Over time, we've looked at various Italian prefixes and here is one more: pro-. We often don't think about it because pro- can simply be part of a word. But in many cases, there is a good chance the root exists as a word on its own. In a recent video on Yabla, the verb provenire came up. A reader asked: "What's the difference between venire and provenire?" Great question. 

The answer is that provenire (while technically an action verb) has to do with the origin of something, whereas venire is an action, a movement in the direction of the speaker, writer, or interlocutor. In English, we do have the noun "provenance," from the Latin meaning "to come forth," but we usually translate provenire as "to come from," or "to originate from."  So if we think of the prefix pro- meaning "forward" or "forth," it might help us remember these words. 

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Venire - provenire (to come - to come from)

Penso che non ho tempo per fare la badante a nessuno, quindi tu organizza gli incontri e io vedo se riesco a venire.

I think I don't have time to be a babysitter for anyone, so you organize the meetings and I'll see if I can come.

Captions 56-57, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 2

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Ora stanno cercando di capire da dove provengono...

Now they are trying to figure out where they come from...

Caption 49, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP6 Dalla parte degli ultimi - Part 22

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Vedere - provvedere (to see - to see to, to take care of)

E be', non fargli vedere il tuo libretto degli esami perché...

Well, don't let her see your exam record because...

Caption 27, Com'è umano lui Film - Part 6

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We can now see the connection between "provide" and provvedere, but we can also see the word vedere (to see), and so it makes sense to translate provvedere as "to see to." It can also be "to take care of."

Lo so, ho avuto tanto da fare. Domani provvedo, va bene?

I know. I have had a lot to do. Tomorrow I will see to it, all right?

Caption 39, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP1 I Bastardi - Part 17

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Mettere - promettere (to put - to promise)

Sei capace di studiare, sacrificarti, passare le notti insonni, mettere tutta la tua vita a servizio della musica, sei capace?

Are you capable of studying, sacrificing yourself, spending sleepless nights, putting your whole life at the service of music, are you capable?

Captions 31-33, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 7

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Ma Lei mi deve promettere una cosa.

But you have to promise me one thing:

Caption 23, Moscati, l'amore che guarisce EP1 - Part 18

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The noun form is la promessa (the promise).

Porre — proporre (to place - to propose)

Dobbiamo porre nella teglia il pollo con le patate a spicchi,

In the pan, we have to place the chicken with the potato wedges,

Captions 6-7, JAMS S1 EP7 - Part 3

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Porre can also be reflexive, with a more figurative meaning of considering something.  

Seconda cosa, visto che una è partita e l'altra si è fidanzata, io non mi pongo il problema, capito?

Second of all, since one is gone and the other is engaged, I don't consider the problem, you understand?

Captions 5-7, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 11

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Proporre is to put forth, as with an idea.

Bene. Cosa propone?

Good. What do you propose?

Caption 43, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 10

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The noun form is la proposta (the proposal, the suggestion).

Trarre - protrarre (to pull, to draw - to prolong, to continue)

Although trarre is another word for tirare (to pull) it's frequently used in a figurative sense,  as in drawing a conclusion or gaining an advantage. 

Ma stavolta proprio il senso di colpa gli ha fatto trarre delle conclusioni affrettate,

But this time his guilty conscience made him draw hasty conclusions,

Captions 73-74, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP 4 Maltempo - Part 20

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Protrarre is used to refer to prolonging something over time. 

La costruzione della Fortezza di Fenestrelle, iniziata nel millesettecentoventotto, si protrarrà per centoventi anni.

The construction of the Fenestrelle Fortress, begun in seventeen hundred and twenty-eight, would continue on for a hundred and twenty years.

Captions 14-16, Meraviglie EP. 5 - Part 4

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Muovere - promuovere (to move - to promote)

The reflexive form of the verb muovere is used here: muoversi. 

Non ti muovere.

Don't move.

Caption 47, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP4 Gelo - Part 13

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When you move forward in school, from one grade to the next, the verb is promuovere. It can be used as well, just as in English, when you promote someone or something, giving them publicity.

Com'è andata? -Mi hanno promosso.

How did it go? -They promoted me.

Caption 2, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 23

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Seguire - proseguire (to follow - to continue)

We talk about these verbs in this lesson. 

The prefix pro- can also mean "entirely"  — interamente. In the case of prosciutto (cured ham), it has to do with salting and drying:  pro - asciutto (dry). The verb is prosciugare, to dry entirely. Prosciogliere is "to dissolve completely."

Thanks for reading. We hope you've gotten the idea of the prefix pro-. If you think of other words with this prefix, please let us know, and we'll add them to the lesson.

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In a previous lesson we talked about the verb seguire (to follow). Here are two other words that have the same root and are related, but mean something else: Proseguire and inseguire.

Proseguire (to continue)

In Italian, we can use the verb continuare, an easy cognate, but sometimes it's nice to change. Proseguire is a verb you will hear a lot, especially when someone is giving you directions. 

Come posso arrivare alla spiaggia più vicina? Guarda, se proseguite  sulla strada che fat' [sic] stavate facendo...

How can I reach the closest beach? Look, if you continue on the road you tak [sic] were taking...

Captions 17-18, Una gita al lago - Part 1

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Il nostro viaggio prosegue in Piemonte,

Our journey continues in Piedmont,

Caption 7, Meraviglie EP. 5 - Part 4

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You might ask, "Is there a difference between continuare and proseguire?" Well, much of the time they are interchangeable, but sometimes continuare can imply that you keep doing the same thing. 

Continuo a non capire (I still don't understand).

But with proseguire, you continue on, you advance, you proceed. Think of an arrow in one direction. 

Prosegua pure, prego.

Go ahead and continue, please.

Caption 35, PsicoVip La lavatrice - Ep 23

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We could also have translated this with the verb "to proceed."

There is a noun form of this word: il proseguo.

...questa è diventata una, una realtà e sicuramente, eh, anche per il proseguo...

...this has become a, a reality and surely, uh, also for the aftermath...

Caption 40, Calcio Intervista con il Prof. Cravero

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When you are saying goodbye to someone, instead of saying  buona giornata or buona serata, you might say, buon proseguimento if you know that whomever you are saying goodbye to is off to do something else, not just going home.

Buon proseguimento (I wish you well in whatever you do next).

Or 

Per il telegiornale oggi è tutto, io vi auguro un buon proseguimento  di giornata.

That's all for the newscast for today. I wish you a good rest of the day.

Captions 56-57, Anna e Marika in TG Yabla Italia e Meteo - Part 4

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Inseguire (to chase, to pursue)

Allora, il ragioniere, terrorizzato, scappa verso il salone, ma Menicucci lo insegue e gli spara una seconda volta.

So the accountant, terrified, runs towards the living room, but Menicucci chases him down and shoots him a second time.

Captions 51-52, Provaci ancora prof! S2EP1 - La finestra sulla scuola - Part 23

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We can also use the word "to follow" as a translation, but the intention changes from seguire.

We have a noun associated with this word, too: l'inseguimento (the chase, the pursuit).

Ma i bolidi sfreccianti verso Parma sembrano sfidare il nostro inseguimento celeste.

But the race cars speeding towards Parma seem to defy our airborne pursuit.

Captions 9-10, La Mille Miglia del passato per vivere quella di oggi - Part 2

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Let's add one more word!

Susseguirsi (to follow one another in succession)

We have inserted this verb with its reflexive ending, which is actually a reciprocal form, and is used as a noun in our example, something that's quite common.

Ora è il turno della parola: tempo, con la quale indichiamo il susseguirsi dei minuti, delle ore, dei giorni.

Now, it's time for the word "tempo," with which we indicate the passing of minutes, hours, days.

Captions 46-47, Marika spiega Parole con più significati - Part 1

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We can visualize the seconds following one another on a clock... We can talk about un susseguirsi di eventi (a chain of events or a series of events).

For more on the reflexive versus reciprocal verbs, see this video, presented by Marika. 

For a lesson in English that explains the reciprocal form of verbs, see this lesson. 

We hope we haven't filled your brain with words that are too similar. Please work on each one separately if you if that works best for you!

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