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Punto di partenza

The verbs andare (to go), dare (to give), fare (to do; to make), and stare (to be; to stay) are common irregular -are verbs. You will have to memorize their present-tense forms.

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• Use andare + a + [infinitive] to talk about what people are going to do. Note that this construction indicates movement only and, unlike English, is not equivalent to the future tense.

Vai a pescare al lago?Are you going fishing at the lake?

Le ragazze non vanno a ballare.The girls aren’t going dancing.

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• Generally, use the preposition a before the names of cities and small islands, and in before the names of countries or regions.

Non andiamo a Roma.We’re not going to Rome.

Vado in Italia.I am going to Italy.

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• Note the use of the preposition a (to) in these examples.

Maria dà le carte a Giuseppe.Maria gives the cards to Giuseppe.

Do la bici a Caterina.I give the bike to Caterina.

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• Dare is used in these common expressions.

Pina dà del Lei al professore.Pina addresses the professor formally.

Diamo una mano a Leo.We’re helping Leo.

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• The verb fare is also used in many common expressions.

Massimo fa colazione al bar.Massimo has breakfast at the café.

Facciamo le spese?Are we going shopping?

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• In Lezione 1A, you learned to use stare to inquire about someone’s health. It is also used in the expressions stare zitto/a (to be/stay quiet) and stare attento/a (to pay attention).

Stanno zitte le giocatrici?Are the (female) players quiet?

Lo studente sta attento.The student is paying attention.

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1. io

2. tu

3. Lei/lui/lei

4. noi

5. voi

6. loro

andare

_______

vai

_______

andiamo

andate

_______

dare

_______

dai

_______

diamo

_______

danno

fare

faccio

_______

fa

_______

fate

_______

stare

_______

stai

sta

_______

_______

stanno

Complete the table with the missing verb forms.

vado