Italian conjugation explanation

Spelling change: -care → -ch-

<p>For verbs ending in <strong style="font-style: italic;">-care</strong>, a spelling change occurs in certain tenses to <strong>preserve the pronunciation</strong> of the hard <span style="font-style: italic;">c</span> sound (/k/).</p>

<p>Normally in Italian, when <span style="font-style: italic;">c</span> is followed by <span style="font-style: italic;">e</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">i</span>, it becomes soft (like the 'ch' in <span style="font-style: italic;">chair</span>). To maintain the original hard sound of the infinitive before these vowels, we must insert an <strong>h</strong>.</p>

<p style="padding-left: 20px;">care &#8594; <span class="green_emphasis">ch</span>e / <span class="green_emphasis">ch</span>i</p>

<p>This rule is identical to the one for

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/italian_orthograpic_change_gare_gh/" target="_blank">verbs ending in -gare</a>

(where <span style="font-style: italic;">g</span> becomes <span style="font-style: italic;">gh</span>).</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Common Verbs</div>

<ul>

<li><div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ita/cercare/" title="Click to see conjugations for cercare" target="_blank">cercare</a>

: to look for</div></li>

<li><div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ita/dimenticare/" title="Click to see conjugations for dimenticare" target="_blank">dimenticare</a>

: to forget</div></li>

<li><div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ita/giocare/" title="Click to see conjugations for giocare" target="_blank">giocare</a>

: to play</div></li>

<li><div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ita/mancare/" title="Click to see conjugations for mancare" target="_blank">mancare</a>

: to miss, to lack</div></li>

<li><div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ita/pubblicare/" title="Click to see conjugations for pubblicare" target="_blank">ubblicare</a>

: to publish</div></li>

<li><div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ita/significare/" title="Click to see conjugations for significare" target="_blank">significare</a>

: to mean</div></li>

<li><div>{{VERB_LINK|ID=78370|TEXT=toccare}}: to touch</div></li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Present Indicative</div>

<p>In the

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/36/" target="_blank">Present Indicative</a>

, the change occurs in the <strong>tu</strong> (S/2) and <strong>noi</strong> (P/1) forms because their endings start with <span style="font-style: italic;">i</span>.</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/36/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

io

</span>gioco

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochi<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

lui

</span>gioca

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

noi

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochiamo<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

voi

</span>giocate

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

loro

</span>giocano

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Future and Conditional</div>

<p>In the

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/40/" target="_blank">Future</a>

and

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/43/" target="_blank">Conditional</a>

, the change happens in <strong>all persons</strong> because the suffix for these tenses begins with an <span style="font-style: italic;">e</span> (-erò, -erei, etc.).</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/40/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Futuro semplice</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

io

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocherò<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocherai<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

lui

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocherà<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

noi

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocheremo<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

voi

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocherete<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

loro

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocheranno<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/43/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Condizionale</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

io

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocherei<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocheresti<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

lui

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocherebbe<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

noi

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocheremmo<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

voi

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochereste<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

loro

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giocherebbero<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Present Subjunctive</div>

<p>In the

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/41/" target="_blank">Present Subjunctive</a>

, <strong>all forms</strong> require the spelling change because the endings imply an <span style="font-style: italic;">i</span> sound.</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/41/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente congiuntivo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

che io

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochi<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

che tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochi<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

che lui

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochi<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

che noi

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochiamo<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

che voi

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochiate<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

che loro

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochino<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Imperative</div>

<p>In the

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/44/" target="_blank">Imperative</a>

, the <strong>tu</strong> and <strong>voi</strong> forms are usually regular (ending in -a and -ate), but the formal (Lei) and P/1 (noi) forms require the <strong>h</strong>.</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/44/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imperativo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(tu)

</span>gioca

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(Lei)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochi<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(noi)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochiamo<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(voi)

</span>giocate

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(Loro)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">giochino<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>