Index
Italian Verb “Parlare” – Present Indicative Tense
The present indicative (presente indicativo) is one of the most commonly used verb tenses in Italian. It describes actions that happen now, routinely, or generally.
Let’s explore how the verb parlare (to speak) is conjugated in the present indicative tense.
What kind of verb is “parlare”?
“Parlare” is a regular verb that ends in -ARE, the most common verb group in Italian. All regular -ARE verbs follow the same pattern in the present tense.
Present Indicative of parlare
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| io | parlo | I speak |
| tu | parli | you speak (informal) |
| lui / lei | parla | he / she speaks |
| noi | parliamo | we speak |
| voi | parlate | you all speak (plural) |
| loro | parlano | they speak |
How is it used?
The present indicative is used to talk about:
- Current actions:
Parlo con Maria.
→ I’m speaking with Maria. - Habits or routines:
Ogni giorno parliamo in italiano.
→ Every day we speak in Italian. - General truths:
I bambini parlano molto.
→ Children talk a lot. - Near future actions (especially with time expressions):
Domani parlo con il professore.
→ Tomorrow I’m speaking with the professor.
Pronunciation tips
- The “gli” in parli and parliamo sounds like “lyee” [ʎ].
- Stress generally falls on the second-to-last syllable:
parlo, parli, parla, parliamo, parlate, parlano.
Summary
- “Parlare” is a regular -ARE verb.
- The present indicative describes what is happening now, routines, or general facts.
- It’s one of the most useful and frequent tenses in everyday conversation.
