Page 33 - verbo italiano

Verb Usage Review / 23

Past Perfect with avere Past Perfect with essere
(io) avevo lavorato/ricevuto/dormito ero arrivato/arrivata
(tu) avevi lavorato/ricevuto/dormito eri arrivato/arrivata
(lui/lei) aveva lavorato/ricevuto/dormito era arrivato/arrivata
(noi) avevamo lavorato/ricevuto/dormito eravamo arrivati/arrivate
(voi) avevate lavorato/ricevuto/dormito eravate arrivati/arrivate
(loro) avevano lavorato/ricevuto/dormito erano arrivati/arrivate

FUTURE

In English, the future is expressed with the auxiliary verb “will” (“we will win”) or
the phrase “to be going to” (“tomorrow I am going to Rome by train”). In Italian,
the future is a simple tense, consisting of one word. The usage of the future in Ital-
ian corresponds in general to its usage in English.
Quest’anno vinceremo il campionato. This year we will win the title.
Andrà a Roma in treno. He will go to Rome by train.

More often than in English, the future is replaced by the present tense to refer to a
definite event, especially if it is in the immediate future.

Domani vado al mare. Tomorrow I’m going to the beach.
Ti chiamo dopo. I’ll call you later.

To express tentative plans by contrast, the future tense is used.
Che cosa fai quest’estate? What are you doing this summer?
Forse farò un viaggio in Italia. Maybe I will take a trip to Italy.
In Italian, there is no equivalent for “to be going to,” which is expressed by the
ordinary future or by the present tense.
Mi sposerò a giugno. I am going to get married in June.
Stasera vado al cinema. Tonight I am going to the movies.

The future is used after quando (“when”), appena (“as soon as”), and se (“if”) when
the verb of the main clause is in the future tense. The future tense is used in both
cases in Italian. In English, the future tense is used in the main clause, and the
present tense immediately follows “when/if.”
Quando finirò l’università, mi When I graduate, I will apply
iscriverò a un corso di for graduate school.
specializzazione.
One very common use of future tense in Italian is to express probability or conjec-
ture about circumstances in the present. In English, probability can be expressed
with probably, must, or can.
Che ore saranno? Non so, saranno What time do you think it is? I don’t
le 8. know, it must be around 8.
Questa torta peserà tre chili! This cake probably weighs around six
pounds!
Sai dov’è Giada? Sarà a casa. Do you know where Giada is? She
must be home.