18 Aug FREE ITALIAN LESSON: NUMBER 3
Buongiorno a tutti! Questa settimana ripassiamo i nostri “helper verbs” ed i nostri “full verbs”
Our next helper verb is potere (to be able/can). Before you look at the chart you can probably guess that the “io” form will end in “o” (it always will). You could also guess that the “noi” form will end in “iamo” (it always will).
Potere (to be able/can/may)
I can (io) posso
You (informal) can (tu) puoi
He, she, you (formal) can (lui, lei, Lei) può
We can (noi) possiamo
You (plural) can (voi) potete
They can (loro) possono
Just like the two helper verbs we have seen before (dovere, volere), you can put in any full verb (infinitive) after potere and you don’t have to change the full verb at all.
Examples:
Io posso parlare italiano = I can speak Italian
Lui non può andare domani = He can’t go tomorrow
Loro possono aspettare = They can wait
Here is a review of the infinitives we have already seen:
aspettare = to wait
arrivare = to arrive
cominciare = to start/commence
lavorare = to work/labor
ritornare = to return
partire = to leave/depart
andare = to go
mangiare = to eat
dormire = to sleep
parlare = to speak
To form a question with helper verbs, all the words can stay in the same order, you just need to emphasize the last word. For example:
Deve andare domani? (Do you need to go tomorrow?)
Dobbiamo cominciare presto? (Do we need to start early?)
Devo mangiare qui? (Do I have to eat here?)
Translate the following:
1). I can leave:
2). He can speak well:
3). We can eat now:
4). She cannot wait tomorrow:
5). You (informal) can’t work here:
6). Can they arrive early?:
7). Can you (plural) return tomorrow?
Last week’s answers: 1). Lei vuole andare. 2). Dobbiamo arrivare presto. 3). Lui vuole mangiare e dormire. 4). Lei deve aspettare qui domani. 5). Noi vogliamo cominciare presto. 6). Voi dovete cominciare. 7). Lei vuole arrivare domani. 8). Lei deve aspettare qui.
Buon weekend e buono studio!