15
The present tense of the verb finire (to finish)
Not all third-conjugation verbs are conjugated like sentire. The majority of them are conjugated like finire, which takes an –isc– between the stem and the ending. (They are thus often referred to as ‘isc’ verbs.) This occurs in all persons except the first and second plural.
finire (to finish
finisco finiamo
finisci finite
finisce finiscono
The following are some fairly common third-conjugation verbs which are conjugated like finire.
agire to act obbedire to obey
applaudire to applaud preferire to prefer
capire to understand reagire to react
costituire to constitute
Compare the present tense endings of regular verbs.
| I (-are) | II (-ere) | III (-ire) | III (model finire) |
| -o | -o | -o | -isco |
| -i | -i | -i | -isci |
| -a | -e | -e | -isce |
| -iamo | -iamo | -iamo | -iamo |
| -ate | -ete | -ite | -ite |
| -ano | -ono | -ono | -iscono |
VOCABULARY
| altro other |
cattivo bad |
ciò che what (literally, what which) |
privo di devoid of, lacking in |
| tra (also fra) between |