In Italian, there are two words that mean "to wait:" aspettare, which we use most of the time, and attendere, which means the same thing but is used primarily in formal situations and in particular contexts, such as on the phone.
We've already had a lesson about the verb aspettare and its nuances. In this lesson, we will look at examples of the verb attendere, as well as the noun form l'attesa. Attendere is often a command using the infinitive of the verb. See this lesson about using the infinitive form of a verb to give a command.
Marinella? -Servizio di segreteria telefonica. Attendere, prego.
Marinella? -Answering service. Wait, please.
Captions 1-3, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP3 Vicini - Part 6
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You might also hear attenda in linea (hold the line), where the imperative form is used.
Both aspettare and attendere can be transitive (taking a direct object) or intransitive verbs. Note that in English, we use a preposition — "to wait for" while the two Italian verbs can be transitive with no preposition needed.
Aspetto il treno (I'm waiting for the train).
In the following example, aspettare could have been used in place of attendere.
Come ogni volta, ad attenderlo c'è Peppino, l'amico di mille battaglie.
As always, there's Peppino waiting for him, his friend in a thousand battles.
Captions 21-22, Chi m'ha visto film - Part 19
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And when someone (or a machine) puts you on hold, you are in attesa (waiting).
E poi ci sarebbe un nuovo cliente in attesa.
And then there would be a new client waiting.
Caption 86, Provaci ancora prof! S3 EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 4
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When you are waiting for an appointment or for a train, you'll likely sit in la sala di attesa (the waiting room).
It might not seem so, but the adjective attendibile comes from the same root, attendere. It describes something worth considering.
No, c'è un'ipotesi più attendibile. -Sentiamo.
No, there's a more plausible theory. -Let's hear it.
Caption 30, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 10
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Aspettare has a related noun form: aspettativa. One specific meaning is "leave of absence," for example, from a job.
La preside mi ha detto che hai inoltrato la domanda di aspettativa al dipartimento.
The principal told me that you had forwarded the request for a leave of absence to the department.
Caption 49, Provaci ancora prof! S1E2 - Un amore pericoloso - Part 12
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The same noun, primarily used in the plural, can mean "expectations." Here, we can connect it to the reflexive verb form aspettarsi (to expect).
Il reso è una procedura per restituire un prodotto che non soddisfa le tue aspettative.
The return is a procedure for returning a product that does not meet your expectations.
Captions 51-52, Vocaboliamo Acquisti online
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It's good to be familiar with both verbs! There may be more related words we haven't mentioned here, so feel free to let us know if you come across any.
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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.
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In navigating instructions:
Tenere la destra, tenere la sinistra.
Bear right, bear left.
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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.
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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.
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non mi lasciare!
Amore, non mi lasciare.
Love, don't leave me.
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non fare lo scemo
Ma non fare lo scemo, dai!
But don't be an idiot, come on!
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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.
On a very basic level, "the vote" and "to vote" have cognates in Italian (il voto and votare), but a recent video on Yabla provided the spark for a little research into these words.
In the first segment of a documentary about comic books, there's a curious example of votare meaning not "to vote," but rather "to devote." It's rare enough that it needed looking up and we wondered if it might be an error. It wasn't.
La sua vita è votata al soddisfacimento di un obiettivo, che è quello di mettersi alla prova nel furto.
His life is devoted to the satisfaction of a goal, which is that of proving oneself in theft.
Captions 24-25, Fumettology Diabolik - Part 1
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Looking up this meaning for votare called up other connections.
It’s customary in some Christian religions to give up something for Lent, the forty days preceding Easter. In Italian, this is often called un voto (a vow). And let’s think of “votive” lights or candles, used to remember the dead. A votive candle signifies literally that the lighting is done in fulfillment of a vow (Latin, "votum").
Sono pinakes, tavolette votive che vengono dal tempio di Persefone, la dea della Primavera.
They're pinakes, little votive tablets that come from the Temple of Persephone, the goddess of spring.
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There is a long tradition of vows in Italian history, closely tied to the history of the Roman Catholic Church. People would pledge money, acts of charity, or courage, such as going on a crusade. Symbols of these vows can be found hanging on the walls of many old Italian churches and are called ex-voti from the Latin phrase "ex-voto suscepto," meaning "from the vow made").
È vero che abbiamo fatto voto di povertà, però pure i colli dei frati tengono [napoletano: hanno] freddo, no?
It's true that we made a vow of poverty, but even the necks of friars get cold, right?
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In Italian schools, students get votes, not grades.
Mettiamo che io abbia due bambini. il primo fa il dettato senza errori, che voto gli do?
Let's say I have two kids. The first one does the dictation with no errors. What grade do I give him?
Captions 54-56, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 22
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Thanks for reading.
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