Using Impersonal Verbs and Expressions

Impersonal verbs and expressions are used to talk about general truths, opinions, or indefinite situations. They do not specify a specific subject performing the action. In Italian, impersonal constructions are commonly used to express concepts like weather conditions, emotions, and personal preferences.

Impersonal Verbs

Impersonal verbs are verbs that do not have a specific subject. They are often used to describe general situations or conditions. Here are some common impersonal verbs in Italian:

1. È - it is

   • Example: È importante studiare. - It is important to study.

2. Bisogna - one must, it is necessary

   • Example: Bisogna fare attenzione. - One must be careful.

3. Occorre - it is necessary, one needs

   • Example: Occorre studiare ogni giorno. - It is necessary to study every day.

4. Si deve - one must, you have to

   • Example: Si deve lavorare sodo. - One must work hard.

5. Accade - it happens

   • Example: Accade a volte. - It happens sometimes.

Impersonal Expressions

Impersonal expressions are fixed phrases that are used to express general opinions or states. Here are some commonly used impersonal expressions in Italian:

1. È possibile - it is possible

   • Example: È possibile arrivare in ritardo. - It is possible to arrive late.

2. È normale - it is normal

   • Example: È normale essere nervosi. - It is normal to be nervous.

3. È inevitabile - it is inevitable

   • Example: È inevitabile sbagliare. - It is inevitable to make mistakes.

4. È meglio - it is better

   • Example: È meglio non mangiare troppo. - It is better not to eat too much.

5. È consigliabile - it is advisable

   • Example: È consigliabile dormire otto ore al giorno. - It is advisable to sleep eight hours a day.

Conjugating Impersonal Verbs

When conjugating impersonal verbs, it is important to remember that they are not conjugated based on the subject, but rather in the third-person singular form.

For example:

• È importante - It is important
• Bisogna fare - One must do
• Si deve studiare - One must study

Using Impersonal Verbs and Expressions in Sentences

Impersonal verbs and expressions can be used in various sentence structures. Here are some examples:

1. È + adjective

   • Example: È bello andare al mare. - It is nice to go to the beach.

2. È + noun

   • Example: È un piacere parlare con te. - It is a pleasure to speak with you.

3. Bisogna/si deve + infinitive verb

   • Example: Bisogna mangiare sano. - One must eat healthy.

4. Impersonal expression + infinitive verb

   • Example: È consigliabile fare sport. - It is advisable to do sports.

5. È + adjective + che + clause

   • Example: È importante che tu studi. - It is important that you study.

Remember to conjugate the verb correctly and use the appropriate form of the impersonal expression based on the context of your sentence.

Recap

In this lesson, we learned how to use impersonal verbs and expressions to talk about general truths and opinions. Here are the key points to remember:

• Impersonal verbs do not have a specific subject and are used to describe general situations or conditions.
• Impersonal expressions are fixed phrases used to express general opinions or states.
• Conjugate impersonal verbs in the third-person singular form.
• Use impersonal verbs and expressions in various sentence structures to convey the intended meaning.

Now that you have a good understanding of impersonal verbs and expressions, you can confidently use them to express general truths and opinions in your Italian conversations. Keep practicing and incorporating them into your spoken and written Italian to become more fluent. Happy learning!