Introduction to Italian/Lesson 9
The Second Conjugation (-ere)
[edit | edit source]Infinitive verbs in the second conjugation all end in -ere. Most of them conjugate regularly (according to the chart below) but there are more irregularities than the first conjugation.
| Suffix | |
| Infinitive | -ere |
| First Person | -o |
| Second Person | -i |
| Third Person | -e |
| First Person (Plural) |
-iamo |
| Second Person (Plural) |
-ete |
| Third Person (Plural) |
-ono |
Here is an example of how verbs ending in -ere conjugate.
| Complete Word | |
| Infinitive | leggere |
| First Person | leggo |
| Second Person | leggi |
| Third Person | legge |
| First Person (Plural) |
leggiamo |
| Second Person (Plural) |
leggete |
| Third Person (Plural) |
leggono |
Some Basic Verbs in the Second Conjugation
[edit | edit source]Here are a few basic -ere verbs to help build your vocabulary.
chiedere – to ask (for)
chiudere – to close
conoscere – to know
credere – to believe
decidere di (+ infinitive verb) – to decide to do something (io decido di prendere un gelato – I’m deciding to get an ice cream)
discutere (di) – to discuss (noi discutiamo di politica – we are discussing politics)
leggere – to read
mettere – to put, to place
perdere – to lose
prendere – to take, to have (as in have some food or have a drink), to get
ricevere – to receive
rispondere – to answer
scrivere – to write
spendere – to spend (money)
vedere – to see
vendere – to sell
