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Verb Usage Review / 17

Note the following:
• The verb form for noi is the same in the four patterns.
• The –ere and –ire (dormire) patterns differ only in the voi form.
• The loro form has the stress on the third vowel from the end—for example,
PArlano, VIvono, DOrmono, caPIscono.
• Verbs ending in –cere and –gere alternate soft and hard sound of –c and –g (c/
g + a, o, u hard sound, as in “cat,” “golf”; c/g + i, e soft sound as in “george,”
“cello”):
vincere: vinco, vinci, vince, vinciamo, vincete, vincono

For reflexive verbs, simply place the reflexive pronoun before the verb (mi alzo, ti
alzi . . .).
The majority of –ire verbs follow the second pattern (example: capire) and insert
the -isc, but there is a relatively small group (many of which are very frequently
used) that follows the first pattern (example: dormire). The following is a list of the
most common –ire verbs that, like dormire, do not require the insertion of –isc:
• Aprire (“to open”)
• Coprire (“to cover”) and its compounds
• Divertirsi (“to have fun”)
• Dormire (“to sleep”)
• Partire (“to leave”)
• Seguire (“to follow”) and its compounds
• Sentire (“to feel,” “to hear”) and its compounds
• Servire (“to serve”)
• Vestire (“to dress”)

Spelling changes

Certain –are verbs require spelling changes in the present indicative in order to keep
the original sound of the verb. These changes do not make the verbs irregular.
• All verbs ending in –care and –gare such as cercare (“to look for”), pagare (“to
pay”), add an –h to the infinite stem in the tu and noi forms so that the hard
sounds c and g of the stem are retained (c/g + a, o, u hard sound, as in “cat,”
“golf”; c/g + i, e soft sound as in “george,” “cello”):
cercare: cerco, cerchi, cerca, cerchiamo, cercate, cercano
pagare: pago, paghi, paga, paghiamo, pagate, pagano

• Verbs ending in –iare such as studiare (“to study”), cominciare (“to start”),
mangiare (“to eat”), and lasciare (“to leave”) drop the –i from the infinitive
stem when the verb ending begins with –i (tu and noi forms).

studiare: studio, studi, studia, studiamo, studiate, studiano
cominciare: comincio, cominci, comincia, cominciamo, cominciate,
cominciano
mangiare: mangio, mangi, mangia, mangiamo, mangiate, mangiano
lasciare: lascio, lasci, lascia, lasciamo, lasciate, lasciano