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 A1Final 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)

Table of Contents

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 group	Remove	Add	Example	Gerundio
-are	-are	-ando	parlare	parlando
-ere	-ere	-endo	leggere	leggendo
-ire	-ire	-endo	dormire	dormendo

💡 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)

Pronoun	stare	+ gerundio	Full form
io	sto	mangiando	sto mangiando
tu	stai	mangiando	stai mangiando
lui/lei/Lei	sta	mangiando	sta mangiando
noi	stiamo	mangiando	stiamo mangiando
voi	state	mangiando	state mangiando
loro	stanno	mangiando	stanno mangiando

When to Use Present Continuous vs Simple Present

Simple Present	Present 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

Italian👇 Click below 🔊	Phonetic	English
Come stai? / Come sta?	KOH-meh stah-EE / KOH-meh stah	How are you? (informal/formal)
Sto bene / male / così così.	stoh BEH-neh / MAH-leh / koh-ZEE koh-ZEE	I'm well / bad / so-so.
Sto per uscire.	stoh pehr oo-SHEE-reh	I'm about to go out. (stare per + infinitive)
Stai attento/a!	stah-EE aht-TEHN-toh	Be careful! (pay attention)
Sta a te decidere.	stah ah teh deh-CHEE-deh-reh	It's up to you to decide.
Questo vestito ti sta bene.	KWEH-stoh veh-STEE-toh tee stah BEH-neh	This dress suits you. (stare bene = to suit)
Stai zitto/a!	stah-EE DZEET-toh	Be quiet! (informal, can be rude)
Sto a casa stasera.	stoh ah KAH-zah stah-SEH-rah	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!

you (inf.)

you

him

him / it (m)

her

her / it (f)

you (formal)

you all

them (m)

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 sentence	With pronoun👇 Click below 🔊	English
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

to you (inf.)

to you

to him

gli

to him

to her

to you (formal)

to us

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 sentence	With pronoun👇 Click below 🔊	English
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 verb👇 Click below 🔊	Phonetic	English
telefonare a	teh-leh-foh-NAH-reh ah	to phone (someone)
scrivere a	SKREE-veh-reh ah	to write to (someone)
rispondere a	ree-SPOHN-deh-reh ah	to answer (someone)
parlare a	pahr-LAH-reh ah	to speak to (someone)
dare a	DAH-reh ah	to give to (someone)
piacere a	pyah-CHEH-reh ah	to be pleasing to (someone) = "to like"
chiedere a	KYEH-deh-reh ah	to ask (someone)

06📍

Pronoun Position & Common Verbs

Pronouns Attached to Infinitives & Imperatives

Italian👇 Click below 🔊	English
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

Infinitive	Lei imperative	Example
parlare	Parli!	Parli più lentamente, per favore.
prendere	Prenda!	Prenda la prima a destra.
venire	Venga!	Venga con me, per favore.
andare	Vada!	Vada sempre dritto.
fare	Faccia!	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)

Infinitive	tu imperative👇 Click below 🔊	English
andare	va' / vai!	Go!
dare	da' / dai!	Give!
dire	di'!	Say! / Tell!
fare	fa' / fai!	Do! / Make!
stare	sta' / stai!	Stay! / Be!
essere	sii!	Be! (e.g. Sii gentile! — Be kind!)
avere	abbi!	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

Pronoun	Positive	Negative
(tu)	Parla!	Non parlare!
(Lei)	Parli!	Non parli!
(noi)	Parliamo!	Non parliamo!
(voi)	Parlate!	Non parlate!

Imperative in Daily Life — Common Commands

Italian👇 Click below 🔊	Phonetic	English
Aspetta!	ah-SPEHT-tah	Wait!
Vieni qui!	VYEH-nee kwee	Come here!
Guarda!	GWAHR-dah	Look!
Ascolta!	ah-SKOHL-tah	Listen!
Stai attento/a!	stah-EE aht-TEHN-toh	Be careful!
Non preoccuparti!	nohn preh-ohk-koo-PAHR-tee	Don't worry! (reflexive negative)
Andiamo!	ahn-DYAH-moh	Let's go! (noi imperative)
Proviamo!	proh-VYAH-moh	Let's try!
Non ti preoccupare!	nohn tee preh-ohk-koo-PAH-reh	Don't worry! (tu, alternate form)
Mi scusi! / Scusami!	mee SKOO-zee / SKOO-zah-mee	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

Italian👇 Click below 🔊	Phonetic	English
Pronto?	PROHN-toh	Hello? (used only on the phone!)
il sugo sta bruciando	eel SOO-goh stah broo-CHAHN-doh	the sauce is burning (gerundio in use)
Ci sarò!	chee sah-ROH	I'll be there!
la farina / la ciotola	lah fah-REE-nah / lah CHOH-toh-lah	flour / the bowl
aggiungere / mescolare	ahd-JOON-jeh-reh / meh-skoh-LAH-reh	to add / to mix
Non avere fretta!	nohn ah-VEH-reh FREHT-tah	Don't rush! (negative imperative)
assaggiare	ahs-sahd-JAH-reh	to taste
crudo / cotto	KROO-doh / KOHT-toh	raw / cooked
severo/a	seh-VEH-roh	strict
Ti voglio bene!	tee VOH-lyoh BEH-neh	I love you! (used for family/friends, not romantic)
la teglia / il forno	lah TEH-lyah / eel FOHR-noh	the baking tray / the oven

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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 — Recap

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!

📝 Before you go: two small but common mixups from A1 are worth a quick look — Possessive Adjectives and Sapere vs Conoscere.

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.

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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

Stare + gerundio = present continuous, for actions happening right now: sto mangiando
Gerundio endings: -are → -ando · -ere/-ire → -endo (never changes/agrees)
Direct object pronouns (mi, ti, lo, la, ci, vi, li, le) replace the direct object and go before the verb
Indirect object pronouns (mi, ti, gli, le, ci, vi, gli) replace "to/for someone" — mostly identical to direct except 3rd person
Pronouns attach to the end of tu/noi/voi imperatives: Mangialo! Chiamami!
Tu imperative for -are verbs is irregular: uses -a (Parla!), not -i
Formal (Lei) imperative uses the opposite pattern: -are→-i, -ere/-ire→-a
Negative tu imperative = non + infinitive (the only true exception in the imperative system)
Italian communication is expressive — gestures, volume, and directness are cultural norms, not rudeness
Ti voglio bene (family/platonic love) is different from Ti amo (romantic love)

🏆 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 7 Continue to A2 →