definire — Italian conjugation
to define
Indicative
Present (Presente) Irregular
The presente covers habits, ongoing situations, and plans about to start — much like English “I study” and “I am studying”. One present tense does both in Italian.
Lavora da casa tre giorni a settimana.
| Pronoun | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| io | definisco | I define |
| tu | definisci | you define |
| lui/lei | definisce | he/she/it defines |
| noi | definiamo | we define |
| voi | definite | you (pl.) define |
| loro | definiscono | they define |
Simple past (Passato remoto) Regular
The passato remoto tells a completed, narrative past, especially in the south and in literature. The passato prossimo is the normal spoken past in the north, so you choose register and region, not a difference in time alone.
Quella sera arrivò tardi, senza alibi.
| Pronoun | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| io | definii | I defined |
| tu | definisti | you defined |
| lui/lei | definì | he/she/it defined |
| noi | definimmo | we defined |
| voi | definiste | you (pl.) defined |
| loro | definirono | they defined |
Imperfect (Imperfetto) Regular
The imperfetto is for incomplete past actions, context, and repeated or habitual situations without a clear end. The passato prossimo, not the remoto, is its usual “event” partner in speech.
Da bambina passavo le estati al mare.
| Pronoun | Italian |
|---|---|
| io | definivo |
| tu | definivi |
| lui/lei | definiva |
| noi | definivamo |
| voi | definivate |
| loro | definivano |
Conditional (Condizionale) Regular
The condizionale is for polite “would you…”, first-condition hypotheticals, and reported future from a past point of view. The classic if-chain is se + imperfetto → condizionale.
Potresti alzare un poco la voce?
| Pronoun | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| io | definirei | I would define |
| tu | definiresti | you would define |
| lui/lei | definirebbe | he/she/it would define |
| noi | definiremmo | we would define |
| voi | definireste | you (pl.) would define |
| loro | definirebbero | they would define |
Future (Futuro semplice) Regular
The futuro semplice is for predictions and far decisions. In speech you often hear the present (with a time adverb) or a paraphrase, and a famous trick is the futuro di probabilità for a present guess: saranno le tre.
Domani partiremo all'alba.
| Pronoun | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| io | definirò | I will define |
| tu | definirai | you will define |
| lui/lei | definirà | he/she/it will define |
| noi | definiremo | we will define |
| voi | definirete | you (pl.) will define |
| loro | definiranno | they will define |
Present perfect (Passato prossimo) Regular
The passato prossimo is the workhorse preterit-like past in the north and in everyday Italian: avere/essere + participle, essere for reflexives, motion, and other change-of-state patterns.
Siamo andati a piedi, poi abbiamo preso l'autobus.
| Pronoun | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| io | ho definito | I have defined |
| tu | hai definito | you have defined |
| lui/lei | ha definito | he/she/it has defined |
| noi | abbiamo definito | we have defined |
| voi | avete definito | you (pl.) have defined |
| loro | hanno definito | they have defined |
Pluperfect (Trapassato prossimo) Regular
The trapassato prossimo is “further in the past than another past” — the Italian pluperfect. It pairs with a main past clause to mark sequence.
Avevamo già mangiato quando suonò il telefono.
| Pronoun | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| io | avevo definito | I had defined |
| tu | avevi definito | you had defined |
| lui/lei | aveva definito | he/she/it had defined |
| noi | avevamo definito | we had defined |
| voi | avevate definito | you (pl.) had defined |
| loro | avevano definito | they had defined |
Conditional perfect (Condizionale passato) Regular
The condizionale passato is for unreal or missed past results and often appears with se + trapassato prossimo in the protasis.
Avrei accettato, se mi avessero avvisato in tempo.
| Pronoun | Italian |
|---|---|
| io | avrei definito |
| tu | avresti definito |
| lui/lei | avrebbe definito |
| noi | avremmo definito |
| voi | avreste definito |
| loro | avrebbero definito |
Future perfect (Futuro anteriore) Regular
The futuro anteriore says something will already be over before a still-later future, or, like the French, can express a logical guess about a past result.
Entro le cinque, avrà già lasciato l'ufficio.
| Pronoun | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| io | avrò definito | I will have defined |
| tu | avrai definito | you will have defined |
| lui/lei | avrà definito | he/she/it will have defined |
| noi | avremo definito | we will have defined |
| voi | avrete definito | you (pl.) will have defined |
| loro | avranno definito | they will have defined |
Subjunctive
Present subjunctive (Congiuntivo presente) Irregular
The congiuntivo presente is required after many verbs and fixed phrases of will, fear, purpose, and doubt. Impersonal and semi-impersonal triggers (è importante che) also force the subjunctive mood.
Penso che sia la scelta giusta.
| Pronoun | Italian |
|---|---|
| io | definisca |
| tu | definisca |
| lui/lei | definisca |
| noi | definiamo |
| voi | definiate |
| loro | definiscano |
Imperfect subjunctive (Congiuntivo imperfetto) Regular
The congiuntivo imperfetto is the past of the congiuntivo system after a past matrix clause and in se + congi. imperf. → condizionale with unreal conditions.
Se avessi più tempo, viaggerei ogni mese.
| Pronoun | Italian |
|---|---|
| io | definissi |
| tu | definissi |
| lui/lei | definisse |
| noi | definissimo |
| voi | definiste |
| loro | definissero |
Other forms
Imperative (affirmative) (Imperativo) Regular
The affirmative imperativo reuses the tu form as 3sg for -are verbs, while other conjugations use the normal tu present. It is the direct command register.
Raccontami com'è andata l'esame.
| Pronoun | Italian |
|---|---|
| tu | definisci |
| lui/lei | definisca |
| noi | definiamo |
| voi | definite |
| loro | definiscano |
Imperative (negative) (Imperativo negativo) Regular
Negative commands use non + full infinitive in modern Italian, which is a distinctive rule compared to other Romance languages. Polite or indirect “please don’t” can still soften the tone in context.
Non aprire quella finestra, per favore.
| Pronoun | Italian |
|---|---|
| tu | non definire |
| lui/lei | non definisca |
| noi | non definiamo |
| voi | non definite |
| loro | non definiscano |