cominciare a / finire di + Infinitive
'Cominciare A' / 'Finire Di' + Infinitive
Italian uses specific prepositions to link verbs of starting and finishing to an infinitive: cominciare a (to start) and finire di (to finish).
How It Works
In Italian, when you want to say you are starting or finishing an activity, you cannot simply place two verbs together. You must use a linking preposition.
1. Cominciare a + Infinitive
This expresses the beginning of an action.
- Example: Comincio a studiare (I start to study).
- Phonological Note: Before a verb starting with 'a', the preposition a often becomes ad to avoid a clashing sound (e.g., Comincio ad ascoltare).
- Synonym: You can also use iniziare a, which follows the same rule.
2. Finire di + Infinitive
This expresses the completion or cessation of an action.
- Example: Ho finito di lavorare (I finished working).
- Nuance: While it usually means completing a task, it can also mean simply stopping an activity.
- Synonym: smettere di is used specifically for 'quitting' or 'stopping' a habit or ongoing action.
3. Auxiliary Verbs
When using these in the passato prossimo followed by an infinitive, you normally use avere as the auxiliary verb when a person is the subject (e.g., Ho cominciato a...), even if the second verb normally takes essere.
Examples (5)
- Comincio a capire la lezione.
I am starting to understand the lesson.
Word by Word: I start to understand the lesson.
Here, 'cominciare' is linked to 'capire' using the preposition 'a'.
- Abbiamo finito di mangiare proprio adesso.
We finished eating just now.
Word by Word: We have finished of to eat right now.
The verb 'finire' uses 'di' to connect to the infinitive 'mangiare'.
- Domani comincio ad allenarmi in palestra.
Tomorrow I start training in the gym.
Word by Word: Tomorrow I start to to-train-myself in gym.
Notice the use of 'ad' instead of 'a' because the next word 'allenarmi' starts with the letter 'a'.
- Quando finisci di leggere quel libro?
When do you finish reading that book?
Word by Word: When finish-you of to read that book?
Standard use of 'finire di' to ask about the completion of an activity.
- Ho cominciato a correre ogni mattina.
I started running every morning.
Word by Word: I have started to to-run every morning.
In compound tenses with an infinitive, 'cominciare' uses 'avere' as the auxiliary.
Common Mistakes
Using the wrong preposition (swapping 'a' and 'di').
Comincio di studiare.Comincio a studiare.Learners often confuse which preposition goes with which verb. Remember: Cominciare + A, Finire + DI.
Using 'essere' with a person as the subject.
Sono cominciato a leggere.Ho cominciato a leggere.When a person does the action, 'cominciare' and 'finire' use 'avere' in compound tenses: 'ho cominciato a leggere'. Verbs about things that start by themselves can use 'essere' ('è cominciato a piovere').
Omitting the preposition entirely.
Finisco lavorare alle cinque.Finisco di lavorare alle cinque.Unlike English ('I finish working'), Italian requires the preposition 'di' to connect the two verbs.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'cominciare a' and 'finire di' correctly, you need to understand how Italian verbs can be linked to an infinitive using specific prepositions. You should already be comfortable with basic verb conjugations and the use of simple prepositions.
- Verb + Infinitive
This pattern is a specific case of the general 'verb + infinitive' structure, where certain verbs require a specific preposition to link to the following infinitive.
Level 1 - Simple Prepositions
The learner must be familiar with the simple prepositions 'a' and 'di' as they are the mandatory markers used to connect 'cominciare' and 'finire' to an infinitive.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- continuare a / smettere di + Infinitive'Continuare A' / 'Smettere Di' + Infinitive
These are the other primary aspectual verbs used to describe continuing or quitting an action.
Level 3 - avere + Past ParticiplePresent Perfect with 'Avere'
Essential for forming the past tense of these patterns, as they require 'avere' when followed by an infinitive.
Level 2 - stare per + Infinitive'Stare Per' + Infinitive (About to)
Another aspectual construction used to describe an action that is just about to happen.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Sources
Practice cominciare a / finire di + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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