We use the imperative form of verbs to give commands. We use it in circumstances such as getting someone's attention. Even when you are saying mi scusi or scusa (excuse me), you are using the imperative form. On any conjugation chart, you will find the imperative form for a verb, where applicable. For example, the verb andare (to go).
Vai! Va' (imperative form, familiar second person singular). Go!
Vada! (imperative formal second person singular). Go!
Andate! (imperative informal second person plural). Go!
Vadano (imperative formal second person plural) Go!
Andiamo! (first person plural imperative). Let's go.
Vai via, non seguirmi più.
Go away, don't follow me anymore.
Caption 48, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 7
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But there is another common way to form an imperative in certain circumstances. When a command is directed at the public in general, not a specific person, the infinitive is often used. For example, we'll hear the infinitive in a command at a train station:
Attenzione. Allontanarsi dalla linea gialla.
Attention please. Step back from the yellow line.
Caption 7, Sposami EP 2 - Part 26
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In navigating instructions:
Tenere la destra, tenere la sinistra.
Bear right, bear left.
Caption 22, Stai lontana da me Rai Cinema - Part 16
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Instructions for staying safe during Covid-19.
Lavarsi bene le mani con sapone, per almeno venti secondi
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap, for at least twenty seconds,
Caption 54, COVID-19 Domande frequenti - Part 2
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Putting someone on hold.
Attendere, prego.
Wait, please.
Caption 3, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP3 Vicini - Part 6
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The infinitive is also used for negative informal commands in the second-person singular. So to form a negative command, instead of using non with the conjugated verb, we use non with the infinitive of the verb.
non andare
No, aspetta, aspetta, Lara. Aspetta. Non andare.
No, wait, wait, Lara. Wait. Don't go.
Captions 7-8, Il Commissario Manara S2EP4 - Miss Maremma - Part 1
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non fare così
Avanti, dai, Tiziana, non fare così. Vieni qua.
Come on, please, Tiziana, don't be like this. Come here.
Caption 25, Il Commissario Manara S2EP9 - L'amica ritrovata - Part 7
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non piangere
Dai, dai, non piangere più, calmati un po'.
Come on, come on, stop crying, calm down a little.
Caption 64, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP1 I Bastardi - Part 4
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non mi lasciare!
Amore, non mi lasciare.
Love, don't leave me.
Caption 74, Sposami EP 2 - Part 18
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non fare lo scemo
Ma non fare lo scemo, dai!
But don't be an idiot, come on!
Caption 27, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP3 Un cugino in fuga - Part 8
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And when the command is negative and addressed to the general public, the same holds true. Non plus the infinitive.
Non calpestare l'erba (don't walk on the grass).
Non attraversare col rosso (don't cross with a red light).
Think of some commands such as: parla (speak)! And then make it negative: non parlare (don't speak).
Verbs to try: If you're not sure of the right conjugation, look it up in WordReference.
aspettare (to wait), dormire (to sleep), correre (to run), rallentare (to slow down), guardare (to look), etc.
We've looked at breath and breathing in Italian from different angles. Now let's talk about the absence of breathing. Here, too, we can look at it from a couple of different angles.
We recognize this word because it's used in English, too, often referring to sleep apnea. It refers to a temporary suspension of breathing. This can be intentional (as in diving with no oxygen tank):
Questa è la costa dei suoi grandi record di apnea, a meno quarantacinque metri nel sessanta,
This is the coast of his great free diving records, to minus forty-five meters in nineteen sixty,
Captions 10-11, Linea Blu Sicilia - Part 19
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Or it can be unintentional (as in sleep apnea or shortness of breath).
Il respiro corto, la difficoltà a respirare, a parlare, tipo apnea, era presente nel diciotto virgola sei per cento dei casi.
Shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and speaking, as in apnea, are present in eighteen point six percent of the cases.
Captions 37-38, COVID-19 Domande frequenti - Part 2
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The noun affanno (breathlessness) is a great word with its double f and double n, especially if you know what it feels like to be out of breath. But it can also be used figuratively to describe that state of anxiety one has, also called "stress," like when you have to run around doing 10 things at once, and you're on a time crunch.
Stavo sempre a cercare lavoro, sempre di corsa, sempre in affanno
I was always hunting for work, always in a rush, always out of breath,
Captions 39-40, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1 - Part 10
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We have the adjective version, too: affannato
Let's just keep in mind that the word "stress" has become part of Italian colloquial vocabulary. lo stress, stressare, stressato.
We already talked about this adjective, but let's have a closer look.
e la vista mozzafiato della città
and the breathtaking view of the city
Caption 20, Villa Medici L'arca della bellezza - Part 7
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If we take apart this wonderful adjective, we get mozzare (to cut off) and fiato (breath). So if your breath is cut off, it's taken away. And let's not forget about another use of mozzare. It's part of one of our favorite Italian dairy products, la mozzarella.
There's a Yabla video in which Marika and Anna go to a place in Rome where they actually make mozzarella, to find out how it's made. Check it out!
la pasta filata viene appunto mozzata, o a mano o a macchina,
The spun paste is, just that, cut off, by hand or by machine,
Caption 6, Anna e Marika La mozzarella di bufala - La produzione e i tagli - Part 2
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Have we missed any words having to do with breath and breathing? Let us know at [email protected].
In part 1, we looked at the noun il fiato (the breath).
Respiro is another word for "breath." But first came the verb respirare (to breathe). It came from the Latin spirare (to breathe). In fact, we can see the logic in the prefix re-. You breathe in and out and repeat it as long as you live. In Italian, spirare (to expire) can indicate the last breath you take before you die (no more repeating it!), and in fact, in English, "to expire" is another way to say "to die."
Il respiro corto, la difficoltà a respirare,
Shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing
a parlare, tipo apnea,
and speaking, as in apnea,
era presente nel diciotto virgola sei per cento dei casi.
are present in eighteen point six percent of the cases.
Captions 37-38, COVID-19 - Domande frequenti
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Il respiro means "the breath," but this noun is also used figuratively. It can mean "breathing room," or when you finally have a moment to yourself.
No, Sergio, è il primo giorno che ho un po' di respiro,
No, Sergio, it's the first day I've had a bit of a breather,
però oggi le guardo, promesso. -Mm.
but today I'll look at them, I promise. -Hm.
Captions 24-25, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero
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Even more figuratively, respiro is used to mean the scale or scope of something, especially when it's large-scale.
Un festival ad ampio respiro is a festival that covers lots of different kinds of things
Respiro can also mean "spirit" or "atmosphere."
Questa breve guida alternativa vuole rendere accessibile il respiro della città eterna
This brief alternative guide wishes to render the spirit of the Eternal City accessible
a chi del turismo di plastica ne ha abbastanza
to those who've had enough of plastic tourism
Captions 13-14, I Love Roma - guida della città
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The adjective form respiratorio is just like the English "respiratory."
Il nuovo coronavirus è un virus respiratorio
The novel coronavirus is a respiratory virus
Caption 5, COVID-19 - Domande frequenti
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When we talk about the act of breathing, we use la respirazione.
Santo, per migliorare la qualità del sonno
Santo, to improve the quality of one's sleep,
basterebbe fare ogni sera un esercizio di respirazione
one simply needs to do breathing exercises every night
prima di addormentarsi. Vero o falso?
before going to sleep. True or false?
Captions 14-16, L'Eredità -Quiz TV - La sfida dei sei. Puntata 1
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What about breathing in and breathing out?
We use inspirare and espirare.
Inspirando percepiamo il fianco destro che si espande, si allunga, si stira.
Inhaling we perceive the right side expanding, lengthening, stretching.
Ed espirando osserviamo come il corpo tende a scendere sul fianco sinistro.
And exhaling we observe how the body tends to get lower on the left side.
Captions 10-11, Corso di Yoga - Ardhakatichacrasana
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Italian also uses the verbs inalare (to inhale) and esalare (to exhale). The noun connected with these verbs is alito, yet another word for "breath!" But this is not the act of breathing. It is rather the breath itself. If someone has bad breath, it's l'alito cattivo.
Hai un alito da far schifo da quando fumi.
You have disgusting breath from all your smoking.
Caption 21, Dafne - Film
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There have been several new words to assimilate in this lesson. But we'd like to mention a word that is similar to one of the words above, but means something completely different and might cause confusion.
You might want to use inspirare to mean "to inspire," and there would be a certain logic in that, but the Italian word, although similar, is different, lacking the n. We need to use ispirare.
Questo film è ispirato alla vita di Adriano Olivetti,
This film was inspired by the life of Adriano Olivetti,
Caption 67, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep.2
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There is more to say about breathing, including when we can't breathe! But it will be for another lesson.
Meanwhile, go ahead and check out part 1 if you haven't read it yet.
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