Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to take" in Italian: prendere
prendere
To take in Italian is prendere (PREHN-deh-reh). Present: io prendo, tu prendi, lui/lei prende. Past participle preso. Also used for catching transport and ordering.
At a bar
Prendo un caffè, grazie.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce prendere
Say it
PREHN-deh-reh
/ˈprɛn.de.re/
Prendere stresses PREHN: PREHN-deh-reh. Prendo is PREHN-doh.
"to take" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| prendere | to take Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| prendo / prendi / prende | I take / you take / he-she takes Present singular. | Present singular. |
| preso | taken Past participle. | Past participle. |
| prendere l'autobus | to take the bus Transport. | Transport. |
How to use prendere in real life
- 1At a bar
Prendo un caffè, grazie.
I'll take a coffee, thanks.
Prendo for ordering.
- 2Catching a bus
Prendi l'autobus numero tre.
Take bus number three.
Prendi + transport.
- 3Looking for keys
Hai preso le chiavi dal tavolo?
Did you take the keys from the table?
Preso past.
Mistakes English speakers make with prendere
Incorrect: Io prendere un taxi.
Correct: Prendo un taxi.
Conjugate: io prendo.
Incorrect: Ho prenduto il treno.
Correct: Ho preso il treno.
Past participle is preso.
Good to know
Prendere is the Swiss-army verb of daily Italian: prendo un caffè, prendo la metro, prendo freddo. Learners hear it constantly in cafés and stations.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering and catching a train
ChatPal
Cosa prendi da bere?
What are you having to drink?
You
Prendo un'acqua naturale.
I'll take still water.
ChatPal
Poi prendiamo il treno delle dieci.
Then we'll take the ten o'clock train.
You
Ok. Hai già preso i biglietti?
Ok. Did you already get the tickets?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to take" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to take" in Italian
Io form?
Prendo.
Past participle?
Preso / presa / presi / prese.
Take a photo?
Fare una foto is more natural than prendere una foto.
Take vs portare?
Prendere is grab/take; portare is bring/carry.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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