31 Jul FREE ITALIAN LESSON: NUMBER 1
Buongiorno a tutti!
The first thing we will go over is an extremely useful shortcut to understanding and using verbs. Most of what we say in any language has to do with one of the following three situations: necessity, desire, permission/ability (dovere, volere, potere, respectively).
We call these Helper Verbs because they help out so much of your expression. The first Helper Verb we’ll go over is dovere (to need/must).
To need/to must Dovere
I need (io) devo
You (informal) need (tu) devi
He, she, you need(s) (lui, lei, Lei) deve
We need (noi) dobbiamo
You (plural) need (voi) dovete
They need (loro) devono
The beautiful thing about using your Helper Verbs is that you can put in any Full Verb after them and you don’t have to change that Full Verb at all.
FULL VERBS (infinitives)
Andare = to go
Mangiare = to eat
Dormire = to sleep
Parlare = to speak
Example: I need to eat = Io devo mangiare
She needs to sleep = Lei deve dormire
We need to go = Noi dobbiamo andare
A) Translate the following: (Answers will be in the next lesson)
1). I need to go:
2). He needs to go:
3). I must eat:
4). We must eat:
5). I need to speak:
6). She must speak:
7). He needs to go tomorrow (domani):
HELPER VERBS + FULL VERBS
By now, you see how much expression opens up before you when you use your Helper Verbs followed by your Full Verbs. Parlate, Parlate! Buon Week-end.
Tom Means is Assistant Professor of Italian at BMCC, City University of New York. He is also the founder of Means Language Center in Asbury Park, NJ. 732-807-3646 tom@meanslanguagecenter.com