Annoyingly, you really can’t speak Italian unless you learn to conjugate verbs, both regular and irregular.
Worse, it’s mostly the present tense that causes the problems.
Wham!
Just as you’re starting out, you have to memorise complex conjugations of frequently-used, essential verbs.
And unless you get to grips with them, you’ll be unable to say almost anything… Or understand what others say to you.
Bummer, huh?
But here’s the good news – once you drag your demoralised and despirited self out of the morass of present tense regular and irregular verbs, it’s all downhill from then on!
Unlike English, which is easy at the start but harder later on, Italian just gets better and better as you progress.
And joy! After eighteen or so years learning the language, I try out today’s free Italian exercise, hit the ‘punteggio’ (score) button, and the computer replies:
“Benissimo! Tutte corrette!”
Go here to try today’s exercise on the present tense of regular verbs for yourself.
Or here to see previous exercises at the same level (beginner/elementary), and to find out what’s coming next week.
Buon fine settimana!
P.S.
Thanks to everyone who supported the idea of introducing a forum in which you can write messages to each other in Italian.
I’ll take a look at the technology today, with a view to launching it next week, if feasible.
Other news: yesterday we were choosing images for the cover design of the third volume of our ‘film’ series of simplified Italian audio books.
It’s the story of a classic comedy from the ‘sixties, called ‘Il sorpasso’.
Below you should see a still from the film, which unfortunately was the wrong shape for our cover but is so good that I thought I’d share it with you anyway.
Three questions for you:
- What does the film’s title mean?
- What does the gesture that the driver is making mean?
- And why, in your opinion, is he making it??
The best answer wins a free copy of the new book, which will be out in a week or two.
If I remember, I’ll announce the winner on Monday.
Visit our site to leave a comment with your answers.
(And don’t forget to check out the other simplified audio-books in our ‘book of the film’ series in our shop.)
Gerald Schwartz says
I just saw the movie-good movie, sad ending. Anyway:
-The title means The Overtaking (appropriate since the driver likes to show off and pass other motorists)
-The hand gesture is a symbol (I believe) for someone whose spouse (female spouse) is cheating on them
-Why the hand gesture-good question. I would say the driver is expressing his contempt (in a somewhat playful way) for the driver of the other vehicle
sergey says
Ciao a tutti!
Anch’io ho ottenuto oggi il punteggio “Benissimo! Tutte corrette” 🙂
Per quanto riguarda le domande che ci sono nell messaggio, risponderei così:
1. Italian “il sorpasso” means overtaking, outrunning.
2. I think that the gesture that the driver on the first plan shows, means “You loser!”
3. And I think that with this gesture he wants to tease the driver of the white car that he had just overtaken.
Ciao!
Sergey.
Karen says
Il sorpasso means the overtaking, the gesture is il cornuto, the cuckold, and is very rude. He is making it to the car he has overtaken
Tina says
1. Non ho l’idea. Il mio titolo e’: Tutti cornuti
2. Il gesto segnifica ‘cornuto’.
3. Secondo me, mostra i corni alla persona nella machina dietro di lui.
Veronica Byrne says
The opening line of Il Sorpasso written by one of my favourite italian authors, Alberto Moravia. I love this short- story. I have travelled as a passenger at some speed, on the very road on my way to the beach at Fregene. The language is rich and powerful. You can feel the speed and pulse and tension of teenage testosterone . If I were to ask my husband: ……………..!
Sergey says
Grazie mille Daniel per la tua decisione!
Sergey.