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Italian Modal Verbs: Potere, Volere, Dovere explained with examples

What are modal verbs in Italian? Modal verbs - potere (can), volere (want) and dovere (must) - are key to expressing yourself in Italian. These verbs allow you to express possibilities, desires and obligations, making them essential tools for anyone learning the language. Thanks to these verbs, you can construct more complex and precise sentences, even at beginner level. Let us now look at the characteristics of each verb, keeping in mind that these modal verbs are irregular and do not follow the typical conjugation patterns of regular verbs. Potere - To express possibility or permission The verb potere is used to indicate that an action is possible , or to ask for or give permission . Examples with Potere: Posso aprire la finestra? (May I open the window?)  - Permission Non posso venire domani. (I can't come tomorrow.) - Possibility Puoi aiutarmi? ( Can you help me?) - Possibility Conjugation of Potere (Present tense) Person Form io posso...
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Kinship terms in Italian - I termini di parentela in italiano

Learning the names of family members is one of the most important first steps when learning a new language. In Italian, family terms can be slightly different from those in other languages, so it is important to know them well. In this article we will look at the most common terms and use them in simple sentences to help you remember them.

Kinship terms

Let's start by exploring the Italian vocabulary related to family. This list will introduce you to the most common terms related to family and will help you to describe your family relationships.

Here is a list of the most common kinship terms:
Padre / Father 
Papà / Dad
Mamma / Mum
Madre / Mother
Fratello / Brother
Sorella / Sister
Nonno / Grandfather
Nonna / Grandmother
Zio / Uncle
Zia / Aunt
Cugino / Cousin (male)
Cugina / Cousin (female)
Figlio / Son
Figlia / Daughter
Marito / Husband
Moglie / Wife
Genitori / Parents (father and mother together)
Figli / Children (plural of son/daughter)

In Italian, when referring to a single family member, we do not use the article (il, la, i, le) before the possessive adjective. However, when we refer to more than one family member or when we use a descriptive adjective, the article becomes necessary.

Possessive adjectives and surnames

In the previous article we talked about possessive adjectives such as "mio", "tuo", "suo", etc. Now let's see how to use them together with family names. 

In Italian, when referring to a single family member, we do not use the article (il, la, i, le) before the possessive adjective. However, when we refer to more than one family member or when we use a descriptive adjective, the article becomes necessary.

Let us look at some examples:
Mio padre (no article because it is singular)
I miei genitori (we use the article 'i' because it is plural)
La mia cara mamma (the article 'la' is used because there is the adjective 'cara').

Remember that the possessive 'loro' always takes the article, even for a single family member:
Il loro cugino ('cugino' is singular, always with the article)
Le loro cugine ('cugine' is plural, always with the article)

Some other examples:

  • Mia madre è gentile. 
  • Tuo padre è simpatico.
  • Suo fratello è alto. 
  • I suoi fratelli sono alti.
  • Nostra sorella è intelligente. 
  • Le nostre sorelle sono intelligenti.
  • Vostro nonno è affettuoso.
  • I vostri nonni sono affettuosi. 
  • Il loro zio è bello.
  • I loro zii sono belli. 


To conclude

Kinship terms in Italian are not difficult, but it is important to be aware of the use of articles with possessive adjectives. The general rule is that the article is not used for individual family members (in the singular) unless there is a descriptive adjective or it is the possessive 'loro'. 


If you have any questions or would like to share your learning experience, please leave a comment below. I'm curious to know how you are progressing on your language journey!

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