Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to work" in Italian: lavorare
lavorare
To work in Italian is lavorare (lah-voh-RAH-reh). Common forms: lavoro (I work), lavori (you work), lavora (he/she works). Il lavoro is the noun job/work.
Monday morning
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How to pronounce lavorare
Say it
lah-voh-RAH-reh
/la.voˈra.re/
lah-voh-RAH-reh, stress on RAH. Lavoro is lah-VOH-roh.
"to work" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| lavorare | to work The infinitive. | The infinitive. |
| lavoro / lavori / lavora | I work / you work / he-she works Present singular forms. | Present singular forms. |
| lavoriamo | we work Team and office talk. | Team and office talk. |
| il lavoro | work; job Noun: cercо lavoro, vado al lavoro. | Noun: cercо lavoro, vado al lavoro. |
How to use lavorare in real life
- 1Monday morning
Oggi lavoro da casa fino alle sei.
Today I'm working from home until six.
Lavoro = I work.
- 2Asking a friend
Tu lavori ancora in centro?
Do you still work downtown?
Lavori = you work.
- 3Office chat
Domani lavoriamo sul nuovo progetto.
Tomorrow we're working on the new project.
Lavoriamo = we work.
Mistakes English speakers make with lavorare
Incorrect: Io lavorare a Roma.
Correct: Lavoro a Roma.
Conjugate: io lavoro, not io lavorare.
Incorrect: Lavoro in il ufficio.
Correct: Lavoro in ufficio. / Lavoro all'ufficio.
Drop the article or use all'ufficio.
Good to know
Italians separate lavoro (the job) from lavorare (the verb). Buon lavoro! is a common wish when someone starts a task, like good luck with your work.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Catching up about jobs
ChatPal
Dove lavori adesso?
Where do you work now?
You
Lavoro in un bar vicino alla stazione.
I work in a bar near the station.
ChatPal
Anch'io lavoro lì vicino, in un ufficio.
I work nearby too, in an office.
You
Allora forse lavoriamo nella stessa zona!
Then maybe we work in the same area!
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 work" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to work" in Italian
How do I say I work?
Lavoro.
Is lavoro a verb or a noun?
Both: lavoro can mean I work or the job (il lavoro).
How do I say where do you work?
Dove lavori?
What is buon lavoro?
A friendly get-on-with-your-work / good luck with the task.
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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