary and learn 22 more! Give yourself challenges such as learning 22 verbs per week or every other week. By the end of the year, you might find yourself knowing between 500 to over 1000 verbs to use in your arsenal! So get out there and walk the walk and not just talk the talk!