Editing Italian grammar (section)

==Verbs==
{{Main|Italian conjugation}}
Based on the ending of their ''infiniti presenti'' (''-are'', ''-ere'', or ''-ire''), all Italian verbs can be assigned to three distinct conjugation patterns. Exceptions are found: ''fare'', 'to do/make' (from Latin ''fācere''),{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} and ''dire'', 'to say' (from Latin ''dīcere''),{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} were originally 2nd conjugation verbs that reduced the unstressed vowel in the infinitive (and consequentially in the future and conditional, whose stem derives from the infinitive), but still follow the 2nd conjugation for all the other tenses; this behaviour is similarly featured in the verbs ending in ''-trarre'', ''-porre'' and ''-durre'', derived respectively from the Latin ''trahere''{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} ('to drag'), ''pōnere''{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} ('to put'), and ''dūcere''{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} ('to lead').<ref>[[#berloco-2018|Berloco 2018]]</ref>

Just like many other [[Grammatical aspect#Romance languages|Romance languages]], Italian verbs express distinct verbal aspects by means of [[Analytic language|analytic]] structures such as periphrases, rather than [[Synthetic language|synthetic]] ones; the only aspectual distinction between two synthetic forms is the one between the ''imperfetto'' ([[Habitual aspect|habitual]] past tense) and the ''passato remoto'' ([[Perfective aspect|perfective]] past tense), although the latter is usually replaced in spoken language by the ''passato prossimo''.

===Tenses===

====Simple tenses====
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Tense
! Italian name
! Example
! English equivalent
|-
! colspan="4" | Indicative Mood
|-
| Present || ''indicativo presente'' || ''faccio'' || I do<br/>I am doing<ref group="verbs" name="prog">While Italian features a series of periphrastic progressive tenses grammatically distinct from the unmarked forms, the present and past continuous are used less frequently than in English, and can generally be replaced with the respective simple forms. This cannot necessarily apply to all other progressive tenses.</ref>
|-
| Imperfect || ''indicativo imperfetto'' || ''facevo'' || I used to do<br>I was doing<ref group="verbs" name="prog"/>
|-
| Preterite<ref group="verbs">In northern Italy and in Sardinia, the preterite is usually perceived as formal, and in informal or everyday language is usually replaced by the present perfect (''ho fatto''); it is however regularly used in southern Italy, and also commonly found in both older and more recent literature.</ref>|| ''passato remoto'' || ''feci'' || I did
|-
| Future || ''futuro semplice''|| ''farò'' || I will do
|-
! colspan="4" | Conditional mood
|-
| Present || ''condizionale presente''|| ''farei'' || I would do
|-
! colspan="4" | Subjunctive mood
|-
| Present || ''congiuntivo presente''|| ''(che) io faccia'' || (that) I do
|-
| Imperfect || ''congiuntivo imperfetto''|| ''(che) io facessi'' || (that) I did/do
|-
! colspan="4" | Imperative mood
|-
| Present || ''imperativo'' || ''fa'!'' || (you) do!
|-
|}

====Compound tenses====
[[Grammatical aspect|Aspects]] other than the habitual and the imperfective, such as the perfective, the progressive and the prospective, are rendered in Italian by a series of periphrastic structures that may or may not be perceived as different tenses by different speakers. Note the difference between:
*Perfect aspect: ''io ho fatto'' ("I have done")
*Progressive aspect: ''io sto facendo'' ("I'm doing")
*Prospective aspect: ''io sto per fare'' ("I'm about to do")

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Tense
! Italian name
! Example
! English equivalent
|-
! colspan="4" | Indicative Mood
|-
| Present perfect|| ''passato prossimo'' || ''ho fatto'' || I have done<br>I did
|-
| Recent pluperfect || ''trapassato prossimo'' || ''avevo fatto'' || I had done<ref group="verbs" name="trap">The ''trapassato prossimo'' (recent pluperfect) and the more uncommon ''trapassato remoto'' (remote pluperfect), while separate tenses in Italian, translate the same English tense, the past perfect; the difference in usage between the two mirrors the one between the present perfect and the preterite.</ref>
|-
| Remote pluperfect || ''trapassato remoto'' || ''ebbi fatto'' || I had done<ref group="verbs" name="trap"/>
|-
| Future perfect || ''futuro anteriore''|| ''avrò fatto'' || I will have done<br/>I may have done
|-
|
|-
| Present continuous || ''presente progressivo''|| ''sto facendo'' || I am doing<ref group="verbs" name="prog"/>
|-
| Past continuous || ''passato progressivo''|| ''stavo facendo'' || I was doing<ref group="verbs" name="prog"/>
|-
| Future continuous || ''futuro progressivo''|| ''starò facendo'' || I will be doing<br/>I may be doing
|-
! colspan="4" | Conditional mood
|-
| Preterite || ''condizionale passato''|| ''avrei fatto'' || I would have done
|-
|
|-
| Present continuous || ''condizionale progressivo''|| ''starei facendo'' || I would be doing
|-
! colspan="4" | Subjunctive mood
|-
| Preterite || ''congiuntivo passato''|| ''(che) io abbia fatto'' || (that) I have done
|-
| Pluperfect || ''congiuntivo trapassato''|| ''(che) io avessi fatto'' || (that) I had done
|-
|
|-
| Present continuous || ''congiuntivo presente progressivo''|| ''(che) io stia facendo'' || (that) I be doing
|-
| Imperfect continuous || ''congiuntivo imperfetto progressivo''|| ''(che) io stessi facendo'' || (that) I were doing
|-
|}

====Impersonal forms====
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Tense
! Italian name
! Example
! English equivalent
|-
! colspan="4" | Infinitives
|-
| Present || ''infinito presente'' || ''fare'' || to do
|-
| Past || ''infinito passato'' || ''aver fatto'' || to have done
|-
! colspan="4" | Gerunds
|-
| Present || ''gerundio presente'' || ''facendo'' || doing
|-
| Past || ''gerundio passato''|| ''avendo fatto'' || having done
|-
! colspan="4" | Participles
|-
| Present || ''participio presente''|| ''facente'' || doing
|-
| Past || ''participio passato''|| ''fatto'' || done
|-
|}

;Notes
{{reflist|group="verbs"|2}}

===Compound tense auxiliary verbs===
In Italian, [[Perfect (grammar)#Perfect constructions with auxiliaries|compound tenses expressing perfect aspect]] are formed with either auxiliary verb ''[[wikt:avere#Italian|avere]]'' ('to have') {{Cite web |url=https://www.lingua-italiana.it/en/verbi-italiani-en/avere.html |title=Conjugation of the verb avere |publisher=(Lingua-Italiana.IT)}} for [[transitive verb]]s and some [[intransitive verb]]s and with ''[[wikt:essere#Italian|essere]]'' ('to be') {{Cite web |url=https://www.lingua-italiana.it/en/verbi-italiani-en/essere.html |title=Conjugation of the verb essere |publisher=(Lingua-Italiana.IT)}} for the remaining intransitive verbs, plus the past participle. [[Continuous and progressive aspects|Progressive aspect]] is rendered by verb ''[[wikt:stare#Italian|stare]]'' plus the gerund. The [[prospective aspect]] is formed with ''stare'' plus the preposition ''[[wikt:stare#Italian|per]]'' and the infinitive.

The [[passive voice]] of transitive verbs is formed with ''[[wikt:essere#Italian|essere]]'' in the perfective and prospective aspects, with ''[[wikt:venire#Italian|venire]]'' in the progressive or habitual aspect, and with either ''essere'' or ''venire'' in the perfective aspects:
* ''Il cancello è stato appena aperto.'' ("The gate has just been opened.")
* ''Il cancello sta per essere aperto'' ("The gate is about to be opened.")
* ''Il cancello sta venendo aperto in questo momento.'' ("The gate is being opened right now.")
* ''Il cancello viene aperto ogni giorno.'' ("The gate is opened every day.")
* ''Il cancello fu/venne aperto in fretta.'' ("The gate was quickly opened.")

For the perfect tenses of intransitive verbs a reliable rule cannot be given, although a useful rule of thumb is that if a verb's past participle can take on [[Adjective|adjectival]] value, ''essere'' is used, otherwise ''avere''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.accademiadellacrusca.it/faq/faq_risp.php?id=5060&ctg_id=44 |title=Accademia della Crusca, ''La scelta degli ausiliari'' |access-date=2009-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530183706/http://www.accademiadellacrusca.it/faq/faq_risp.php?id=5060&ctg_id=44 |archive-date=2009-05-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.accademiadellacrusca.it/faq/faq_risp.php?id=4125&ctg_id=44 |title=Accademia della Crusca, ''Ausiliare con i verbi intransitivi'' |access-date=2009-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720031759/http://www.accademiadellacrusca.it/faq/faq_risp.php?id=4125&ctg_id=44 |archive-date=2011-07-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Also, [[reflexive verb]]s and [[unaccusative verb]]s use ''essere'' (typically non-agentive verbs of motion and change of state, i.e. involuntary actions such as ''[[wikt:cadere#Italian|cadere]]'' ('to fall') or ''[[wikt:morire#Italian|morire]]'' ('to die')).{{Citation needed|date=June 2008|reason="Crusca article gives a different interpretation, saying that verbs that can be used as adjectives too go with essere – also, see 'andare' as a counterexample"}}

The distinction between the two auxiliary verbs is important for the correct formation of the compound tenses and is essential to the [[agreement (linguistics)|agreement]] of the past participle. Some verbs, such as ''[[wikt:vivere#Italian|vivere]]'' ('to live'), may use both: ''Io ho vissuto'' ('I have lived') can alternatively be expressed as, ''Io sono vissuto''.

===Past participle===
The past participle is used in Italian as both an adjective and to form many of the compound tenses of the language. There are regular endings for the past participle, based on the conjugation class ([[#Non-finite forms|see below]]). There are, however, many irregular forms as not all verbs follow the pattern, particularly the -ere verbs. Some of the more common irregular past participles include: ''essere'' ('to be') → ''stato'' (same for ''stare''); ''fare'' ('to do', 'to make') → ''fatto''; ''dire'' ('to say, to tell') → ''detto''; ''aprire'' ('to open') → ''aperto''; ''chiedere'' ('to ask') → ''chiesto''; ''chiudere'' ('to close') → ''chiuso''; ''leggere'' ('to read') → ''letto''; ''mettere'' ('to put') → ''messo''; ''perdere'' ('to lose') → ''perso''; ''prendere'' ('to take', 'to get') → ''preso''; ''rispondere'' ('to answer') → ''risposto''; ''scrivere'' ('to write') → ''scritto''; ''vedere'' ('to see') → ''visto''.

For the intransitive verbs taking ''essere'', the past participle always agrees with the subject—that is, it follows the usual adjective agreement rules: ''egli è partito; ella è partita''. This is also true for [[reflexive verb]]s, the impersonal ''si'' construction (which requires any adjectives that refer to it to be in the masculine plural: ''Si è sempre stanch'''i''' alla fine della giornata'' – One is always tired at the end of the day), and the passive voice, which also use ''essere'' (''Queste mele sono state comprat'''e''' da loro'' – These apples have been bought by them, against ''Essi hanno comprat'''o''' queste mele'' – They bought these apples).<ref name=":0" />

The past participle when used with ''avere'' never changes to agree with the subject. It ''must'' agree with ''the object'', although, in sentences where this is expressed by a third person clitic pronoun (e.g. ''Hai mangiato la mela? – Sì, '''l<nowiki>'</nowiki>'''ho mangiat'''a''''' (Have you eaten the apple? – Yes, I have eaten it)). When the object is expressed by a first or second person clitic pronoun instead, the agreement is optional: ''Maria! Ti ha chiamat'''o''' / chiamat'''a''' Giovanni? – No, non mi ha chiamat'''o''' / chiamat'''a''''' (Maria! Has Giovanni called you? – No, he has not).

In all the other cases where the object is not expressed by a clitic pronoun, the agreement with the object is obsolescent in modern Italian (but still correct): ''La storia che avete raccontat'''a''''' (obsolete) ''/ raccontat'''o''' non mi convince'' (The story you told does not convince me); or compare [[Alessandro Manzoni|Manzoni]]'s ''Lucia aveva avut'''e''' due buone ragioni''<ref>[[Alessandro Manzoni]], ''[[The Betrothed (Manzoni novel)|The Betrothed]]'' (1827)</ref> with the more modern ''Lucia aveva avut'''o''' due buone ragioni'' (Lucia had had two good reasons).

===Tense relationship in subordinate sentences===
Italian inherits ''consecutio temporum'', a grammar rule from Latin that governs the relationship between the tenses in principal and subordinate clauses. ''Consecutio temporum'' has very rigid rules. These rules require the subjunctive tense in order to express contemporaneity, posteriority and anteriority in relation with the principal clause.

* To express contemporaneity when the principal clause is in a simple tense (future, present, or simple past), the subordinate clause uses the present subjunctive, to express ''contemporaneity in the present''.
** ''Penso che Davide '''sia''' intelligente.'' I think David is smart.
* When the principal clause has a past imperfect or perfect, the subordinate clause uses the imperfect subjunctive, expressing ''contemporaneity in the past''.
** ''Pensavo che Davide '''fosse''' intelligente''. I thought David was smart.
* To express anteriority when the principal clause is in a simple tense (future, or present or passato prossimo) the subordinate clause uses the past subjunctive.
** ''Penso che Davide '''sia stato''' intelligente.'' I think David has been smart.
* To express anteriority when the principal clause has a past imperfect or perfect, the subjunctive has to be pluperfect.
** ''Pensavo che Davide '''fosse stato''' intelligente.'' I thought David had been smart.
* To express posteriority the subordinate clause uses the future tense in the indicative mood, not the subjunctive, because the subjunctive has no future tense.
** ''Penso che Davide '''sarà''' intelligente.'' I think David will be smart.
* To express posteriority with respect to a past event, the subordinate clause uses the past conditional, whereas in other European languages (such as French, English, and Spanish) the present conditional is used.
** ''Pensavo che Davide '''sarebbe stato''' intelligente.'' I thought that David would have been smart.

===Regular conjugation===
The infinitive of first conjugation verbs ends in ''-are,'' that of second conjugation verbs in ''-ere,'' and that of third conjugation verbs in ''-ire.'' In the following examples for different [[Grammatical mood|moods]], the first conjugation verb is ''parlare'' ('to talk/speak'), the second conjugation verb is ''temere'' ('to fear') and the third conjugation verb is ''partire'' ('to leave/depart').

====Indicative mood====
{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
! rowspan="2" |
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" | '''Present'''
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" | '''Preterite'''
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" | '''Imperfect'''
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" | '''Simple future'''
|-
! 1st Conj.
! 2nd Conj.
! 3rd Conj.
! 1st Conj.
! 2nd Conj.
! 3rd Conj.
! 1st Conj.
! 2nd Conj.
! 3rd Conj.
! 1st Conj.
! 2nd Conj.
! 3rd Conj.
|-
! io
| parlo
| temo
| parto
| parlai
| temetti; temei
| partii
| parlavo
| temevo
| partivo
| parlerò
| temerò
| partirò
|-
! tu
| parli
| temi
| parti
| parlasti
| temesti
| partisti
| parlavi
| temevi
| partivi
| parlerai
| temerai
| partirai
|-
! egli, ella, esso/essa
| parla
| teme
| parte
| parlò
| temette; temé
| partì
| parlava
| temeva
| partiva
| parlerà
| temerà
| partirà
|-
! noi
| parliamo
| temiamo
| partiamo
| parlammo
| tememmo
| partimmo
| parlavamo
| temevamo
| partivamo
| parleremo
| temeremo
| partiremo
|-
! voi
| parlate
| temete
| partite
| parlaste
| temeste
| partiste
| parlavate
| temevate
| partivate
| parlerete
| temerete
| partirete
|-
! essi/esse
| parlano
| temono
| partono
| parlarono
| temettero; temerono
| partirono
| parlavano
| temevano
| partivano
| parleranno
| temeranno
| partiranno
|-
|
| colspan="3" | <small>'''Recent past''' = present of ''avere''/''essere'' + past participle</small>
| colspan="3" | <small>'''Remote pluperfect''' = preterite of ''avere''/''essere'' + past participle</small>
| colspan="3" | <small>'''Recent pluperfect''' = imperfect of ''avere''/''essere'' + past participle</small>
| colspan="3" | <small>'''Future perfect''' = simple future of ''avere''/''essere'' + past participle</small>
|}

Many third conjugation verbs insert an infix ''-sc-'' between the stem and the endings in the first, second, and third persons singular and third person plural of the present indicative and subjunctive, e.g. ''capire'' > ''capisco, capisci, capisce, capiamo, capite, capiscono'' (indicative) and ''capisca, capisca, capisca, capiamo, capiate, capiscano'' (subjunctive). This subgroup of third conjugation verbs is usually referred to as ''incoativi'', because in Latin the original function of the suffix -sc- was to denote [[inchoative verb]]s, but this meaning is totally lost in modern Italian, where the suffix mostly serves a euphonic function.<ref name=serianni/>

====Subjunctive mood====
The [[Subjunctive mood#Italian|Italian subjunctive mood]] is used to indicate cases of desire, express doubt, make impersonal emotional statements, and to talk about impending events.
{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
! rowspan="2" |
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" | '''Present'''
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" | '''Imperfect'''
|-
! 1st Conj.
! 2nd Conj.
! 3rd Conj.
! 1st Conj.
! 2nd Conj.
! 3rd Conj.
|-
! io
| parli
| tema
| parta
| parlassi
| temessi
| partissi
|-
! tu
| parli
| tema
| parta
| parlassi
| temessi
| partissi
|-
! egli, ella, esso/essa
| parli
| tema
| parta
| parlasse
| temesse
| partisse
|-
! noi
| parliamo
| temiamo
| partiamo
| parlassimo
| temessimo
| partissimo
|-
! voi
| parliate
| temiate
| partiate
| parlaste
| temeste
| partiste
|-
! essi/esse
|parlino
|temano
|partano
|parlassero
|temessero
|partissero
|-
|
| colspan="3" | <small>'''Past''' = present of ''avere''/''essere'' + past participle</small>
| colspan="3" | <small>'''Past perfect''' = imperfect of ''avere''/''essere'' + past participle</small>
|}

*Third conjugation verbs, such as ''capire'', mentioned above insert ''-isc-'' in the first, second, and third persons singular and third person plural of the present.
*Compound forms (''past'' and ''past perfect'') are made by adding the past participle (e.g. ''parlato'') to the corresponding auxiliary form (as ''abbia'') in the present and imperfect.

====Conditional mood====
{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
! rowspan="2" |
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" | '''Present'''
|-
! 1st Conj.
! 2nd Conj.
! 3rd Conj.
|-
! io
| parlerei
| temerei
| partirei
|-
! tu
| parleresti
| temeresti
| partiresti
|-
! egli, ella, esso/essa
| parlerebbe
| temerebbe
| partirebbe
|-
! noi
| parleremmo
| temeremmo
| partiremmo
|-
! voi
| parlereste
| temereste
| partireste
|-
! essi/esse
| parlerebbero
| temerebbero
| partirebbero
|-
|
| colspan="3" | <small>'''Past''' = conditional of ''avere''/''essere'' + past participle</small>
|}

As the table shows, verbs each take their own root from their class of verb: ''-are'' becomes -''er''-, -''ere'' becomes -''er''-, and -''ire'' becomes -''ir''-, the same roots as used in the future indicative tense. All verbs add the same ending to this root.

Some verbs do not follow this pattern, but take irregular roots, these include:
Andare ('to go') ~ Andr-, Avere ('to have') ~ Avr-, Bere ('to drink') ~ Berr-,
Dare ('to give') ~ Dar-, Dovere ('to have to') ~ Dovr-, Essere ('to be') ~ Sar-,
Fare ('to make/do') ~ Far-, Godere ('to enjoy') ~ Godr-, Potere ('to be able to') ~ Potr-,
Rimanere ('to remain') ~ Rimarr-, Sapere ('to know') ~ Sapr-, Sedere ('to sit') ~ Sedr-,
Stare ('to be/feel') ~ Star-, Tenere ('to hold') ~ Terr-, Vedere ('to see') ~ Vedr-,
Venire ('to come') ~ Verr-, Vivere ('to live') ~ Vivr-, Volere ('to want') ~ Vorr- etc.

The Italian conditional mood is a mood that refers to an ''action'' that is possible or probable, but is dependent upon a '''condition'''. Example:
{|
| ''Io andrei in spiaggia, ma fa troppo freddo.'' || ("I ''would'' go to the beach, '''but''' it is too cold.")
|}

It can be used in two tenses, the present, by conjugation of the appropriate verb, or the past, using the auxiliary conjugated in the conditional, with the past participle of the appropriate noun:
{|
| ''Mangerei un sacco adesso, se non stessi cercando di fare colpo su queste ragazze.'' || ("I would eat a lot now, if I were not trying to impress these girls.")
|-
| ''Sarei andato in città, se avessi saputo che ci andavano loro.'' || ("I would have gone to the city, if I had known that they were going.")
|}

Many Italian speakers often use the imperfect instead of the conditional and subjunctive. Prescriptivists usually view this as incorrect, but it is frequent in colloquial speech and tolerated in all but high registers and in most writing:<ref>{{cite book|last=Fornaciari|first=Raffaello | title=Sintassi italiana |url=https://archive.org/details/sintassiitaliana00forn| place=[[Florence]] | year=1881}} See an excerpt at {{cite web | title=Grammatica italiana – L'imperfetto nelle frasi condizionali | url=http://www.mauriziopistone.it/testi/discussioni/gramm06_imperfetto.html | access-date=2007-10-08}}</ref>
{|
| ''Se lo sapevo, andavo alla spiaggia'' || ("If I had known it, I would have gone to the beach.")
|-
| ''Se Lucia non faceva quel segno, la risposta sarebbe probabilmente stata diversa.''<ref>[[Alessandro Manzoni]], ''[[The Betrothed (Manzoni novel)|I promessi sposi]]'', chapter 3</ref> || ("If Lucia had not made that sign, the answer would probably have been different.")
|}

The conditional can also be used in Italian to express "could", with the conjugated forms of ''potere'' ('to be able to'), "should", with the conjugated forms of ''dovere'' ('to have to'), or "would like", with the conjugated forms of ''volere'' ('want'):
{|
| ''[Lui] potrebbe leggere un libro.'' || ("He could read a book.")
|-
| ''[Loro] dovrebbero andare a letto.'' || ("They should go to bed.")
|-
| ''Vorrei un bicchiere d'acqua, per favore.'' || ("I would like a glass of water, please.")
|}

====Imperative mood====
{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
!
! 1st Conj.
! 2nd Conj.
! 3rd Conj.
|-
! (tu)
| parla!
| temi!
| parti!
|-
! (Ella)
| parli!
| tema!
| parta!
|-
! (noi)
| parliamo!
| temiamo!
| partiamo!
|-
! (voi)
| parlate!
| temete!
| partite!
|-
! (Essi/Esse)
| parlino!
| temano!
| partano!
|}

Verbs such as ''capire'' insert ''-isc-'' in all except the ''noi'' and ''voi'' forms. Technically, the only real imperative forms are the second-person singular and plural, with the other persons being borrowed from the present subjunctive.

====Non-finite forms====
* '''Infinitive''': present: -are, -ere, -ire; past: avere/essere + past participle
* '''Gerund''': present: -ando, -endo, -endo; past: avendo/essendo + past participle
* '''Participle''': present: -ante -ente -ente; past: -ato, -uto (although verbs of the second conjugation almost always have a contracted desinence, e.g. ''cuocere'' ('to cook') ''cotto'' ('cooked')), -ito

===Irregular verbs===
While the majority of Italian verbs are regular, many of the most commonly used are [[irregular verb|irregular]]. In particular, the [[auxiliary verb]]s ''essere'', ''stare'' and ''avere'', and the common [[modal verb]]s ''dovere'' (expressing necessity or obligation), ''potere'' (expressing permission and to a lesser degree ability), ''sapere'' (expressing ability) and ''volere'' (expressing willingness) are all irregular.

The only irregular verbs of the first conjugation are ''dare'' ('to give'), which follows the same pattern as ''stare'', and ''andare'' ('to go'), which features [[Suppletion|suppletive]] forms in the present of the indicative, subjunctive and imperative from the Latin verb ''VADERE''. While apparently a 1st conjugation verb, ''fare'' is actually a highly irregular verb of the second conjugation. Even the third conjugation features a small handful of irregular verbs, such as ''morire'' ('to die'), whose present is ''muoio, muori, muore, moriamo, morite, muoiono'' (indicative) and ''muoia, muoia, muoia, moriamo, moriate, muoiano'' (subjunctive).

The second conjugation combines the second and third conjugation of Latin; since the verbs belonging to the third conjugation were athematic, and they behaved less regularly than the ones belonging to the other conjugations (compare ''AMĀRE'' > ''AMAVI, AMATVS'', first conjugation, and ''LEGĚRE'' > ''LEGI, LECTVS'', third conjugation), the second conjugation Italian features many irregularities that trace back to the original paradigms of the Latin verbs: ''amare'' > ''amai, amato'' (first conjugation, regular), but ''leggere'' > ''lessi, letto'' (second conjugation, irregular).

{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
|+ ''essere'' (to be; auxiliary)
|-
! rowspan="2" |
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="4" | Indicative
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | Subjunctive
! style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2" | Conditional
|-
! Present
! Imperfect
! Preterite
! Future
! Present
! Imperfect
|-
! io
| sono
| ero
| fui
| sarò
| sia
| fossi
| sarei
|-
! tu
| sei
| eri
| fosti
| sarai
| sia
| fossi
| saresti
|-
! lui, lei, esso/essa
| è
| era
| fu
| sarà
| sia
| fosse
| sarebbe
|-
! noi
| siamo
| eravamo
| fummo
| saremo
| siamo
| fossimo
| saremmo
|-
! voi
| siete
| eravate
| foste
| sarete
| siate
| foste
| sareste
|-
! loro, essi/esse
| sono
| erano
| furono
| saranno
| siano
| fossero
| sarebbero
|}

{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
|+ ''stare'' (to stay; auxiliary)
|-
! rowspan="2" |
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="4" | Indicative
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | Subjunctive
! style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2" | Conditional
|-
! Present
! Imperfect
! Preterite
! Future
! Present
! Imperfect
|-
! io
| sto
| stavo
| stetti
| starò
| stia
| stessi
| starei
|-
! tu
| stai
| stavi
| stesti
| starai
| stia
| stessi
| staresti
|-
! lui, lei, esso/essa
| sta
| stava
| stette
| starà
| stia
| stesse
| starebbe
|-
! noi
| stiamo
| stavamo
| stemmo
| staremo
| stiamo
| stessimo
| staremmo
|-
! voi
| state
| stavate
| steste
| starete
| stiate
| steste
| stareste
|-
! loro, essi/esse
| stanno
| stavano
| stettero
| staranno
| stiano
| stessero
| starebbero
|}

{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
|+ ''avere'' (to have; auxiliary)
|-
! rowspan="2" |
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="4" | Indicative
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | Subjunctive
! style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2" | Conditional
|-
! Present
! Imperfect
! Preterite
! Future
! Present
! Imperfect
|-
! io
| ho
| avevo
| ebbi
| avrò
| abbia
| avessi
| avrei
|-
! tu
| hai
| avevi
| avesti
| avrai
| abbia
| avessi
| avresti
|-
! lui, lei, esso/essa
| ha
| aveva
| ebbe
| avrà
| abbia
| avesse
| avrebbe
|-
! noi
| abbiamo
| avevamo
| avemmo
| avremo
| abbiamo
| avessimo
| avremmo
|-
! voi
| avete
| avevate
| aveste
| avrete
| abbiate
| aveste
| avreste
|-
! loro, essi/esse
| hanno
| avevano
| ebbero
| avranno
| abbiano
| avessero
| avrebbero
|}

{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
|+ ''dovere'' (to have to, must, should; modal)
|-
! rowspan="2" |
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="4" | Indicative
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | Subjunctive
! style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2" | Conditional
|-
! Present
! Imperfect
! Preterite
! Future
! Present
! Imperfect
|-
! io
| devo/debbo
| dovevo
| dovetti
| dovrò
| debba
| dovessi
| dovrei
|-
! tu
| devi
| dovevi
| dovesti
| dovrai
| debba
| dovessi
| dovresti
|-
! lui, lei, esso/essa
| deve
| doveva
| dovette
| dovrà
| debba
| dovesse
| dovrebbe
|-
! noi
| dobbiamo
| dovevamo
| dovemmo
| dovremo
| dobbiamo
| dovessimo
| dovremmo
|-
! voi
| dovete
| dovevate
| doveste
| dovrete
| dobbiate
| doveste
| dovreste
|-
! loro, essi/esse
| devono/debbono
| dovevano
| dovettero
| dovranno
| debbano
| dovessero
| dovrebbero
|}

{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
|+ ''potere'' (to be able to, can, could; modal)
|-
! rowspan="2" |
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="4" | Indicative
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | Subjunctive
! style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2" | Conditional
|-
! Present
! Imperfect
! Preterite
! Future
! Present
! Imperfect
|-
! io
| posso
| potevo
| potei
| potrò
| possa
| potessi
| potrei
|-
! tu
| puoi
| potevi
| potesti
| potrai
| possa
| potessi
| potresti
|-
! lui, lei, esso/essa
| può
| poteva
| poté
| potrà
| possa
| potesse
| potrebbe
|-
! noi
| possiamo
| potevamo
| potemmo
| potremo
| possiamo
| potessimo
| potremmo
|-
! voi
| potete
| potevate
| poteste
| potrete
| possiate
| poteste
| potreste
|-
! loro, essi/esse
| possono
| potevano
| poterono
| potranno
| possano
| potessero
| potrebbero
|}

{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
|+ ''volere'' (to want, will, would; modal)
|-
! rowspan="2" |
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="4" | Indicative
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | Subjunctive
! style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2" | Conditional
|-
! Present
! Imperfect
! Preterite
! Future
! Present
! Imperfect
|-
! io
| voglio
| volevo
| volli
| vorrò
| voglia
| volessi
| vorrei
|-
! tu
| vuoi
| volevi
| volesti
| vorrai
| voglia
| volessi
| vorresti
|-
! lui, lei, esso/essa
| vuole
| voleva
| volle
| vorrà
| voglia
| volesse
| vorrebbe
|-
! noi
| vogliamo
| volevamo
| volemmo
| vorremo
| vogliamo
| volessimo
| vorremmo
|-
! voi
| volete
| volevate
| voleste
| vorrete
| vogliate
| voleste
| vorreste
|-
! loro, essi/esse
| vogliono
| volevano
| vollero
| vorranno
| vogliano
| volessero
| vorrebbero
|}

{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" border="1"
|+ ''sapere'' (to be able to, can; modal<ref name="sapere-modal">The verb ''sapere'' has two distinctive meanings depending whether it is used as a modal verb (i.e. accompanying another infinitive) or not. As a modal verb it means 'can, being able to', as in ''so suonare il violino'' ('I can play the violin'), while as a normal verb it means 'to know', as in ''so cosa significhi'' ('I know what that means').</ref>)
|-
! rowspan="2" |
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="4" | Indicative
! style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | Subjunctive
! style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2" | Conditional
|-
! Present
! Imperfect
! Preterite
! Future
! Present
! Imperfect
|-
! io
| so
| sapevo
| seppi
| saprò
| sappia
| sapessi
| saprei
|-
! tu
| sai
| sapevi
| sapesti
| saprai
| sappia
| sapessi
| sapresti
|-
! lui, lei, esso/essa
| sa
| sapeva
| seppe
| saprà
| sappia
| sapesse
| saprebbe
|-
! noi
| sappiamo
| sapevamo
| sapemmo
| sapremo
| sappiamo
| sapessimo
| sapremmo
|-
! voi
| sapete
| sapevate
| sapeste
| saprete
| sappiate
| sapeste
| sapreste
|-
! loro, essi/esse
| sanno
| sapevano
| seppero
| sapranno
| sappiano
| sapessero
| saprebbero
|}