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Tense guide
Presente (Present)

Language: Italian
Tense:
Person:

Practice conjugation drills

Introduction

The Italian present tense, called "Presente", is one of the most useful and common verb forms. You use it for much more than just actions happening right now. It helps you talk about habits, facts, and even future plans. Understanding its different uses is key to speaking Italian naturally.

The most basic use is to describe an action that is happening at this exact moment. Think of it as what you are doing "right now".

Cosa fai adesso?
(What are you doing now?)
Marco legge un libro.
(Marco is reading a book.)
Noi ascoltiamo la musica.
(We are listening to music.)
In questo momento, i bambini dormono.
(At this moment, the children are sleeping.)

You also use this tense to talk about habits, routines, and repeated actions. These are things that happen regularly, not just once.

Ogni mattina bevo un caffè.
(Every morning I drink a coffee.)
Loro vanno in palestra tre volte a settimana.
(They go to the gym three times a week.)
Mio fratello non mangia mai la carne.
(My brother never eats meat.)
Di solito pranziamo alle 13:00.
(We usually have lunch at 1:00 PM.)
La domenica visito i miei nonni.
(On Sundays, I visit my grandparents.)

It is used to state general truths, scientific facts, or permanent situations that are always true.

Il sole sorge a est.
(The sun rises in the east.)
L'acqua bolle a 100 gradi.
(Water boils at 100 degrees.)
Roma è la capitale d'Italia.
(Rome is the capital of Italy.)

Very frequently, Italians use the present tense to talk about the near future, especially for plans that are certain or already arranged.

Domani parto per Milano.
(Tomorrow I'm leaving for Milan.)
Cosa facciamo stasera?
(What are we doing tonight?)
La prossima settimana Maria compra un'auto nuova.
(Next week Maria is buying a new car.)
Ci vediamo più tardi.
(See you later. / We'll see each other later.)

To describe an action that started in the past and is still continuing now, you use the present tense with the word da (meaning "for" or "since").

Studio l'italiano da due anni.
(I have been studying Italian for two years.)
Loro vivono qui dal 2010.
(They have been living here since 2010.)
Da quanto tempo aspetti?
(How long have you been waiting?)
Anna lavora in questa azienda da molto tempo.
(Anna has been working at this company for a long time.)

Be careful! English uses a different structure ("have been doing"). In Italian, you must use the simple present tense with da for this meaning.

In storytelling or historical writing, the present tense can describe events that happened in the past. This is called the "historic present", and it makes the story feel more vivid and immediate.

Nel 1492, Colombo scopre l'America.
(In 1492, Columbus discovers America.)
L'Impero Romano cade nel 476 d.C.
(The Roman Empire falls in 476 AD.)

Conjugation patterns