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Verb Usage Review / 43

The infinitive is also used after the following prepositions.
• Per: The preposition per immediately followed by the infinitive
expresses purpose. In English an infinitive alone may be used, or “in order
to”:
Vado in Italia per studiare l’italiano. I am going to Italy (in order) to study
Italian.
• Da: The preposition da immediately followed by the infinitive
expresses purpose and use of the noun it refers to.
Dove sono le lettere da spedire? Where are the letters to be mailed?
È un film da vedere. It is a movie to see.
Non ho tempo da perdere. I don’t have time to waste.
• Other prepositions requiring the infinitive. These prepositions are
usually followed by the –ing form of the verb in English: prima di (before),
invece di (instead of), senza (without), dopo (after, always followed by the
past infinitive).
Rifletti prima di parlare! Think before speaking!
Dopo esserci alzati, abbiamo After getting up, we had breakfast.
fatto colazione.

GERUND

The gerund is one of the Italian verb forms corresponding to the English –ing
form. It expresses contemporaneity to the verb of the main tense. It has two forms:
present and past.
Correndo sono caduto. I fell while I was running.

The present (or simple) tense is formed by dropping the ending of the infini-
tive (–are, –ere, or –ire) and adding –ando, –endo, or –endo. The simple gerund is
invariable. The past gerund is formed with the present gerund of avere (avendo) or
essere (essendo) plus the past participle of the main verb. When the past gerund is
formed with essere (essendo), the past participle agrees with the subject in gender
and number.

Infinitive Present Gerund Past Gerund
cantare (to sing) cantando (singing) avendo cantato (having sung)
andare (to go) andando (going) essendo andato/andata/andati/andate (having gone)
perdere (to lose) perdendo (losing) avendo perso (having lost)
capire (to understand) capendo (understanding) avendo capito (having understood)

Note the gerund of the following verbs derives from Latin or old forms:
bere (from bevere) bevendo
dire (from dicere) dicendo
fare (from facere) facendo
tradurre (from traducere) traducendo
trarre (from trahere) traendo