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The verbs leggere (to read), scrivere (to write), and mettere (to place, to put)

Leggere (to read), scrivere (to write), and mettere (to put, to place) are regular verbs, except for the past absolute and the past participle.

leggere scrivere mettere
Past absolute lessi scrissi misi
leggesti scrivesti mettesti
lesse scrisse mise
leggemmo scrivemmo mettemmo
leggeste scriveste metteste
lessero scrissero misero
 

Past participle

 

letto

 

scritto

 

messo

 

Conjugated like leggere are: eleggere (to elect) and rileggere (to reread).

Numerous verbs may be considered compounds of mettere and are conjugated in the same way: ammettere (to admit), commettere (to commit), compromettere (to compromise), omettere (to omit), permettere (to permit), promettere (to promise), sottomettere (to subject; to submit), trasmettere (to transmit), etc.

The verb mettere can be used reflexively as well: mettersi. When used with a direct object, it means “to put on [something],” such as an article of clothing.

Mi metto la giacca. — I am putting on my coat. 

When used with the preposition a (mettersi a) + the infinitive, it means “to position [oneself] to [do something]”, as in “to start or to begin something.”

Mi metto a studiare. — I start / I am starting to study. 


VOCABULARY

accano a
beside, next to
alunno
pupil
giornale (m.)
newspaper
lavagna
blackboard
mettersi a (+inf.) =
cominciare a (+ inf.)
ridere
to laugh
rivista
magazine, review
scorso
last, past

 

License

Italian for Reading & Translation Copyright © by Lauren Surovi and Carleton W. Carroll. All Rights Reserved.

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