Learn Italian Correctly with Lanka.
Gain practical Italian language skills for daily life and work through a simple, step-by-step lesson series from Lankio.
Passato Prossimo (Past Tense) - Part 01
Click on the Italian words to hear the pronunciation slowly.
Grammar Introduction (Introduzione)
In Italian, to express the past tense (did, watched, ate), we most commonly use the Passato Prossimo. In this first part, we will learn how to build sentences using the 'Avere' auxiliary verb.
| Italian 🇮🇹 | Pronunciation 🎧 | English Meaning 🇬🇧 |
|---|---|---|
| O la-vo-ra-to | I worked | |
| Ai man-gia-to | You ate | |
| A kom-pra-to | He/She bought | |
| Ab-bia-mo gwar-da-to | We watched | |
| A-ve-te ka-pi-to | You all understood | |
| An-no ven-du-to | They sold |
💡 How to change verbs to the Past Tense:
- -ARE (Lavorare) -ATO (Lavorato)
- -ERE (Vendere) -UTO (Venduto)
- -IRE (Capire) -ITO (Capito)
Practical Sentences (Frasi Pratiche)
Ho lavorato dieci ore ieri.
I worked ten hours yesterday.
Hai mangiato a che ora?
What time did you eat?
Ho comprato il pane.
I bought the bread.
Past Tense with Essere (Passato Prossimo - Part 02)
Click on the Italian words to hear the pronunciation slowly.
Grammar Introduction (Movement & Change)
In Italian, verbs that show movement, a state of being, or a change in condition use the auxiliary verb 'Essere' (to be) instead of 'Avere' in the past tense.
| Italian 🇮🇹 | Pronunciation 🎧 | English Meaning 🇬🇧 |
|---|---|---|
| So-no an-da-to | I went (Male) | |
| So-no an-da-ta | I went (Female) | |
| E ve-nu-to | He came | |
| E ve-nu-ta | She came | |
| Sia-mo ar-ri-va-ti | We arrived | |
| So-no u-shi-ti | They went out |
💡 How the ending changes:
Practical Sentences (Frasi per il Lavoro)
Sono arrivato in ritardo oggi.
I arrived late today.
Sei andato in ufficio?
Did you go to the office?
Siamo partiti presto.
We departed early.
Past Tense at Work (Italiano al Lavoro)
Click on the phrases to hear the pronunciation slowly.
Conversations at the Workplace (Conversazione sul Lavoro)
In this lesson, we will see how both types of past tense verbs we learned—those using Avere and those using Essere—are applied in a professional setting.
| Italian 🇮🇹 | Pronunciation 🎧 | English Meaning 🇬🇧 |
|---|---|---|
| O fi-ni-to il la-vo-ro | I finished the work | |
| Ai pu-li-to kwi? | Did you clean here? | |
| A sis-te-ma-to tut-to | He organized everything | |
| Ab-bia-mo ska-ri-ka-to | We unloaded the goods | |
| E ar-ri-va-to il ka-myon? | Did the truck arrive? |
❓ Common Workplace Questions (Domande Comuni):
💡 Remember:
Because we often talk about tasks and actions at work, Avere (Ho, Hai, Ha...) is used frequently. However, don't forget to use Essere (Sono, Sei, È...) for verbs of arrival (Arrivare) and departure (Andare).
Telling Time in Italian (Che ore sono?)
Click on the time to hear the pronunciation.
Main Questions (Domande Principali)
There are two ways to ask for the time in Italian:
| Time 🕒 | Italian 🇮🇹 | Pronunciation 🎧 |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | E loo-na | |
| 2:00 | So-no le doo-e | |
| 3:15 | Tre e oon kwar-to | |
| 4:30 | Kwat-tro e med-za | |
| 5:45 | Say may-no oon kwar-to | |
| 12:00 (Noon) | E med-zo-jor-no | |
| 00:00 (Midnight) | E med-za-not-te |
💡 Key Vocabulary:
Work Schedules (Orari di Lavoro)
Inizio alle otto.
I start at eight.
Finisco alle cinque.
I finish at five.
A che ora è la pausa?
What time is the break?
Days of the Week and Months (Giorni e Mesi)
Click on the word to hear the correct pronunciation.
Days of the Week (I Giorni della Settimana)
| Day | Italian 🇮🇹 | Pronunciation 🎧 |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Loo-ne-dee | |
| Tuesday | Mar-te-dee | |
| Wednesday | Mer-ko-le-dee | |
| Thursday | Jo-ve-dee | |
| Friday | Ve-ner-dee | |
| Saturday | Sa-ba-to | |
| Sunday | Do-me-nee-ka |
💡 Important Time Vocabulary:
Months (I Mesi dell'anno)
🛠️ Usage at Work:
Lavoro da lunedì a venerdì.
I work from Monday to Friday.
Sabato è il mio giorno libero.
Saturday is my day off.
Quiz (Lessons 21-25)
Test your knowledge!
1. How do you correctly say 'I finished the work'?
2. If a woman says "I went," she should say:
3. What day of the week is 'Domenica'?
4. How do you correctly say '4:30'?
5. 'August' in Italian is:
Shopping and Money
Spese e Denaro
Essential shopping and financial transactions in Italian
Here are the most commonly used Italian words and phrases when visiting shops, supermarkets, or handling money transactions.
Essential Vocabulary
Italian word, pronunciation guide, and English meaning
Practical Phrases
Italian sentence, pronunciation guide, and English translation
At the Hospital &
Doctor's Visit
Essential Italian vocabulary and phrases for medical situations
These essential words and phrases will help you describe symptoms and communicate effectively with medical professionals in case of an illness or emergency.
Key Vocabulary
Italian word, pronunciation guide, and English meaning
Practical Phrases
Italian sentence, pronunciation guide, and English meaning