After learning about the Italian Are Verbs (first conjugation) and those ending in Ere (second conjugation), it’s now time to learn the Italian Ire Verbs. These verbs belong to the third conjugation.
Let’s learn more about them.
Table of Contents
Let’s Revise Italian Verbs
- In Italian the verbs are divided into three conjugations – first, second, and third. Each verb is grouped under one conjugation based on its ending.
- ARE verbs belong to the first conjugation and make up most of the Italian words, with over 4000 of them.
- Ere verbs belong to the second conjugation, and there are just under 600 with that ending.
- Ire verbs belong to the third conjugation.
- Verbs under each conjugation can be either regular or irregular, although most of the irregular ones are found under the second and third conjugations.
- They are regular when they follow the standard conjugation system, that is when they take the regular endings for each mood, tense, and person.
- When they change their ending or even their root they are referred to as irregular. Irregular verbs are called so even when they change only a couple of times in their conjugation.
If you haven’t already, you can read the lessons on the first and second conjugation here: Italian Are Verbs and Italian Ere Verbs.
Italian Ire Verbs: Key Things To Know
- Ire Verbs belong to the third conjugation of Italian verbs.
- Ire Verbs can be both regular and irregular.
- There are under 1000 verbs that end in ire, although probably only half of them are heavily used.
- Most Ire Verbs take the interfix ISC after the root and before the ending. This only applies to the singular and third plural persons of these modes and tenses – indicative present, subjunctive present, and imperative.
- Some IRE verbs can be used with and without that interfix.
Italian Ire Verbs That Take The ISC Interfix
Here are the verbs that take the -isc between the root and the ending particle -ire. I have included an example in the first person of the indicative present tense, so you can see the infinitive vs the structure with the -isc inserted.
- abolire – Io abolisco (I abolish)
- agire – Io agisco (I act)
- alleggerire – Io alleggerisco (I lighten)
- ammonire – Io ammonisco (I warn)
- ammorbidire – Io ammorbidisco (I soften)
- annuire – Io annuisco (I nod)
- appassire – Io appassisco (I wither)
- appesantire – Io appesantisco (I weigh down)
- appiattire – Io appiattisco (I flatten)
- approfondire – Io approfondisco (I deepen)
- arricchire – Io arricchisco (I enrich)
- bandire – Io bandisco (I banish)
- blandire – Io blandisco (I coax)
- capire – Io capisco (I understand)
- chiarire – Io chiarisco (I clarify)
- colpire – Io colpisco (I hit)
- concepire – Io concepisco (I conceive)
- condire – Io condisco (I season)
- contribuire – Io contribuisco (I contribute)
- costruire – Io costruisco (I build)
- custodire – Io custodisco (I guard)
- definire – Io definisco (I define)
- demolire – Io demolisco (I demolish)
- digerire – Io digerisco (I digest)
- diminuire – Io diminuisco (I decrease)
- distribuire – Io distribuisco (I distribute)
- esaudire – Io esaudisco (I fulfill)
- esaurire – Io esaurisco (I exhaust)
- esibire – Io esibisco (I exhibit)
- esordire – Io esordisco (I begin)
- fallire – Io fallisco (I fail)
- favorire – Io favorisco (I favor)
- ferire – Io ferisco (I wound)
- finire – Io finisco (I finish)
- fiorire – Io fiorisco (I bloom)
- fornire – Io fornisco (I provide)
- garantire – Io garantisco (I guarantee)
- gestire – Io gestisco (I manage)
- gioire – Io gioisco (I rejoice)
- gradire – Io gradisco (I enjoy)
- guarire – Io guarisco (I heal)
- imbandire – Io imbandisco (I set the table)
- imbastire – Io imbastisco (I baste)
- impazzire – Io impazzisco (I go crazy)
- impedire – Io impedisco (I prevent)
- inaridire – Io inaridisco (I dry up)
- influire – Io influisco (I influence)
- ingerire – Io ingiuisco (I ingest)
- inserire – Io inserisco (I insert)
- interloquire – Io interloquisco (I interlocute)
- istituire – Io istituisco (I establish)
- istruire – Io istruisco (I instruct)
- languire – Io languisco (I languish)
- lenire – Io lenisco (I soothe)
- marcire – Io marcisco (I rot)
- munire – Io munisco (I fortify)
- obbedire – Io obbedisco (I obey)
- ordire – Io ordisco (I plot)
- ostruire – Io ostruisco (I obstruct)
- patire – Io patisco (I suffer)
- perire – Io perisco (I perish)
- poltrire – Io poltrisco (I laze)
- preferire – Io preferisco (I prefer)
- proibire – Io proibisco (I prohibit)
- pulire – Io pulisco (I clean)
- punire – Io punisco (I punish)
- rapire – Io rapisco (I abduct)
- reagire – Io reagisco (I react)
- restituire – Io restituisco (I return)
- rimpicciolire – Io rimpicciolisco (I shrink)
- ringiovanire – Io ringiovanisco (I rejuvenate)
- riunire – Io riunisco (I reunite)
- sbiadire – Io sbiadisco (I fade)
- sbollire – Io sbollisco (I boil away)
- scalfire – Io scalfisco (I scar)
- scaturire – Io scaturisco (I gush)
- schiarire – Io schiarisco (I clarify)
- scolpire – Io scolpisco (I sculpt)
- seppellire – Io seppellisco (I bury)
- sgualcire – Io sgualcisco (I crumple)
- smarrire – Io smarrisco (I lose)
- smentire – Io smentisco (I deny)
- sostituire – Io sostituisco (I substitute)
- sparire – Io spariscono (I disappear)
- spedire – Io spedisco (I send)
- stabilire – Io stabilisco (I establish)
- stupire – Io stupisco (I amaze)
- subire – Io subisco (I undergo)
- suggerire – Io suggerisco (I suggest)
- svanire – Io svanisco (I vanish)
- tradire – Io tradisco (I betray)
- ubbidire – Io ubbidisco (I obey)
- unire – Io unisco (I unite)
- zittire – Io zittisco (I silence)
Italian IRE VERBS That Do Not Take ISC
Here is a short list of -ire verbs that don’t take the interfix -isc.
- aprire – Io apro (I open)
- avvertire – Io avverto (I warn)
- convertire – Io converto (I convert)
- coprire – Io copro (I cover)
- divertire – Io diverto (I entertain)
- dormire – Io dormo (I sleep)
- eseguire – Io eseguo (I execute)
- incarnare – Io incarno (I incarnate)
- invertire – Io inverto (I invert)
- investire – Io investo (I invest)
- inseguire – Io inseguo (I chase)
- offrire – Io offro (I offer)
- partire – Io parto (I leave/depart)
- perseguire – Io perseguito (I pursue)
- proseguire – Io proseguo (I continue)
- riempire – Io riempio (I fill)
- seguire – Io seguo (I follow)
- sentire – Io sento (I hear/feel)
- servire – Io servo (I serve)
- sovvertire – Io sovverto (I subvert)
- vestire – Io vesto (I dress)
Use These Ire Verbs With & Without ISC
These verbs below can be conjugated in the indicative present, subjunctive present, and imperative with both versions – including -isc and excluding it. However, the first form (aka the one excluding it) is more commonly used.
- applaudire – Io applaudo, Io applaudisco (I applaud)
- assorbire – Io assorbo, Io assorbisco (I absorb)
- inghiottire – Io inghiotto, Io inghiottisco (I swallow)
- mentire – Io mento, Io mentisco (I lie)
- nutrire – Io nutro, Io nutrisco (I feed/nourish)
- sbollire – Io sbollo, Io sbollisco (I boil away)
- presentire – Io presento, Io presentisco (I foresee)
PS: don’t confuse io presento (from presentire) with io presento (from presentare, to present).
Italian Ire Verbs List: The Most Used
Rather than giving you the full list of Italian -ire verbs, I believe it’s much more useful and less overwhelming if I give you the list of the most used.
Ire Verbs Starting with A
Abbellire – to embellish
Abbrustolire – to toast
Abbruttire – to brutalize
Abolire – to abolish
Abortire – to abort
Accanirsi – to persist
Acconsentire – to consent
Accudire – to care for
Acquisire – to acquire
Addolcire – to sweeten
Adibire – to employ
Affluire – to flow
Agire – to act
Alleggerire – to lighten
Allestire – to set up
Allibire – to dismay
Ambire – to aspire
Ammorbidire – to soften
Ammuffire – to mold
Annerire – to blacken
Apparire – to appear
Appassire – to wither
Appensentire – to weigh down
Appiattire – to flatten
Applaudire – to applaud
Approfondire – to deepen
Appuntire – to sharpen
Aprire – to open
Ardire – to dare
Arricchire – to enrich
Arrostire – to roast
Arruginire – to rust
Assalire – to attack
Asserire – to assert
Assorbire – to absorb
Assortire – to assort
Attribuire – to attribute
Autogestire – to self-manage
Avvenire – to happen
Avvertire – to warn
Azzittire – to silence
Starting with B
Bandire – to ban
Benedire – to bless
Bollire – to boil
Ire Verbs Starting with C
Capire – to understand
Censire – to cense
Chiarire – to clarify
Circuire – to circumvent
Colpire – to strike
Comparire – to appear
Compatire – to pity
Concepire – to conceive
Condire – to season
Conferire – to confer
Conferire – to assign
Conseguire – to achieve
Consentire – to consent
Contraddire – to contradict
Contravvenire – to contravene
Contribuire – to contribute
Convenire – to convene
Convertire – to convert
Coprire – to cover
Costituire – to constitute
Costruire – to construct
Custodire – to guard
Cucire – to sew
Starting with D & E
Definire – to define
Demolire – to demolish
Deperire – to perish
Differire – to differ
Dimagrire – to lose weight
Diminuire – to decrease
Dire – to say
Disdire – to cancel
Disobbedire – to disobey
Distribuire – to distribute
Divenire – to become
Divertire – to entertain
Dormire – to sleep
Esaudire – to fulfill
Esaurire – to exhaust
Eseguire – to execute
Esibire – to exhibit
Esordire – to debut
Ire Verbs Starting with F & G
Fallire – to fail
Farcire – to stuff
Favorire – to favor
Ferire – to wound
Finire – to finish
Fiorire – to flourish
Fluire – to flow
Fornire – to supply
Fuggire – to flee
Fuoriuscire – to exit
Garantire – to guarantee
Gestire – to manage
Gioire – to rejoice
Gualcire – to crumple
Guarire – to heal
Guarnire – to garnish
Starting with I
Imbandire – to set the table
Imbellire – to beautify
Imbiondire – to embitter
Imbizzarrire – to bewilder
Imbottire – to stuff
Impadronirsi – to take over
Impartire – to impart
Impaurire – to frighten
Impazientire – to make impatient
Impazzire – to go crazy
Impedire – to prevent
Impoverire – to impoverish
Impreziosire – to embellish
Incuriosire – to arouse curiosity
Indebolire – to weaken
Infastidire – to annoy
Infierire – to rage
Ingelosire – to make jealous
Ingerire – to ingest
Inghiottire – to swallow
Ingiallire – to turn yellow
Innervosire – to make nervous
Inserire – to insert
Interferire – to interfere
Intervenire – to intervene
Intiepidire – to lukewarm
Intimidire – to intimidate
Intristire – to sadden
Intuire – to intuit
Inumidire – to moisten
Invigorire – to invigorate
Irrobustire – to strengthen
Irruginire – to corrode
Istituire – to establish
Ire verbs starting with M, N & O
Maledire – to curse
Mentire – to lie
Morire – to die
Nutrire – to nourish
Obbedire – to obey
Offrire – to offer
Ostruire – to obstruct
Starting with P
Partire – to leave
Partorire – to give birth
Patire – to suffer
Pentirsi – to repent
Percepire – to perceive
Perire – to perish
Perquisire – to search
Perseguire – to pursue
Pervenire – to reach
Predire – to predict
Preferire – to prefer
Premonire – to forewarn
Presentire – to have a premonition
Prestabilire – to pre-establish
Prevenire – to prevent
Proibire – to prohibit
Proseguire – to continue
Provenire – to come from
Pulire – to clean
Punire – to punish
Starting with R
Rabbrividire – to shiver
Raddolcire – to sweeten
Rapire – to kidnap
Rattristire – to sadden
Recensire – to review
Recepire – to receive
Reperire – to find
Requisire – to requisition
Restituire – to return
Retribuire – to reward
Riaprire – to reopen
Ribadire – to reiterate
Ricoprire – to cover
Ricucire – to sew up
Ridire – to redo
Rifornire – to supply
Rimpicciolire – to shrink
Ringiovanire – to rejuvenate
Rinsavire – to come to one’s senses
Riscoprire – to rediscover
Risentire – to feel again
Ristabilire – to restore
Rivestire – to cover
Ire verbs starting with S
Salire – to climb
Sancire – to sanction
Sbalordire – to astound
Sbiadire – to fade
Sbizzarrirsi – to go wild
Sbollire – to boil
Scandire – to scan
Scaturire – to gush
Schiarire – to lighten
Scolorire – to discolor
Scolpire – to sculpt
Scoprire – to discover
Scucire – to unstitch
Scurire – to darken
Seguire – to follow
Sentire – to feel
Seppellire – to bury
Servire – to serve
Sfinire – to finish
Sfuggire – to escape
Sgualcire – to crumple
Smarrire – to lose
Smentire – to deny
Sminuire – to diminish
Soffrire – to suffer
Soppravenire – to forestall
Sostituire – to replace
Sparire – to disappear
Spaurire – to frighten
Spedire – to send
Stabilitire – to stabilize
Starnutire – to sneeze
Stordire – to stun
Stupire – to amaze
Subire – to undergo
Suggerire – to suggest
Susseguire – to follow on
Sveltire – to slim down
Svenire – to faint
Starting with T, U, V, & Z
Tossire – to cough
Tradire – to betray
Trasferire – to transfer
Trasgredire – to transgress
Travestire – to disguise
Ubbidire – to obey
Udire – to hear
Unire – to unite
Uscire – to go out
Usufruire – to enjoy
Venire – to come
Vestire – to dress
Zittire – to silence
If you want to see the others, check out this Italian resource.
Italian Ire Verbs Conjugation: Regular Verbs
Let’s conjugate the regular verb partire. You can use this regular conjugation model for other regular -ire verbs. In the next section, you’ll see examples for the most used tenses.
Scroll to the bottom to learn about irregular ire verbs.
Italian Ire Verbs Examples
Let’s look at how to conjugate 3 different verbs ending in -ire. One is regular, one takes the interfix -isc, and the other one is an irregular verb in multiple modes and tenses.
Partire (regular)
Capire (takes -isc)
Dire (irregular)
Presente (Present)
Luigi parte per l’università ogni mattina presto. (Luigi leaves for university every morning early.)
Noi capiamo il significato di questa parola. (We understand the meaning of this word.)
Lei dice sempre quello che pensa. (She always says what she thinks.)
Imperfetto (Imperfect)
Noi partivamo per le vacanze ogni estate. (We used to leave for vacation every summer.)
Voi capivate facilmente le istruzioni. (You all used to easily understand the instructions.)
Loro dicevano che non volevano venire alla festa. (They used to say they didn’t want to come to the party.)
Futuro (Future)
Mario partirà per il viaggio di lavoro domani. (Mario will leave for the business trip tomorrow.)
Tu capirai la verità prima o poi. (You will understand the truth sooner or later.)
Lei dirà alla famiglia della sua decisione. (She will tell her family about her decision.)
Passato remoto (Historical Past)
Gli antichi romani partirono per conquistare nuove terre. (The ancient Romans left to conquer new lands.)
Ci dissero di non disturbarli durante il loro viaggio di nozze. (They told us not to disturb them during their honeymoon.)
Capirono finalmente l’importanza del gesto. (They finally understood the importance of the gesture.)
Passato prossimo (Present Perfect)
Sono partiti per le vacanze la scorsa settimana. (They left for vacation last week.)
Hai capito il compito di matematica? (Did you understand the math assignment?)
Ha detto che arriverà presto. (He said he would arrive soon.)
Condizionale (Conditional)
Se avessero più soldi, partirebbero per un lungo viaggio. (If they had more money, they would leave for a long journey.)
Forse, se ti spiegassi meglio, capiresti di più. (If I explained better, you would understand more.)
Se potessi, ti direi quanto ti amo ogni giorno. (If I could, I would tell you how much I love you every day.)
Irregular Ire Verbs
If you exclude the fact that certain third conjugation Italian ire verbs take the -isc interfix, then most of them are regular verbs.
About 30 IRE verbs have an irregular past participle. Examples of these are aperto (from aprire, to open), comparso (from comparire, to appear), and detto (from dire, to say).
These verbs are irregular in the Passato Remoto tense:
Aprire (to open) – io aprii, tu apristi, lui aprì, noi aprimmo, voi apriste, loro aprirono.
Coprire (to cover) – io coprii, tu copristi, lui coprì, noi coprimmo, voi copriste, loro coprirono.
Offrire (to offer) – io offrii, tu offristi, lui offrì, noi offrimmo, voi offriste, loro offrirono.
These verbs are irregular in multiple modes and tenses:
Apparire (to appear)
Dire (to say)
Morire (to die)
Salire (to go up)
Udire (to hear)
Uscire (to go out or get out)
Venire (to come)
Have a look at the conjugations for irregular verbs Venire and Uscire (coming soon).
Continue Learning The Italian Verbs
If you found this lesson useful, there are many more ones covering the verbs in Italian. Choose one from this list to continue learning.
Italian Reflexive Verbs
