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This lesson focuses on Italian verbs with prepositions to express completed, started, and resumed actions using "finire di" (to finish), "cominciare a" (to start), and "tornare a" (to return to), illustrated by examples like "Ho finito di mangiare" and "Maria è tornata a studiare."
  1. "Finire di" + infinitive indicates completed actions.
  2. "Cominciare a" + infinitive of actions started.
  3. Tornare a + infinitive indicates a repeated or resumed action.
EspressioneEsempio
Finire di + infinitoHo finito di mangiare.
Cominciare a + infinitoLuca ha cominciato a cucinare.
Tornare a + infinitoMaria è tornata a studiare.

Exercise 1: Uso di "finire di", "cominciare a", "tornare a"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

finito di, cominciato a, tornato a, tornata a

1. Azione iniziata:
Il ragazzo ha ... mangiare la pizza calda.
(The boy started to eat the hot pizza.)
2. Azione conclusa:
Ho ... scrivere l'ordine per la cena.
(I have finished writing the order for dinner.)
3. Azione ricominciata:
Dopo una pausa, sono ... cucinare.
(After a break, I went back to cooking.)
4. Azione conclusa:
Ho ... preparare la cena da asporto.
(I have finished preparing the takeaway dinner.)
5. Azione iniziata:
Hanno ... preparare il cibo cinese.
(They have started to prepare Chinese food.)
6. Azione conclusa:
Ho ... parlare con il cameriere.
(I have finished talking to the waiter.)
7. Azione conclusa:
Abbiamo ... assaggiare le patatine fritte.
(We have finished tasting the chips.)
8. Azione ricominciata:
La famiglia è ... prendere il cibo d'asporto.
(The family came back to get the takeaway food.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence among the three options that correctly use the expressions "finire di", "cominciare a" and "tornare a". Pay attention to common mistakes related to these grammatical structures.

1.
The adverb "now" is positioned unnaturally. Better: "I have just finished preparing the order."
After "finire" the preposition "di" plus the infinitive is used, not "a".
2.
After "cominciare" it is necessary to use the preposition "a" plus infinitive.
After "cominciare" use "a" plus infinitive, not "di".
3.
The correct preposition is "a", not "di" after "tornare".
After "tornare" the preposition "a" is missing before the infinitive.
4.
After "finire" the preposition "di" is always used, not "a".
After "finire" the preposition "di" is missing before the infinitive.

Using the Expressions "finire di", "cominciare a", and "tornare a" in Italian

This lesson focuses on three common Italian expressions used to describe actions that are either completed, started, or repeated. They are key phrases at the A2 level that help you talk about the timeline of events in everyday conversations.

1. "Finire di" + infinitive: Expressing completed actions

Use finire di followed by the infinitive verb to indicate that an action has just been finished. This phrase clearly shows the completion of an activity.

Example: Ho finito di mangiare. (I have finished eating.)

2. "Cominciare a" + infinitive: Expressing actions that have started

Use cominciare a plus the infinitive to talk about an action that has just begun. It helps you indicate the starting point of something you or someone else does.

Example: Luca ha cominciato a cucinare. (Luca started cooking.)

3. "Tornare a" + infinitive: Expressing repeated or resumed actions

The phrase tornare a with the infinitive verb is used when an action is resumed or repeated after a pause. It emphasizes returning to doing something.

Example: Maria è tornata a studiare. (Maria went back to studying.)

Key Points to Remember

  • Prepositions: "finire" requires "di" before the infinitive; "cominciare" and "tornare" require "a".
  • Verb form: Always follow these expressions with the infinitive verb, not the conjugated form.
  • Meaning differences: "finire di" = finishing something; "cominciare a" = starting something; "tornare a" = returning to or repeating an action.

Italian vs. English Differences

Italian uses prepositions before the infinitive verb differently than English, which often uses construction without explicit prepositions, like "start cooking" or "finish eating." For example, "finire di mangiare" literally translates as "to finish of eating," but in English, no preposition is required. Similarly, "cominciare a" and "tornare a" must always be followed by "a" plus the infinitive verb, whereas English uses "to start to" or "to return to" plus the verb.

Useful Italian expressions and their English equivalents:

  • Finire di fare qualcosa – To finish doing something
  • Cominciare a fare qualcosa – To start doing something
  • Tornare a fare qualcosa – To return to doing something

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Saturday, 30/08/2025 03:54