Physical states and sensations
Stati fisici e sensazioni
- Express what you need.
- Tell how your body feels.
- Past participles as adjectives
Learn how to describe physical sensations and states in Italian using past participles as adjectives. This lesson covers key vocabulary related to feelings like tiredness, thirst, and relaxation, practical dialogues, verb conjugations, and a short story to help you communicate about physical well-being naturally and effectively.
Vocabulary (12) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify the words into two categories: those that indicate physical sensations and those that describe actions or states related to rest and self-care.
Sensazioni fisiche
Cura di sé e riposo
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Rilassarsi
To relax
2
Debole
Weak
3
Prendersi cura di sé
Taking care of yourself
4
Sudato
Sweaty
5
Cadere
To fall
Esercizio 5: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- How do the people feel in those situations? (How do the people feel in those situations?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
È esausto. He is exhausted. |
|
Mi sento stanco la mattina. I feel tired in the morning. |
|
Mi sento esausto dopo il lavoro. I feel exhausted after work. |
|
Ho bisogno di bere qualcosa. I need to drink something. |
|
Ho sete. I am thirsty. |
|
Ho fame. I am hungry. |
|
Ha freddo. She is feeling cold. |
|
Mi sento caldo. I feel warm. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Ieri sono ________ mentre camminavo nel parco.
(Yesterday I ________ while walking in the park.)2. Dopo una lunga giornata di lavoro, sono ________ e rilassato.
(After a long day of work, I ________ and relaxed.)3. Tu ti sei ________ ascoltando la musica.
(You ________ listening to music.)4. Loro sono ________ dopo la corsa in montagna.
(They are ________ after the run in the mountains.)Exercise 8: An afternoon of relaxation after work
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Sentire - To feel
Presente
- io sento
- tu senti
- lui/lei sente
- noi sentiamo
- voi sentite
- loro sentono
Riposare - To rest
Passato prossimo
- io ho riposato
- tu hai riposato
- lui/lei ha riposato
- noi abbiamo riposato
- voi avete riposato
- loro hanno riposato
Cadere - To fall
Passato prossimo
- io sono caduto/caduta
- tu sei caduto/caduta
- lui è caduto / lei è caduta
- noi siamo caduti/cadute
- voi siete caduti/cadute
- loro sono caduti/cadute
Prendersi - To take care of oneself
Passato prossimo
- io mi sono preso/a
- tu ti sei preso/a
- lui si è preso / lei si è presa
- noi ci siamo presi/e
- voi vi siete presi/e
- loro si sono presi/e
Rilassarsi - To relax
Passato prossimo
- io mi sono rilassato/a
- tu ti sei rilassato/a
- lui si è rilassato / lei si è rilassata
- noi ci siamo rilassati/e
- voi vi siete rilassati/e
- loro si sono rilassati/e
Riposare - To rest
Presente
- io riposo
- tu riposi
- lui/lei riposa
- noi riposiamo
- voi riposate
- loro riposano
Exercise 9: I participi passati come aggettivi
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Past participles as adjectives
Show translation Show answersriposata, caduto, rilassata, sudato, caduti, stanche, rilassati
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Riposare to rest Share Copied!
Presente
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) riposo | I rest |
| (tu) riposi | you rest |
| (lui/lei) riposa | he/she rests |
| (noi) riposiamo | we rest |
| (voi) riposate | you rest |
| (loro) riposano | they rest |
Cadere to fall Share Copied!
Passato prossimo
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) sono caduto/sono caduta | I fell |
| (tu) sei caduto/sei caduta | You fell |
| (lui/lei) è caduto/è caduta | he/she has fallen |
| (noi) siamo caduti/siamo cadute | we fell |
| (voi) siete caduti/siete cadute | you fell |
| (loro) sono caduti/sono cadute | they have fallen |
Rilassarsi to relax Share Copied!
Passato prossimo
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) mi sono rilassato/mi sono rilassata | I relaxed |
| (tu) ti sei rilassato/ti sei rilassata | You relaxed |
| (lui/lei) si è rilassato/si è rilassata | he/she relaxed |
| (noi) ci siamo rilassati/ci siamo rilassate | we relaxed |
| (voi) vi siete rilassati/vi siete rilassate | You relaxed |
| (loro) si sono rilassati/si sono rilassate | They relaxed |
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Understanding Physical States and Sensations in Italian
This lesson introduces you to how Italians describe physical sensations and states, focusing on the use of past participles as adjectives. You will learn to express feelings such as being tired, thirsty, or relaxed, which are common in everyday conversations.
Key Vocabulary and Expressions
- Sensazioni fisiche (Physical Sensations): il dolore, la fame, la sete, la fatica, la stanchezza, debole, forte
- Cura di sé e riposo (Self-care and Rest): rilassarsi (to relax), riposare (to rest)
Using Past Participles as Adjectives
In Italian, past participles such as stanco (tired) or rilassato (relaxed) can be used as adjectives to describe physical states. For example, Mi sento stanco dopo la corsa means "I feel tired after the run." This use is common and vital to express how you feel.
Example Sentences
- Mi sento stanco dopo la corsa, ho le gambe sudate.
- Dopo una lunga giornata di lavoro, ho molta fame.
- Preferisco riposare a casa perché mi sento rilassato.
Dialogue and Practice
The lesson offers situational dialogues like talking about how you feel after a break at work or describing symptoms to a doctor. These help you practice practical communication related to physical well-being.
Verb Conjugations and Story for Reinforcement
You will practice conjugating relevant verbs such as sentire (to feel), cadere (to fall), riposare (to rest), and rilassarsi (to relax), including their past participle forms. A short story about relaxing after work ties the lesson together by using these verbs and phrases in context.
Note on Italian vs. English Usage
Unlike English, which often uses adjectives or simple verbs to describe states (e.g., "I feel tired"), Italian commonly uses reflexive or auxiliary verbs with past participles to express physical and emotional states. Phrases like Mi sento stanco literally mean "I feel tired," but the structure emphasizes the subject’s experience. Additionally, some words like riposare (to rest) do not have a direct one-word equivalent but are essential for expressing self-care.
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