Samantha Igo

Professor Rista
Italian Elements 1
17 September 2014
Grammar Summary: Unita 1
1) Espressioni per salutare e chiedere come va, in modo formale e informale
Greetings:
o Informal greetings (for friends, etc.): Ciao
o Formal greetings (for elders, respected people, etc.): Buongiorno,
salve (although these can be informal as well)
How are you?:
o Informal: Come stai?
o Formal: Come sta?
o Both: Come va?
Introducing yourself/asking for names:
o Informal: Come ti chiami?
o Formal: Come si chiama?
Asking where someone is from:
o Informal: Di dove sei?
o Formal: Di dove?
2) Verbi essere and avere
Essere:
(Io) sono
(Noi) siamo
(Tu) sei
(Voi) siete
(Lui/lei/Lei)
(Loro) sono
Avere:
(Io) ho
(Tu) hai
(Lui/lei/Lei) ha

(Noi) abbiamo
(Voi) avete
(Loro) hanno

** Avere comes with some idiomatic expressions, usually in regards to wanting

to do something or having hunger, thirst, fatigue, etc.
o Examples: Io ho fame. (I have hunger.)
OR
A: Marco, hai voglia di prendere qualcosa al bar?
B: S, ho sete!
3) Espressioni per ordinare al bar
Expressions for ordering food/saying what one wants:
o Vorrei (I would like)

o Che cosa prendi/prendo (I would take/like)

o Ho voglia di (I would like)
4) Larticolo indeterminativo (un, uno, una, etc.)
The indeterminate article is used when referring to something that isnt
specific and depends on whether or not the noun is masculine or feminine.
o Masculine nouns (which typically end in o or e) usually take
on un
Examples: un cappuccino, un aperitivo, un panino
o However, if there are two consonants next to each other (typically
s with any other consonant) or it starts with x, y, or z, the
noun takes on uno in order to make the pronunciation of the
word less awkward.
Examples: uno spumante, uno zaino, uno gnomo, uno
xilofono, uno yogurt, uno psicologo
o Feminine nouns (which always end in a) usually take on una
Examples: una pizza, una spremuta (although there are two
consonants together here, the vowel at the end of una
already makes the pronunciation less awkward and
therefore nothing more is needed.)
o However, if the noun begins with a vowel, the una becomes un
with an apostrophe so there are not two vowels next to each other.
Examples: unaraciata, uninsalata
5) Presentare una persona a unaltra persona
When introducing someone to a third person, it is necessary to use an
article in the introduction because you are referring to the person
indirectly.
o Example: Questo le signor Boticelli/Questa la signora Maria.
OR
Lei la signora Annalise.
6) Articolo determinativo (il, lo, la, l)
Unlike the indeterminate article, the determinate article is used when
referring to something specific. For example, not just a cappuccino, but
the delicious cappuccino my mom makes.
o Masculine nouns will typically take on il
Examples: il cappuccino, il panino
o However, if the noun is masculine and starts with a vowel, you use
only l with an apostrophe for better pronunciation
Example: laperitivo
o And for masculine nouns that would typically use uno, lo is
used instead.
Example: lo spumante
o As for feminine nouns, la is used.
Examples: la pizza, la spremuta

o In cases where un would be used, however, l with an

apostrophe is used instead.
Examples: laraciata, linsalata
7) Aggettivi e nazionalita e provenienza
Adjectives are formed, much like articles, based upon their gender. For
masculine adjectives, they typically end with o.
o Examples: Lui arabo.
spagnolo.
tedesco.
Feminine adjectives typically end with a.
o Examples: Lei americana.
brasiliana.
svizzera.
However, there are some adjectives that can be both feminine and
masculine, and these end with e.
o Examples: Marco canadese. AND Anna canadese.
Lui cinese. AND Lei cinese.