Present Tense: -ire Verbs
Italian verbs ending in -ire (the 3rd conjugation) follow a specific set of endings. While many use a simple stem, the majority actually require an extra -isc- sound in most forms.
How It Works
The present indicative (presente indicativo) is the most common tense in Italian. For -ire verbs, there are two main patterns:
1. The Simple Pattern (e.g., dormire):
- io dormo (I sleep)
- tu dormi (you sleep)
- lui/lei dorme (he/she sleeps)
- noi dormiamo (we sleep)
- voi dormite (you all sleep)
- loro dormono (they sleep)
2. The -isc- Pattern (e.g., capire):
Most -ire verbs (about 80-90%) insert -isc- between the stem and the ending for all singular persons and the 3rd person plural. The noi and voi forms never take -isc-.
- io capisco
- tu capisci
- lui/lei capisce
- noi capiamo
- voi capite
- loro capiscono
Pronunciation Note:
In the 3rd person plural (loro), the stress always falls on the stem, not the ending. For simple verbs, it is DÒR-mo-no. For -isc- verbs, it is ca-PÌ-sco-no.
Important Note:
Some very common verbs ending in -ire do not follow these regular patterns. To become proficient in Italian, you will need to learn the irregular forms for dire, venire, and uscire separately.
Usage:
Italian uses this tense for things happening right now ('I am sleeping'), habits ('I sleep every day'), and even the near future ('I leave tomorrow').
Examples (5)
- Io dormo otto ore ogni notte.
I sleep eight hours every night.
Word by Word: I sleep eight hours every night.
Uses the simple pattern of 'dormire' to describe a habit.
- Capisco molto bene l'italiano.
I understand Italian very well.
Word by Word: I understand very well the Italian.
Demonstrates the -isc- pattern for the verb 'capire' in the first person singular.
- A che ora finiscono la lezione?
What time do they finish the lesson?
Word by Word: At what hour [they] finish the lesson?
Shows the 3rd person plural of a -isc- verb. Note the stress is on the second-to-last syllable of the stem: fi-NÌ-sco-no.
- Lui apre la finestra perché fa caldo.
He opens the window because it is hot.
Word by Word: He opens the window because [it] makes hot.
Uses the 3rd person singular 'lui' form of 'aprire'.
- Noi offriamo il caffè a tutti.
We offer coffee to everyone.
Word by Word: We offer the coffee to all.
The 'noi' form always ends in -iamo, regardless of the verb group.
Common Mistakes
Confusing the -ire ending with the -ere ending in the 'voi' form.
Voi dormete qui?Voi dormite qui?Verbs ending in -ere use -ete, but verbs ending in -ire must use -ite.
Misplacing the stress in the 'loro' (they) form.
Loro dormóno.Loro dórmono.In the 3rd person plural, the stress almost always falls on the root of the verb, not the ending.
Applying the -isc- pattern to verbs that don't use it.
Io dormisco.Io dormo.While most -ire verbs use -isc-, high-frequency verbs like dormire, partire, and aprire do not.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To conjugate -ire verbs in the present tense, you first need to know the subject pronouns to identify the correct person. It is also essential to understand the general system of Italian verb conjugations, typically learned first through -are and -ere verbs, as they share the same underlying logic of replacing the infinitive ending with person-specific suffixes.
Related Patterns
- Present Tense: -are Verbs
The first conjugation group, which uses different endings like -a for the 3rd person singular.
Level 1 - -isc--isc- Pattern -ire Verbs
The specific sub-group of -ire verbs that require the -isc- infix.
Level 1 - Subject Pronouns
Subject pronouns (io, tu, lui...) are used to indicate who is performing the action of the verb.
Level 1 - uscire / venire / direIrregular Presente: Uscire, Venire, Dire
Common -ire verbs that follow irregular patterns in the present tense.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Sources
Practice Present Tense: -ire Verbs in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Italian lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
