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N.B.: We use a written accent mark to help students identify word stress and open/closed vowels even though Standard Italian may not require it.


Verbs Followed by "DI" plus the Infinitive

(Same Subject)

Many verbs can be followed by a verb in the infinitive, when there is only one subject for both verbs. In many cases, this infinitive must be preceded by the preposition DI.

These verbs can be divided into five large groups.

1. Verbs indicating decision, affirmation or opinion.

ITALIAN ENGLISH
accòrgersito realize
accettareto accept
affermareto affirm
ammettereto admit
annunciareto announce
apprèndereto learn
assicurareto assure
capireto understand
comunicareto communicate
confermareto confirm
confessareto confess
convenireto agree
decidereto decide
dichiarareto declare
dimenticareto forget
dimostrareto demonstrate
direto say
escludereto exclude
evitareto avoid
fingereto pretend
giurareto swear
ignorareto ignore
indovinareto guess
infischiarsenedo not care about something
informareto inform
lamentarsito complain
minacciareto threaten
narrareto narrate
negareto negate
occuparsito be concerned with
pensareto think
pentirsito regret
raccontareto tell
rendersi contoto realize
riconoscereto recognize
ricordareto remember
ricordarsito remember
riferireto report
rifiutarsito refuse
ringraziareto thank
ripetereto repeat
sapereto know
smettereto stop
sostenereto defend
stabilireto establish
stancarsito get rired of something
trascurareto neglect
trattarsito to be a question of
vergognarsito be ashamed of

2. Verbs indicating indecision, uncertainty, fear and amazement.

ITALIAN ENGLISH
credereto believe
dispiacersito be saddened
dolersito be sorry
dubitareto doubt
fantasticareto fantasize
illudersito delude oneself
meravigliarsito wonder
rimpiangereto regret
rischiareto risk
ritenereto believe
soffrireto suffer
sospettareto suspect
stancarsito get tired of
stupirsito wonder
supporreto suppose

3. Verbs indicating a request, an attempt or a question

ITALIAN ENGLISH
cercareto try
chiedereto ask
domandareto ask
ingegnarsito do one's best
interessarsito be interested in
offrireto offer
proporreto propose
tentareto attempt

4. Verbs indicating wait, promise or hope

ITALIAN ENGLISH
aspettarsito expect
augurarsito hope
attendereto wait
aspettareto wait
fantasticareto fantasize
preoccuparsito worry
proporsito plan
promettereto promise
ripromettersito have in mind
sperareto hope
sognareto dream

5. Verbs indicating an ending

ITALIAN ENGLISH
cessareto stop
finireto stop, to end
lasciar perdereto forget about something
smettereto stop
tralasciareto avoid

To this group we can add some verbal expressions formed with

1. AVERE plus a noun:

ITALIAN ENGLISH
avere bisognoto need
avere frettato be in a hurry
avere ideato think
avere il dirittoto have the right
avere intenzioneto intend
avere l'impressioneto feel
avere paurato fear
avere vogliato need, to feel like
averevergognato be ashamed

2. ESSERE plus an adjective:

ITALIAN ENGLISH
essere lietoto be happy
essere contentoto be happy
essere feliceto be happy
essere fieroto be proud
essere in gradoto be able to
essere nella posizioneto be in the position of

3. pronominal:

ITALIAN ENGLISH
non poterne piùto be exhausted, to be unable to put up with something
sentirselato feel like

The most common exceptions are:

ITALIAN ENGLISH
amareto love
desiderareto wish
dovereto have to
gradireto appreciate
intendereto intend
osareto dare
poterecan
preferireto prefer
sapereto know
volerewant

See also:

Proposizioni che vogliono l'infinito con la preposizione A

Verbs Followed by "A" plus the Infinitive

Espressioni idiomatiche con preposizioni e infinito

For pronoun agreement, see also:
Le coniugazioni chiave.
Pronomi diretti
Pronomi riflessivi
L'uso del si
For a list of reflexive verbs, see Verbi riflessivi
For a list of impersonal verbs, see Verbi impersonali


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