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Tense guide
Presente participio (Present Participle)

Language: Italian
Tense:

Introduction

In Italian, there is a special verb form that often ends in -ante or -ente. It takes an action verb and changes it into a word that can describe something or name someone. Think of it as a way to turn an action into a characteristic.

The most common way to use this verb form is to describe a person or a thing, just like a descriptive word. It tells you what the person or thing is doing or what its quality is. This word must match the thing it describes.

L'acqua bollente è pericolosa.
(The boiling water is dangerous.)
Ho letto una storia interessante.
(I read an interesting story.)
Ci sono molte persone sorridenti alla festa.
(There are many smiling people at the party.)
Guarda le stelle brillanti nel cielo.
(Look at the shining stars in the sky.)
È un argomento mancante nel libro.
(It is a missing topic in the book.)

Sometimes, this verb form is used as a name for a person or thing that performs an action. The action becomes their title or identity.

Il cantante ha una bella voce.
(The singer has a beautiful voice.)
L'insegnante spiega la lezione.
(The teacher explains the lesson.)
Tutti i partecipanti hanno ricevuto un premio.
(All the participants received a prize.)
Il mittente della lettera è sconosciuto.
(The sender of the letter is unknown.)

This verb form can also make sentences shorter. It replaces a longer description that uses a word like "che" (who/that). It describes an action that is happening at the same time as the main event of the sentence. This is more common in writing than in speaking.

Ho visto un pacco contenente dei libri.
(I saw a package containing some books.)
Abbiamo ricevuto una lettera proveniente da un nostro amico.
(We received a letter coming from a friend of ours.)

Be careful! While you will see this form often in books, signs, and formal documents, it is not used as frequently in casual, everyday conversation. Italian speakers often prefer to use a longer sentence with "che".

Conjugation patterns