Italian grammar · Beginner · Lesson 7
Italian Present Tense: Regular -Are, -Ere and -Ire Verbs
Build Italian regular present-tense verbs from the stem and person ending, with parlare, prendere, and dormire.
Updated October 10, 2026 · Free lesson and exercises
Remove the infinitive ending
Regular verbs belong to patterns based on their infinitive: -are, -ere, or -ire. Remove that ending to get the stem, then add the present ending for the subject. Parlare gives parl-, so I speak is parlo.
Learn the pattern across six persons
Present forms can describe habits, current situations, and sometimes an action happening now. Parlo italiano means I speak Italian; context can also make it I am speaking Italian. Use the form that matches the person, even when you omit the pronoun.
Watch for a second -ire pattern
Some -ire verbs, including capire and finire, insert -isc- in the io, tu, lui/lei, and loro forms: capisco, capisci, capisce, capiscono. Noi and voi remain capiamo and capite. This is a common pattern to learn alongside dormire, not an ending to add to every -ire verb.
Regular present forms
| Subject | Parlare | Prendere | Dormire |
|---|---|---|---|
| io | parlo | prendo | dormo |
| tu | parli | prendi | dormi |
| lui / lei | parla | prende | dorme |
| noi | parliamo | prendiamo | dormiamo |
| voi | parlate | prendete | dormite |
| loro | parlano | prendono | dormono |
Capire follows the -isc- pattern in four forms. Common verbs such as essere and andare need their own tables.
See the pattern in a sentence
Parlo italiano ogni giorno.
I speak Italian every day.
Parlo uses the io ending of parlare.
Prendiamo il treno.
We take the train.
The noi form ends in -iamo.
I bambini dormono.
The children sleep.
Dormono matches a plural third-person subject.
Common mistakes to notice
To fix: Io parlare italiano.
Use: Io parlo italiano.
Use a conjugated verb, not the infinitive, in this sentence.
To fix: Loro dormano.
Use: Loro dormono.
Regular -ire verbs use -ono in the third-person plural present indicative.
Try it yourself
Say or write an answer before opening the explanation.
1. Complete: noi ___ (parlare).
Show answer and explanation
Noi parliamo.
Add -iamo to parl-.
2. Complete: tu ___ (prendere).
Show answer and explanation
Tu prendi.
The tu ending is -i.
3. Complete: io ___ (capire).
Show answer and explanation
Io capisco.
Capire inserts -isc- in the io form.
Use it in a conversation
Describe three daily habits with parlare, prendere, or dormire. Ask a partner about their routine with the tu forms.
Read the examples aloud, then try your own sentences. In ChatPal, practice a real scenario and get personalized feedback on what you say.
Practice Italian out loudFAQ
Questions about this pattern
Does Italian have a separate tense for I am speaking?
Stare plus a gerund can emphasize an action in progress, but the simple present also covers many current actions. Choose according to context.
Are all -ire verbs like dormire?
No. Some use -isc- in four persons, as capire does. Learn which pattern a verb follows.
Can I drop io from parlo?
Usually yes. Parlo already identifies the first-person singular. Include io for emphasis or contrast.
Keep building your sentences
- Essere Conjugation: Italian To Be in the Present
- Andare Conjugation: Vado, Vai, Va and the Italian Present
Words to practice with
References and corrections
Original explanations and practice examples for beginners. References help check the grammar; this page covers the patterns shown rather than every exception.