🇮🇹 Italiano A1 · Lesson 8 (Final!)
A1 Progress
HomeLesson 1Lesson 2Lesson 3Lesson 4Lesson 5Lesson 6Lesson 7Lesson 8A2 →
Complete Italian Course · A1

Lesson 8: Gerundio, Pronouns, Imperative & A1 Review

Stare + gerundio (present continuous) · Direct & indirect object pronouns · The imperative (commands) · Complete A1 exam practice · Your roadmap to A2

CEFR Level A1🏆 Final A1 Lesson
🔁 Spaced Repetition — Lessons 1–7 Review

Final review before completing A1! Tap to reveal:

ho mangiato / sono andato
avere (no agreement) / essere (agrees with subject)
fatto / detto / visto
irregular past participles: done, said, seen
degli spaghetti
some spaghetti (partitive: di+gli)
quella casa bella
that beautiful house (quello + adjective agreement)
mi sveglio / si veste
I wake up / he-she gets dressed (reflexive verbs)
Vado al mercato.
I go to the market. (a+il = al, contracted preposition)
01🎯

Learning Objectives

By the end of Lesson 8 — and your A1 journey — you will be able to:

✅Form and use the present continuous (stare + gerundio)
✅Use direct object pronouns (lo, la, li, le…)
✅Use indirect object pronouns (mi, ti, gli, le…)
✅Know where to place object pronouns in a sentence
✅Give commands using the imperative (tu, Lei, voi forms)
✅Form negative commands correctly
✅Pass a complete A1-level mock exam
✅Have a clear plan for progressing to A2
⏱️ Study time: ~3.5 hours (this is the longest lesson — it's a milestone!). Take breaks. By the end of today you will have completed the entire A1 level of Italian — congratulations in advance!
02🔄

Stare + Gerundio — Present Continuous

While the simple present (mangio = I eat / I am eating) usually covers ongoing actions in Italian, there's also a specific present continuous form for emphasising that something is happening right now, in this exact moment.

🔑 The Formula

stare (conjugated) + gerundio

Sto mangiando. — I am eating (right now).
Stai dormendo? — Are you sleeping?
Stanno arrivando. — They are arriving.

Forming the Gerundio
Verb groupRemoveAddExampleGerundio
-are-are-andoparlareparlando
-ere-ere-endoleggereleggendo
-ire-ire-endodormiredormendo
💡 Only -are verbs are different (-ando); -ere and -ire both use -endo. The gerundio itself never changes — it doesn't agree with anything, unlike the past participle!
Stare + Gerundio — Full Conjugation (mangiare)
Pronounstare+ gerundioFull form
iostomangiandosto mangiando
tustaimangiandostai mangiando
lui/lei/Leistamangiandosta mangiando
noistiamomangiandostiamo mangiando
voistatemangiandostate mangiando
lorostannomangiandostanno mangiando
When to Use Present Continuous vs Simple Present
Simple PresentPresent Continuous
Lavoro in un ufficio.
(general fact/habit)		Sto lavorando adesso.
(happening right now)
Studio italiano.
(ongoing project/habit)		Sto studiando italiano in questo momento.
(at this exact moment)
⚠️ Italian uses the simple present far more often than English uses simple present. Don't overuse stare+gerundio — it's specifically for emphasising "right now, in progress." Mangio alone often already means "I'm eating."
03🌟

Other Uses & Expressions with Stare

Stare is a remarkably versatile verb beyond the gerundio construction. It means "to stay/be" and appears in many fixed expressions you've already encountered.

Essential Stare Expressions
ItalianEnglish
Come stai? / Come sta?How are you? (informal/formal)
Sto bene / male / così così.I'm well / bad / so-so.
Sto per uscire.I'm about to go out. (stare per + infinitive)
Stai attento/a!Be careful! (pay attention)
Sta a te decidere.It's up to you to decide.
Questo vestito ti sta bene.This dress suits you. (stare bene = to suit)
Stai zitto/a!Be quiet! (informal, can be rude)
Sto a casa stasera.I'm staying home tonight.
04👈

Direct Object Pronouns

Instead of repeating a noun, Italian (like English) uses pronouns: "I eat the pizza" → "I eat it." But Italian places the pronoun before the verb, not after!

me
mi
me
you (inf.)
ti
you
him
lo
him / it (m)
her
la
her / it (f)
you (formal)
La
you (formal)
us
ci
us
you all
vi
you all
them (m)
li
them (m)
them (f)
le
them (f)
🔑 Position Rule

The pronoun goes directly before the conjugated verb (the opposite of English!):

Mangio la pizza. → La mangio. — I eat it.
Vedo Marco. → Lo vedo. — I see him.
Conosci Sofia? → La conosci? — Do you know her?

Direct Object Pronouns in Context
Full sentenceWith pronounEnglish
Compro il libro.Lo compro.I buy it.
Leggo la rivista.La leggo.I read it.
Mangio i biscotti.Li mangio.I eat them.
Compro le mele.Le compro.I buy them.
Aspetto Marco.Lo aspetto.I wait for him.
Conosco bene Sofia.La conosco bene.I know her well.
Mi ami?— Sì, ti amo.Do you love me? — Yes, I love you.
⚠️ With the passato prossimo + avere, lo/la/li/le require past participle agreement: Ho comprato la pizza. → L'ho comprata. (not comprato!) The pronoun lo/la also elides to l' before a vowel.
05👉

Indirect Object Pronouns

Indirect object pronouns answer "to whom?" or "for whom?" — you already know most of these from Lesson 4's piacere! They replace a + person.

to me
mi
to me
to you (inf.)
ti
to you
to him
gli
to him
to her
le
to her
to you (formal)
Le
to you (formal)
to us
ci
to us
to you all
vi
to you all
to them
gli
to them
💡 mi, ti, ci, vi are identical for direct and indirect — only the 3rd person forms differ (lo/la vs gli/le). This cuts your memory work in half!
Indirect Object Pronouns in Context
Full sentenceWith pronounEnglish
Scrivo a Marco.Gli scrivo.I write to him.
Telefono a Sofia.Le telefono.I call her.
Do il libro a te.Ti do il libro.I give you the book.
Parlo ai miei genitori.Gli parlo.I speak to them.
Chiedo scusa a voi.Vi chiedo scusa.I apologise to you all.
Mi piace il caffè.(already a pronoun!)I like coffee. (piacere uses indirect)
🔍 Common verbs that take indirect objects

These verbs in Italian typically take a + person (indirect), even when the English equivalent feels direct:

Italian verbEnglish
telefonare ato phone (someone)
scrivere ato write to (someone)
rispondere ato answer (someone)
parlare ato speak to (someone)
dare ato give to (someone)
piacere ato be pleasing to (someone) = "to like"
chiedere ato ask (someone)
06📍

Pronoun Position & Common Verbs

Where Do Pronouns Go? Simple tense: before the verb Lo vedo. — I see him. Modal + infinitive: 2 positions OK Lo voglio vedere = Voglio vederlo Imperative (tu/noi/voi): attach! Mangialo! — Eat it! Passato prossimo: before avere L'ho mangiato. — I ate it.
Pronouns Attached to Infinitives & Imperatives
ItalianEnglish
Voglio vederlo.I want to see him. (pronoun attached to infinitive)
Devo chiamarla.I have to call her.
Posso aiutarti?Can I help you?
Mangialo!Eat it! (tu imperative + attached pronoun)
Chiamami!Call me! (tu imperative)
Aspettami!Wait for me!
Lo ascolti! / Ascoltilo!Listen to him! (Lei: before / tu: attached)
💡 Note: with the formal Lei imperative, pronouns stay before the verb, not attached. Only tu/noi/voi imperatives attach the pronoun directly to the end.
07📢

The Imperative — Giving Commands

The imperative is used for commands, instructions, advice, and invitations. You've already seen formal imperatives in Lesson 6's directions (giri, vada, prenda). Now let's learn the full system.

Imperative — Regular Verbs (tu, noi, voi forms)
Pronoun-ARE (parlare)-ERE (prendere)-IRE (dormire)-IRE -isc- (finire)
(tu)parla!prendi!dormi!finisci!
(noi)parliamo!prendiamo!dormiamo!finiamo!
(voi)parlate!prendete!dormite!finite!
⚠️ Tu imperative for -are verbs is special: it uses -a (same as the lui/lei form!), NOT -i. Parla! (Speak!) not "Parli!" This is the one irregularity to remember.
Formal Imperative (Lei form) — Used for Strangers, Elders, Professional Contexts
InfinitiveLei imperativeExample
parlareParli!Parli più lentamente, per favore.
prenderePrenda!Prenda la prima a destra.
venireVenga!Venga con me, per favore.
andareVada!Vada sempre dritto.
fareFaccia!Faccia attenzione!
💡 The formal imperative essentially borrows the present subjunctive forms (which you'll study formally at B1) — for now, just memorise these as fixed forms. Notice the pattern: -are verbs end in -i, -ere/-ire verbs end in -a — the opposite of the tu imperative!
Common Irregular Imperatives (tu form)
Infinitivetu imperativeEnglish
andareva' / vai!Go!
dareda' / dai!Give!
diredi'!Say! / Tell!
farefa' / fai!Do! / Make!
staresta' / stai!Stay! / Be!
esseresii!Be! (e.g. Sii gentile! — Be kind!)
avereabbi!Have! (e.g. Abbi pazienza! — Be patient!)
08🚫

Negative Imperative

Telling someone NOT to do something has a special rule for the tu form — and it's surprisingly simple once you know the trick.

🔑 The TU Negative Imperative Trick

For tu only: use non + infinitive (NOT the imperative form!)

Parla! (Speak!) → Non parlare! (Don't speak!)
Mangia! (Eat!) → Non mangiare! (Don't eat!)
Aspetta! (Wait!) → Non aspettare! (Don't wait!)

For noi/voi/Lei: simply add non before the normal imperative — no change needed.

Negative Imperative — Complete Table
PronounPositiveNegative
(tu)Parla!Non parlare!
(Lei)Parli!Non parli!
(noi)Parliamo!Non parliamo!
(voi)Parlate!Non parlate!
Imperative in Daily Life — Common Commands
ItalianEnglish
Aspetta!Wait!
Vieni qui!Come here!
Guarda!Look!
Ascolta!Listen!
Stai attento/a!Be careful!
Non preoccuparti!Don't worry! (reflexive negative)
Andiamo!Let's go! (noi imperative)
Proviamo!Let's try!
Non ti preoccupare!Don't worry! (tu, alternate form)
Mi scusi! / Scusami!Excuse me! (formal/informal)
09💬

Dialogues

🎭 SCENE 1 — Una Telefonata (A Phone Call)
MARCO
Pronto, Giulia? Cosa stai facendo?
Hello, Giulia? What are you doing?
GIULIA
Ciao Marco! Sto preparando la cena. Sto cucinando la pasta. E tu?
Hi Marco! I'm preparing dinner. I'm cooking pasta. And you?
MARCO
Sto guardando un film, ma è noioso. Senti, vuoi venire al cinema domani sera?
I'm watching a film, but it's boring. Listen, do you want to come to the cinema tomorrow evening?
GIULIA
Volentieri! A che ora ci vediamo?
Gladly! What time shall we meet?
MARCO
Vieni alle otto davanti al cinema. Ti aspetto là!
Come at eight in front of the cinema. I'll wait for you there!
GIULIA
Perfetto, ci sarò! Adesso devo tornare alla cucina — il sugo sta bruciando!
Perfect, I'll be there! Now I have to go back to the kitchen — the sauce is burning!
MARCO
Vai, vai! A domani!
Go, go! See you tomorrow!
🎭 SCENE 2 — In Cucina con la Nonna (In the Kitchen with Grandma)
NONNA
Allora, prendi la farina e mettila nella ciotola.
Right, take the flour and put it in the bowl.
LUCA
Ecco fatto! E adesso?
Done! And now?
NONNA
Aggiungi le uova e mescola bene. Non avere fretta!
Add the eggs and mix well. Don't rush!
LUCA
Va bene. La sto mescolando lentamente. Posso assaggiare?
Okay. I'm mixing it slowly. Can I taste it?
NONNA
No, non lo mangiare crudo! Aspetta che sia cotto.
No, don't eat it raw! Wait until it's cooked.
LUCA
Va bene, nonna. Sei sempre molto severa in cucina!
Okay, grandma. You're always very strict in the kitchen!
NONNA
È perché ti voglio bene! Adesso aiutami a mettere la teglia nel forno.
It's because I love you! Now help me put the tray in the oven.
📖 New vocabulary from the dialogues
ItalianEnglish
Pronto?Hello? (used only on the phone!)
il sugo sta bruciandothe sauce is burning (gerundio in use)
Ci sarò!I'll be there!
la farina / la ciotolaflour / the bowl
aggiungere / mescolareto add / to mix
Non avere fretta!Don't rush! (negative imperative)
assaggiareto taste
crudo / cottoraw / cooked
severo/astrict
Ti voglio bene!I love you! (used for family/friends, not romantic)
la teglia / il fornothe baking tray / the oven
10🗣️

Cultural Notes: Italian Communication Style

🇮🇹 Culture Spotlight: How Italians Communicate

As you finish A1, it's worth understanding the deeper communication patterns that will help you sound — and feel — more naturally Italian.

Communication Culture Points
🙌 Gestures — La Gestualità

Italians are famous for talking with their hands — and it's not a stereotype, it's a real linguistic phenomenon. Certain gestures carry specific meanings: fingers pinched together and shaken means "what do you want?" or "what are you saying?"; the chin flick means "I don't care" or dismissal; touching the chest means sincerity.

As a learner, you don't need to master gestures — but recognising them will help you understand context far beyond words.

💬 Directness & Volume

Italian conversation is often louder and more animated than British or American English conversation — this isn't anger, it's enthusiasm and engagement. Interrupting during passionate discussion is common and not considered rude — it shows you're engaged!

Don't be alarmed by raised voices at the dinner table — it's usually just an animated discussion about football, politics, or food (all serious topics in Italy!).

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Language

Ti voglio bene (I love you, in a family/platonic sense) is different from Ti amo (I love you, romantic). Italians use endearing terms freely: tesoro (treasure), amore (love), caro/a (dear) — even between friends and family, not just romantic partners.

Common terms of affection:
tesoro — treasure/darling · amore — love/darling
caro/a — dear · piccolo/a — little one (for children)

11🏆

A1 Exam Practice — Full Mock Test

This comprehensive test covers everything from Lessons 1–8. It mirrors the style of CELI/CILS/PLIDA A1 exams. Complete it without looking back at the lessons — then check your answers!

Part A — Grammar & Vocabulary (20 questions)
1. Io italiano. (essere)
2. studente (lo/il/la — masc., s+cons)
3. Ho anni. (avere — age)
4. Lei a Roma. (abitare)
5. Mi la pizza. (piacere — singular)
6. Mi sveglio sette. (a/alle)
7. Una ragazza (alto) → una ragazza
8. ragazzo è simpatico. (quel/quello/quella)
9. Vado mercato. (al/alla/allo)
10. Vorrei pane. (del/della/dei)
11. Ieri ho la pizza. (mangiare → pp)
12. Sofia è a Roma. (andare → pp, agreement)
13. Non ho mangiato. (yet)
14. Hai stato a Venezia? (ever)
15. Sto . (mangiare → gerundio)
16. compro. (il libro → pronoun)
17. ! (parlare → tu imperative)
18. Non ! (parlare → tu negative imperative)
19. fare → past participle:
20. Vado Italia. (a/in)
Show Answers

1. sono   2. lo   3. [number] anni   4. abita

5. piace   6. alle   7. alta   8. Quel

9. al   10. del   11. mangiato   12. andata

13. ancora   14. mai   15. mangiando   16. Lo

17. Parla   18. parlare   19. fatto   20. in

Part B — Reading Comprehension

Ciao! Mi chiamo Elena e sono italiana. Sono di Bologna ma adesso abito a Milano da due anni. Ho ventotto anni e lavoro come professoressa in una scuola elementare. Mi piace molto il mio lavoro, anche se a volte è stancante. La mattina mi sveglio alle sei e mezza, faccio colazione e vado a scuola in bicicletta. Il weekend scorso sono andata a Bologna a trovare i miei genitori. Abbiamo mangiato insieme e abbiamo parlato per ore. Non vedevo la mia famiglia da tre mesi, quindi è stato bellissimo!

1. Di dov'è Elena?
2. Dove abita adesso?
3. Quanti anni ha?
4. Che lavoro fa?
5. A che ora si sveglia?
6. Cosa ha fatto il weekend scorso?
Show Answers

1. È di Bologna.

2. Abita a Milano.

3. Ha ventotto anni.

4. Fa la professoressa (in una scuola elementare).

5. Si sveglia alle sei e mezza.

6. È andata a Bologna a trovare i genitori / ha mangiato e parlato con la famiglia.

✍️ Part C — Writing Task

Write a short text (60–80 words) introducing yourself. Include: your name, age, nationality, where you live, your job/studies, what you did last weekend, and something you like.

💡 This mirrors the real CELI/CILS/PLIDA A1 writing task format. Time yourself — aim for 15 minutes, as in the real exam.
🎙️ Part D — Speaking Task

Record yourself (2 minutes) answering these questions as if in a real exam:

1. Come ti chiami e di dove sei?
2. Cosa fai di solito durante la settimana?
3. Cosa hai fatto il weekend scorso?
4. Cosa ti piace fare nel tempo libero?
5. Descrivi la tua famiglia o un tuo amico/a.
12🗺️

Lesson Mind Map

LESSON 8 A1 Complete! 🏆 Gerundio, Pronouns, Imperative Gerundio stare + -ando/-endo sto mangiando "right now" emphasis Direct Pronouns mi/ti/lo/la/ci/vi/li/le before the verb Lo mangio. — I eat it. Indirect Pronouns mi/ti/gli/le/ci/vi/gli "to/for whom" Gli scrivo. — I write to him. Imperative tu: Parla! / Lei: Parli! Negative tu: non+infinitive Non parlare! Pronoun Position simple tense: before imperative: attached! Mangialo! Chiamami! A1 Exam Ready CELI · CILS · PLIDA grammar · reading writing · speaking Culture: Communication La gestualità (gestures) Directness & passion Ti voglio bene vs Ti amo Dialogues Phone call (gerundio) Cooking with grandma Imperatives in context
13🃏

Quick-Review Flashcards

Tap to reveal — final flashcard set for A1!

sto mangiando
I am eating (right now) — stare + gerundio
-are → gerundio
-ando (parlare → parlando)
-ere/-ire → gerundio
-endo (leggere → leggendo, dormire → dormendo)
Lo vedo.
I see him/it. (direct object pronoun before verb)
Gli scrivo.
I write to him. (indirect object pronoun)
Parla! (tu)
Speak! — tu imperative for -are uses -a (irregular!)
Non parlare!
Don't speak! — tu negative imperative = non + infinitive
Parli! (Lei)
Speak! (formal) — opposite ending pattern from tu
Mangialo!
Eat it! — pronoun attaches to tu imperative
Chiamami!
Call me! — mi attaches to end of tu imperative
Sto per uscire.
I'm about to go out. (stare per + infinitive)
va' / fa' / da' / di' / sta'
irregular tu imperatives: go/do/give/say/stay
Sii gentile!
Be kind! (essere imperative)
Pronto?
Hello? (telephone-only greeting)
Ti voglio bene.
I love you. (family/friends — not romantic)
A1 COMPLETE!
🏆 You finished the entire A1 level! Bravissimo/a!
14🗺️

Your Roadmap to A2

Congratulations — you've completed the entire A1 level! Here's what comes next as you progress to A2 (Elementary):

1Imperfetto — the second past tense, for ongoing/habitual past actions and descriptions ("I used to go", "it was raining")
2Passato prossimo vs imperfetto — when to use which past tense (a major A2 milestone)
3Futuro semplice — talking about the future ("I will go", "it will rain")
4Comparatives & superlatives — più...di, meno...di, il più...
5Combined pronouns — me lo, te la, glielo (combining direct + indirect)
6Ci and ne — the tricky particle pronouns
7Conditional mood — vorrei, potrei, dovrei (polite requests, hypotheticals)
8Expanded vocabulary — work, health, relationships, technology, current events
🎯 A1 → A2 transition tip: Before moving to A2 content, spend 1–2 weeks consolidating everything from Lessons 1–8. Do extra speaking practice, watch Italian content with subtitles, and make sure passato prossimo feels automatic. A strong A1 foundation makes A2 dramatically easier!
15📚

Resources & Final Homework

🃏
Anki — Complete A1 Deck
Consolidate ALL vocabulary from Lessons 1–8 into one master deck. Review daily for the next month to cement everything.
📜
Official A1 Exam Info
Look up CELI 1, CILS A1, or PLIDA A1 exam formats online if you want official certification. Many are offered at Italian cultural institutes worldwide.
🎬
Italian Films with Subtitles
Watch "La vita è bella" or "Perfetti Sconosciuti" with Italian subtitles. You'll be amazed how much you now understand!
🗣️
Language Exchange Commitment
Commit to one 30-minute conversation per week on Tandem/HelloTalk. Real conversation is what transforms grammar into fluency.
🇮🇹
Plan a Trip!
If possible, plan a trip to Italy. Nothing accelerates learning like real immersion — even a week makes an enormous difference.
📋 Final A1 Homework
  • Complete the full A1 mock exam above (all 4 parts) under timed conditions
  • Write your complete self-introduction (Part C) and record yourself reading it aloud
  • Review ALL flashcards from Lessons 1–8 — aim for 90%+ recall before moving to A2
  • Have one real conversation in Italian this week, even just a few sentences
  • Re-read your favourite dialogue from any lesson and translate it without looking at the English
  • Celebrate! You've completed an entire CEFR level — that's a real achievement! 🎉
🔑 Key Takeaways — What You Learned Today

🏆 Congratulazioni! You've Completed A1 Italian! 🏆

From "Ciao, come ti chiami?" in Lesson 1 to discussing your past, your routine, your opinions, and giving commands in Lesson 8 — you've built a genuinely functional foundation in Italian. You can now introduce yourself, navigate daily life, talk about the past and present, express likes and dislikes, and hold real conversations.

This is no small achievement. Take a moment to be proud of yourself — sei stato/a bravissimo/a!

← Lesson 7Continue to A2 →
☕Buy me a coffee