Simply put, in English or Italian, conjugation is the act of changing a verb to suit the way it's being used.

Remember a verb is a doing word, like 'am'. Now the form of the verb changes according to when it happens, 'I was', who does it, 'she is', and how many of them there are doing it, 'they are'.

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Italian Verb Conjugations Patterns

Regular Italian verbs are divided into three patterns of conjugation, following their infinitive form.

-ARE

mangiare

to eat

cantare

to sing

volare

to fly

–ERE

vedere

to see

correre

to run

sorridere

to smile

–IRE

dormire

to sleep

coprire

to cover

morire

to die

There is a 4th conjugation, which is generally accepted as a derivation of the third one, due to the fact that the infinitive form ends also with -IRE.

In this conjugation, at the 1st, 2nd 3rd singular and 3rd plural person we have to add the suffix -isc at the stem.

For example:

-ISC

capire

to understand

preferire

to prefer

gioire

to rejoice

Cantare - are

Io canto

I sing

tu canti

You sing

lui/lei/Lei canta

He/she/you (formal) sing/s

noi cantiamo

We sing

voi cantate

You (plural) sing

loro cantano

They sing

Correre - ere

Io corro

I run

tu corri

You run

lui/lei/Lei corre

He/she/you (formal) run/s

noi corriamo

We run

voi correte

You (plural) run

loro corrono

They run

Scoprire - ire

Io scopro

I discover

tu scopri

You discover

lui/lei/Lei scopre

He/she/you (formal) discover/s

noi scopriamo

We discover

voi scoprite

You (plural) discover

loro scoprono

They discover

Capire - ire with isc

Io capisco

I understand

tu capisci

You understand

lui/lei/Lei capisce

He/she/you (formal) understand/s

noi capiamo

We understand

voi capite

You (plural) understand

loro capiscono

They understand

Indicativo Imperfetto

Cantare - are

io cantavo

I used to sing

tu cantavi

You used to sing

lui/lei/Lei cantava

He/she/you (formal) used to sing

noi cantavamo

We used to sing

voi cantavate

You (plural) used to sing

loro cantavano

They used to sing

Correre - ere

io correvo

I used to run

tu correvi

You used to run

lui/lei/Lei correva

He/she/you (formal) used to run

noi correvamo

We used to run

voi correvate

You (plural) used to run

loro correvano

They used to run

Scoprire - ire

io scoprivo

I used to discover

tu scoprivi

You used to discover

lui/lei/Lei scopriva

He/she/you (formal) used to discover

noi scoprivamo

We used to discover

voi scoprivate

You (plural) used to discover

loro scoprivano

They used to discover

Capire - ire with isc

io capivo

I used to understand

tu capivi

You used to understand

lui/lei/Lei capiva

He/she/you (formal) used to understand

noi capivamo

We used to understand

voi capivate

You (plural) used to understand

loro capivano

They used to understand

Cantare - are

io cantai

I sang

tu cantasti

You sang

lui/lei/Lei cantò

He/she/you (formal) sang

noi cantammo

We sang

voi cantaste

You sang

loro cantarono

They sang

Correre - ere

io corsi

I ran

tu corresti

You ran

lui/lei/Lei corse

He/she/you (formal) ran

noi corremmo

We ran

voi correste

You (plural) ran

loro corsero

They ran

Scoprire - ire

io scoprii

I discovered

tu scopristi

You discovered

lui/lei/Lei scoprì

He/she/you (formal) discovered

noi scoprimmo

We discovered

voi scopriste

You (plural) discovered

loro scoprirono

They discovered

Capire - ire with isc

io capii

I understood

tu capisti

You understood

lui/lei/Lei capì

He/she/you (formal) understood

noi capimmo

We understood

voi capiste

You (plural) understood

loro capirono

They understood

Indicativo Futuro

Cantare - are

io canterò

I will sing

tu canterai

You will sing

lui/lei/Lei canterà

He/she/you (formal) will sing

noi canteremo

We will sing

voi canterete

You (plural) will sing

loro canteranno

They will sing

Correre - ere

io correrò

I will run

tu correrai

You will run

lui/lei/Lei correrà

He/she/you (formal) will run

noi correremo

We will run

voi correrete

You (plural) will run

loro correranno

They will run

Scoprire - ire

io scoprirò

I will discover

tu scoprirai

You will discover

lui/lei/Lei scoprirà

He/she/you (formal) will discover

noi scopriremo

We will discover

voi scoprirete

You (plural) will discover

loro scopriranno

They will discover

Capire - ire with isc

io capirò

I will understand

tu capirai

You will understand

lui/lei/Lei capirà

He/she/you (formal) will understand

noi capiremo

We will understand

voi capirete

You (plural) will understand

loro capiranno

They will understand

Practice Phrases containing Italian Regular Verbs – Simple Tense

Io suono la chitarra

I play the guitar ( Indicativo Presente)

Io suonavo la chitarra

I was playing the guitar (Indicativo Imperfetto)

Io suonai la chitarra

I played the guitar (Indicativo Passato Remoto)

Io suonerò la chitarra

I will play the guitar (Indicativo Futuro Semplice)

Suona la chitarra!

Play the guitar! (Imperativo)