stare per + Infinitive

'Stare Per' + Infinitive (About to)

Level 2

The Italian periphrasis stare per + infinito is the equivalent of the English 'to be about to.' It signals that an event is on the very brink of occurring.

How It Works

The construction stare per + infinito is a 'phraseological verb' used to describe the aspect of an action—specifically its imminence.

1. Conjugation:
You must conjugate the verb stare (from the group andare, fare, dare, stare) according to the subject:

Sto per uscire (I am about to go out)
Stai per cadere (You are about to fall)
Sta per piovere (It is about to rain)

2. Tense Usage:
This construction is restricted to simple tenses (tempi semplici). It is almost exclusively used in:

Presente: For things happening right now (Sto per mangiare).
Imperfetto: For things that were about to happen in the past (Stavo per chiamarti).

Note: You cannot use compound tenses like the passato prossimo (e.g., 'sono stato per uscire' is incorrect).

3. Reflexive Verbs:
When using reflexive verbs, the pronoun can go before 'stare' or attach to the end of the infinitive:

Mi sto per lavare.
Sto per lavarmi.

4. Nuance:
Unlike the futuro semplice, which might refer to a distant time, stare per implies the action is seconds or minutes away.

Examples (5)

Prendi l'ombrello, sta per piovere!
Take the umbrella, it's about to rain!
Word by Word: Take the umbrella, it stays for to rain!
Here, 'sta per' indicates that the rain is imminent, likely starting in a few moments.
Scusa, non posso parlare, sto per entrare in riunione.
Sorry, I can't talk, I'm about to go into a meeting.
Word by Word: Excuse, not I can to talk, I stay for to enter in meeting.
This shows an immediate intention or a scheduled action that is starting right now.
Il treno sta per partire dal binario quattro.
The train is about to leave from platform four.
Word by Word: The train stays for to leave from the platform four.
A standard announcement format indicating the train is on the verge of departure.
Stavo per dirti la stessa cosa!
I was about to tell you the same thing!
Word by Word: I was staying for to tell you the same thing!
Using the imperfect 'stavo' shows the action was imminent in the past.
Sbrigati! Il film sta per cominciare.
Hurry up! The movie is about to start.
Word by Word: Hurry yourself! The film stays for to begin.
Used to create a sense of urgency for an event starting very soon.

Common Mistakes

Using the preposition 'a' instead of 'per'.
Sto a uscire.
Sto per uscire.
In standard Italian, 'about to' is usually expressed with 'stare per'. 'Sto a uscire' is a regionalism (common in Rome) and means 'I am in the middle of going out', not 'about to'.
Confusing 'stare per' with 'stare + gerundio'.
Sto per mangiando.
Sto per mangiare.
The gerund (-ando/-endo) is for ongoing actions. 'Stare per' must always be followed by the infinitive (-are/-ere/-ire).
Using 'essere' instead of 'stare'.
Sono per partire.
Sto per partire.
Both verbs mean 'to be', but today the 'about to' pattern uses 'stare'. 'Essere per' is archaic or literary.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

stare per + InfinitiveLevel 2'Stare Per' + Infinitive (About to)

Learn This First

To learn 'stare per + infinito', you first need to be comfortable conjugating the irregular verb 'stare' in the present tense. You also need to understand how the preposition 'per' functions as a link and be familiar with the general concept of following a conjugated verb with an infinitive.

per + Destination / Purpose'Per' (Destination, Purpose, Duration)
Understanding the preposition 'per' is essential as it acts as the connector between 'stare' and the infinitive.
Level 1

Words in This Pattern

stare perstare

Sources

Practice stare per + Infinitive in Bubblegum

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