{"id":15446,"date":"2018-01-09T12:18:58","date_gmt":"2018-01-09T11:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=15446"},"modified":"2018-01-10T22:27:29","modified_gmt":"2018-01-10T21:27:29","slug":"using-the-imperative-in-italian-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/using-the-imperative-in-italian-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Using The Imperative In Italian – Part 2."},"content":{"rendered":"

In Using The Imperative In Italian – Part 1.<\/span><\/strong><\/a> we focused on how we order, invite, or urge someone to do something informally, that is to say amongst friends and family. Today we’re going to find out how we use the imperative in formal situations.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

To order, invite or urge someone to do something formally in the second person singular<\/em> (lei<\/strong>) we use a form called the congiuntivo esortativo<\/strong>. In the second person plural<\/em> (voi<\/strong>), we use exactly the same form as we did for the informal (see part 1<\/a><\/strong><\/span>). Let’s take a look at how it works.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Guardi che bel tramonto!<\/strong> = look at that beautiful sunset! Photo by Geoff.<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Examples of common regular verbs:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Infinitives ending in -are<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/td>\nSecond person singular: lei<\/strong><\/em> (you, formal)<\/em><\/span><\/td>\nSecond person plural: voi<\/strong> (you, plural)<\/em><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
guardare <\/strong>= to look
\nascoltare<\/strong> = to listen
\nscusare<\/strong> = to excuse
\naccomodarsi<\/strong> = to make oneself comfortable
\nentrare<\/strong> = to enter\/come in
\naspettare<\/strong> = to wait<\/td>\n		guardi <\/strong>= look
\nascolti<\/strong> = listen
\nscusi<\/strong> = excuse me
\nsi accomodi<\/strong> = make yourself comfortable
\nentri<\/strong> = come in
\naspetti<\/strong> = wait<\/td>\n		guardate<\/strong> = look
\nascoltate<\/strong> = listen
\nscusate<\/strong> =\u00a0 excuse me
\naccomodatevi<\/strong> = make yourselves comfortable
\nentrate<\/strong> = come in
\naspettate<\/strong> = wait<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Infinitives ending in -ere<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/td>\nSecond person singular: lei<\/strong> (you, formal)<\/em><\/span><\/td>\nSecond person plural: voi<\/strong> (you, plural)<\/em><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
vedere<\/strong> = to see
\nleggere<\/strong> = to read
\nscrivere<\/strong> = to write
\nchiedere<\/strong> = to ask
\nscendere<\/strong> = to get off\/down<\/td>\n		veda<\/strong> = see
\nlegga<\/strong> = read
\nscriva<\/strong> = write
\nchieda<\/strong> = ask
\nscenda<\/strong> = get off\/down<\/td>\n		vedete<\/strong> = see
\nleggete<\/strong> = read
\nscrivete<\/strong> = write
\nchiedete<\/strong> = ask
\nscendete<\/strong> = get off\/down<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Infinitives ending in -ire<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/td>\nSecond person singular: lei<\/strong> (you, formal)<\/em><\/span><\/td>\nSecond person plural: voi<\/strong> (you, plural)<\/em><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sentire<\/strong> = to listen
\nservirsi<\/strong> = to help oneself
\naprire<\/strong> = to open
\nfinire<\/strong> = to finish
\ncapire<\/strong> = to understand<\/td>\n		senta<\/strong> = listen
\nsi serva<\/strong> = help yourself
\napra<\/strong> = open
\nfinisca<\/strong> = finish
\ncapisca<\/strong> = understand<\/td>\n		sentite<\/strong> = listen
\nservitevi<\/strong> = help yourselves
\naprite<\/strong> = open
\nfinite<\/strong> = finish
\ncapite<\/strong> = understand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Examples of common irregular verbs:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Infinitive<\/em><\/span><\/td>\nSecond person singular: lei<\/strong> (you, formal)<\/em><\/span><\/td>\nSecond person plural: voi<\/strong> (you, plural)<\/em><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
venire <\/strong>= to come
\nandare<\/strong> = to go
\ndare<\/strong> = to give
\ndire<\/strong> = to say
\nfare<\/strong> = to make\/do
\nstare = <\/strong>to stay\/to be
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		venga <\/strong>= come
\nvada<\/strong> = go
\ndia<\/strong> = give
\ndica<\/strong> = say
\nfaccia<\/strong> = do\/make
\nstia<\/strong> = stay\/be<\/td>\n		venite <\/strong>= come
\n<\/strong>andate<\/strong> = go
\ndate<\/strong> = give
\ndite<\/strong> = say
\nfate<\/strong> = do\/make
\nstate<\/strong> = stay\/be<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Examples of everyday usage:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

guardi<\/span> che bel tramonto!<\/strong> = look at that beautiful sunset!
\naspetti<\/span> un attimo che glielo vado a prendere <\/strong>= <\/em>please wait a moment while I go and get it for you
\nscusi<\/span>, non volevo intromettermi<\/strong> = excuse me, I didn’t mean to intrude
\nlegga<\/span> le istruzioni attentamente<\/strong> = read the instructions carefully
\nscenda<\/span> dal treno a Parma<\/strong> = get off the train at Parma
\napra<\/span> la porta, per favore<\/strong> = open the door please
\nsi serva<\/span> pure<\/strong> = please, help yourself
\nvada<\/span> a quel paese! <\/strong>= go stuff yourself! (literally ‘go to that village’) Yes, we can insult somebody politely!
\nmi<\/strong> dia<\/span> un colpo di telefono verso l’ora di pranzo<\/strong> = give me a call around lunchtime
\nstia<\/span> tranquillo, ci penso io<\/strong> = don’t worry, I’ll take care of it<\/p>\n

N.B.<\/em> the imperative in the first person plural<\/em> (noi<\/strong>) is also expressed with the congiuntivo esortativo<\/strong>, which in this case is written exactly the same as the normal present, e.g.:<\/p>\n

silenzio, ascoltiamo <\/span>quello che sta dicendo Giorgia!<\/strong> = silence, let’s listen to what Giorgia is saying!
\nragazzi, finiamo <\/span>il compito per domani<\/strong> = kids, let’s finish our homework for tomorrow
\nforza, andiamo<\/span>!<\/strong> = come on, let’s go<\/p>\n

To find out how the negative imperative works check out this article: Forget Me Not<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment.<\/p>\n

A presto!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

In Using The Imperative In Italian – Part 1. we focused on how we order, invite, or urge someone to do something informally, that is to say amongst friends and family. Today we’re going to find out how we use the imperative in formal situations. To order, invite or urge someone to do something formally…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":15452,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[474346,59028,474342],"class_list":["post-15446","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grammar","tag-congiuntivo-esortativo","tag-italian-polite-ordsers","tag-limperativo"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t