ILGUR: Italian Language, Grammar and Usage Resource

Please note that I will add more examples as time permits!  Thanks for your patience!

In Italian, there is a group of verbs known as verbi fraseoligici or phraseological verbs.  These verbs combine with infinitives or gerunds to form a unique verb predicate that differs in function from the verb when used on its own.  Let’s look at the differences with the verb, finire:

Marco ha finito il libro perché deve leggere due altri libri.

Marco finished the book because he has to read two other books.

In the example above, we can infer that Marco has completed his task of reading the book.  However, if we say:

Marco ha finito di leggere il libro perché vuole mangiare qualcosa..

Marco has finished/stopped reading the book because he wants to eat something.

We cannot say for certain that the book is finished (perhaps he has another couple of chapters to go?), only that, for the moment, he has stopped reading because he wants to do something else.  He maybe pick up the book again later.  This nuance is important to understanding the difference between the verb used on its to that of the phraseological version.  You can see this nuance with other verbs — let’s look at stare per + infinitive:

Scusa, non posso parlare adesso.  Sto per uscire con i miei amici perché vogliamo vedere il nuovo film di Tom Cruise, e comincia fra poco.

Excuse me, I can’t talk now.  I am about to go out with my friends because we want to see the new Tom Cruise film, and it starts soon.

In the example above, my departure (to go and meet my friends) is imminent, and it’s evident that I’m on my way out the door.  But if I say:

Scusa, non posso parlare adesso.  Esco con i miei amici perché vogliamo vedere il nuovo film di Tom Cruise, e comincia fra poco.

Excuse me, I can’t talk now.  I am going out with my friends because we want to see the new Tom Cruise film, and it starts soon.

In the example without stare per, there is no imminent departure (although it is possible that I am heading out the door), only the idea that I am going out with my friends.  These verb/infinitive (or verb/gerundio) couplings help clarify how actions are unfolding.

I verbi fraseologici are divided into five categories:

• progressive actions (that is, actions that are already under way)
• imminent actions (actions that are about to take place but have not yet begun)
• the start of an action (an action that has started but is not in a state of continuation)
• the continuation of an action (an action that will keep happening/taking place)
• the end of an action

Progressive actions

Progressive actions are pretty straightforward — they indicate actions which are happening now (or, in past tenses, an action that was happening at that point in time).  In Italian these are conveyed using stare + gerundio.  In some parts of Italy, stare a + infinito is also used, although this form is very dialectical and should be avoided in standard Italian (although you will hear it often in the south of Italy):

Sto guardando la nuova puntata di Annozero.  Ti chiamo più tardi?

I am watching the new episode of Annozero.  I’ll call you later?

Progressive actions can also be expressed with andare and venire + gerundio when you want to express an action that repeats, is frequent or to signal more intensity/importance to that action:

Marco va spiegando agli studenti la lezione.

Marci is explaining the lesson (repeatedly) to the students.

Imminent actions

An imminent action is one that is about to commence or take place and can be expressed in Italian with the following expressions:

essere lì lì per + infinito | to be on the verge of doing something

Ero lì lì per chiamare Maria quando ha squillato il mio telefonino!  Che sorpesa!  Era proprio Maria!

I was on the verge of calling Maria when my mobile rang!  What a surprise!  It was Maria calling!

stare per + infinito | to be about to do something

accingersi a + infinito | to prepare to do something

prepararsi a + infinito | to get ready to do something

Start of an action

The start of an action is one that has just begun, but one that has not yet progressed too far.  In Italian, the following expressions can be used:

cominciare a + infinito | to start to do something

iniziare a + infinito | to begin to, to start to do something

Peccato che inizi a piovere!  Volevo giocare a tennis con Marco ma è impossibile giocare quando il campo da tennis è bagnato.

It’s a pity that it is starting to rain!  I wanted to play tennis with Marco but it is not possible to play when the tennis court is wet.

mettersi a + infinito | to take up something

darsi a + infinito | to take to doing something

prendere a + infinito | to start doing something

Continuation of an action

The continuation of an action is one that has begun and will keep going.  In Italian, this can be expressed with the following:

continuare a + infinito | to continue to do something

andare avanti a + infinito | to keep doing something

seguitare a + infinito | to keep on doing something

ostinarsi a + infinito | to persist in doing something

End of an action

These verbs convey that an action has ended.  Notice in the verbs below the use of the pronoun, la — when the verbs are used with the la they are more colloquial in nature and adds more emphasis, urgency and insistence to the phrase:

smettere/smetterla di + infinito | to stop doing something (forever)

finire/finirla di + infinito | to finish doing something (for the moment)

piantar(la) di + infinito | to stop doing something

Annalisa, piantala di dare fastidio a tuo fratello! Vai in camera tua e lascialo studiare!

Annalisa, stop bothering your brother!  Go to your room and let him study!

When the pronominal versions of the verb are used, avere is used in compound tenses, and the past participle agrees with the pronoun, la.