continuare a / smettere di + Infinitive
'Continuare A' / 'Smettere Di' + Infinitive
Italian uses specific verbs called 'aspectual verbs' to show the phase of an action. Continuare a means 'to continue/keep doing,' while smettere di means 'to stop/quit doing.' Both are followed by an infinitive verb.
How It Works
These verbs help define the flow of time within a sentence.
1. Continuare a + Infinito
This expresses that an action persists. Continuare is a regular verb following the -are conjugation.
• Phonological note: Modern Italian standards recommend adding a 'd' to the preposition (ad) specifically when the following verb starts with the letter 'a': continuare ad aspettare (to continue to wait).
• Auxiliary: In compound tenses like the passato prossimo, it uses avere (e.g., Ho continuato a studiare).
2. Smettere di + Infinito
This indicates the cessation of an action. Like continuare, it uses avere as its auxiliary in compound tenses.
• Irregularity: The verb smettere has an irregular past participle: smesso.
• Smettere vs. Finire: Use smettere when you stop an activity (perhaps temporarily or by choice), but use finire di when you reach the natural completion of a task.
• Idiomatic usage: You will often hear the pronominal form smetterla to mean "stop it" or "cut it out" (e.g., Smettila!).
3. Smettere vs. Fermare
Be careful: smettere is for stopping an action (quitting), while fermare (or the reflexive fermarsi) is for stopping physical movement (like a car or a person walking).
Examples (5)
- Nonostante la pioggia, hanno continuato a giocare.
Despite the rain, they continued to play.
Word by Word: Despite the rain, they have continued to play.
Shows the use of 'continuare a' in the past tense with the auxiliary 'avere'.
- Devi smettere di fumare, fa male alla salute.
You must stop smoking; it's bad for your health.
Word by Word: You must stop of to smoke, it makes bad to the health.
Demonstrates 'smettere di' used for quitting a habit.
- Continua ad ascoltare la musica anche mentre studia.
He continues to listen to music even while he studies.
Word by Word: He continues to listen the music even while he studies.
Note the 'd eufonica' (ad) because 'ascoltare' starts with a vowel.
- Ho smesso di leggere quel libro perché era noioso.
I stopped reading that book because it was boring.
Word by Word: I have stopped of to read that book because it was boring.
Uses the irregular past participle 'smesso'.
- Se continui a gridare, non ti ascolterò.
If you keep shouting, I won't listen to you.
Word by Word: If you continue to shout, not you I will listen
A common way to express 'keep doing something' in Italian.
Common Mistakes
Using the gerund where 'a' + infinitive is expected.
Different MeaningContinuo studiando l'italiano.Continuo a studiare l'italiano.'Continuo studiando l'italiano' is correct Italian, but it stresses how you go on. The usual way to say 'I keep studying' is 'continuare a' + infinitive.
Using the wrong preposition (e.g., 'continuare di').
Ho continuato di lavorare.Ho continuato a lavorare.The usual pairs are 'continuare a' + infinitive and 'smettere di' + infinitive.
Confusing 'smettere' with 'fermare' for actions.
Ho fermato di parlare.Ho smesso di parlare.'Fermare' is for physical movement (stopping a car). To stop an activity, use 'smettere di' (or 'finire di').
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn this pattern, learners must first understand how to conjugate verbs in the present tense and how the general 'verb + infinitive' construction works in Italian. Crucially, they need to recognize that certain Italian verbs require a specific 'bridge' preposition (a or di) before a second verb in the infinitive form.
- Verb + Infinitive
This pattern is a specific sub-category of the general 'verb + infinitive' structure, where certain verbs require specific prepositions to link to the following infinitive.
Level 1 - Simple Prepositions
Understanding the basic prepositions 'a' and 'di' is essential as they are the specific markers used by 'continuare' and 'smettere' respectively.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- cominciare a / finire di + Infinitive'Cominciare A' / 'Finire Di' + Infinitive
These are the 'starting' and 'finishing' counterparts to 'continuing' and 'stopping'.
Level 3 - stare + GerundPresent Progressive (Stare + Gerund)
While 'continuare a' shows persistence, 'stare + gerundio' shows an action currently in progress.
Level 1 - Irregular Past Participles
Explains the formation of irregular past participles like 'smesso' (from smettere).
Level 2 - mettersi a + Infinitive'Mettersi A' + Infinitive (To Start Doing)
An idiomatic way to say 'to start doing something' or 'to set oneself to' an action.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Sources
Practice continuare a / smettere di + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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