How to Form First-Conjugation (-are) Verbs in Italian

Learn how to conjugate -are verbs

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Updated on February 25, 2018

Infinitives of all regular verbs in Italian end in –are, –ere, or –ire and are referred to as first-, second-, or third-conjugation verbs, respectively. In English, the infinitive (l'infinito) consists of to + verb.

What are First-Conjugation Verbs?

Verbs with infinitives ending in –are are called first-conjugation, or –are, verbs. The present tense of a regular –are verb is formed by dropping the infinitive ending –are and adding the appropriate endings to the resulting stem.

There is a different ending for each person.

Characteristics of the First Conjugation

Verbs ending in -care and -gare

With verbs ending in –care (cercare - to try, caricare - to charge) and –gare (litigare - to fight, legare - to bond), add an “h” immediately after the root when declinations start with “e” or “i” to maintain the hard “c” or hard “g” sound.

Cercare - To try, to look (for)

io cerco	noi cerchiamo
tu cerchi	voi cercate
lui, lei, Lei cerca	loro, Loro cercano

The spelling also changes with the first person in the future with “io cercherò - I will try.”

Legare - To bond, to tie

io lego	noi leghiamo
tu leghi	voi legate
lui, lei, Lei lega	loro, Loro legano

The spelling also changes with the first person in the future with “io legherò - I will tie.”

Verbs ending in -ciare and -giare

With verbs ending in –ciare (baciare - to kiss), –giare (mangiare - to eat), and –sciare (lasciare - to leave), drop the “i” of the root when declinations start with “e” or “i.”

Cominciare - To start

io comincio	noi cominciamo
tu cominci	voi cominciate
lui, lei, Lei comincia	loro, Loro cominciano

The spelling also changes with the first person in the future with “io comincerò - I will start.”

Mangiare - To eat

io mangio	noi mangiamo
tu mangi	voi mangiate
lui, lei, Lei mangia	loro, Loro mangiano

The spelling also changes with the first person in the future with “io mangerò - I will eat.”

Strisciare - To crawl

io striscio	noi strisciamo
tu strisci	voi strisciate
lui, lei, Lei striscia	loro, Loro strisciano

The spelling also changes with the first person in the future with “io striscerò - I will crawl.”

Verbs ending in -iare

With verbs ending in –iare (inviare, studiare, gonfiare), the “i” of the root stays, except for with the declinations –iamo and –iate.

The “i” of the root is dropped with declinations that start with i (–i, –iamo, –iate, –ino) or in the first person singular of the present indicative (io stùdio).

Spiare - To spy

io spio	noi spiamo
che tu spii	voi spiate
lui, lei, Lei spia	loro, Loro spiano

Studiare - To study

io studio	noi studiamo
che tu studii	voi studiate
lui, lei, Lei studia	loro, Loro studiano

Verbs ending in –gliare

Verbs ending in –gliare (tagliare - to cut, pigliare - to take): drop the i of the root only before the vowel i.

Tagliare - To cut

io taglio	noi tagliamo
tu tagli	voi tagliate
lui, lei, Lei taglia	loro, Loro tagliano

Pigliare - To take

io piglio	noi pigliamo
tu pigli	voi pigliate
lui, lei, Lei piglia	loro, Loro pigliano

Verbs ending in -gnare

Verbs ending in –gnare are regular, therefore the “i” of the endings –iamo (indicative and present conjunctive) and –iate (present conjunctive) is maintained.

Regnare - To rule

io regno	noi regniamo
tu regni	voi regnate
lui, lei, Lei regna	loro, Loro regnano

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Filippo, Michael San. "How to Form First-Conjugation (-are) Verbs in Italian." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/first-conjugation-italian-verbs-2011675. Filippo, Michael San. (2020, August 26). How to Form First-Conjugation (-are) Verbs in Italian. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/first-conjugation-italian-verbs-2011675 Filippo, Michael San. "How to Form First-Conjugation (-are) Verbs in Italian." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/first-conjugation-italian-verbs-2011675 (accessed May 31, 2023).