Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to express ongoing actions in Italian using the structure "stare + gerundio," such as "sto coltivando" (I am cultivating) and "stai annaffiando" (you are watering), with verbs like coltivare, annaffiare, and guardare.
  1. The gerund ends in -ando for verbs in -are, and -endo for -ere and -ire.
  2. "Stare" conjugates according to the subject.
Verbi (Verbs)Stare al presente (To stay in the present)Esempi (Examples)
ColtivareStoSto coltivando una rosa nel giardino. (I am cultivating a rose in the garden.)
AnnaffiareStaiTu stai annaffiando le piante. (You are watering the plants.)
AnnusareStaLa bambina sta annusando i fiori. (The little girl is smelling the flowers.)
GuardareStiamoNoi stiamo guardando i fiori. (We are looking at the flowers.)
SeminareStateVoi state seminando i semi. (You are sowing the seeds.)
GiocareStannoI bambini stanno giocando. (The children are playing.)

Exercise 1: Stare + gerundio

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

stanno giocando, state preparando, sto annusando, sto annaffiando, stanno curando, sta sistemando, sta seminando, stiamo crescendo

1. Sistemare:
Lei ... le piante sul balcone.
(She is tidying the plants on the balcony.)
2. Annaffiare:
Io ... le piante in giardino.
(I am watering the plants in the garden.)
3. Curare:
Loro ... le rose nel giardino.
(They are tending the roses in the garden.)
4. Giocare:
I bambini ... in giardino.
(The children are playing in the garden.)
5. Seminare:
Lui ... i fiori nel terreno.
(He is sowing the flowers in the ground.)
6. Crescere:
Noi ... delle piante in casa.
(We are growing plants indoors.)
7. Annusare:
Io ... i nuovi fiori del giardino.
(I am smelling the new flowers in the garden.)
8. Preparare:
Voi ... la terra per le piante.
(You are preparing the ground for the plants.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Io ____ annaffiando le piante del giardino ogni mattina.

(I ____ watering the garden plants every morning.)

2. Tu ____ seminando i semi nel vaso grande.

(You ____ sowing the seeds in the big pot.)

3. La bambina ____ guardando i fiori colorati sul balcone.

(The little girl ____ watching the colorful flowers on the balcony.)

4. Noi ____ coltivando un piccolo orto sul terrazzo.

(We ____ growing a small vegetable garden on the terrace.)

5. Voi ____ annusando le rose appena sbocciate.

(You (plural) ____ smelling the freshly bloomed roses.)

6. I bambini ____ giocando tra le piante del giardino.

(The children ____ playing among the garden plants.)

Understanding the Structure: Stare + Gerundio

This lesson focuses on the Italian grammatical construction "stare + gerundio," which is used to express an ongoing action. It is a fundamental aspect of describing what is happening at the moment of speaking.

Key Elements of the Structure

  • Stare is conjugated according to the subject of the sentence:
    • Io sto
    • Tu stai
    • Lui/Lei sta
    • Noi stiamo
    • Voi state
    • Loro stanno
  • The gerund form of the verb indicates the action in progress.
  • Gerunds ending:
    • -ando for verbs ending in -are
    • -endo for verbs ending in -ere and -ire

Example Verbs and Their Usage

VerbPresent tense of "stare"Example
ColtivareStoSto coltivando una rosa nel giardino.
AnnaffiareStaiTu stai annaffiando le piante.
AnnusareStaLa bambina sta annusando i fiori.
GuardareStiamoNoi stiamo guardando i fiori.
SeminareStateVoi state seminando i semi.
GiocareStannoI bambini stanno giocando.

Important Notes

The construction clearly indicates an action occurring right now, focusing on its continuity. For example, "Sto coltivando una rosa" means "I am cultivating a rose" at this moment.

Comparison with English

In English, the present continuous tense is formed by the verb "to be" plus the verb ending in -ing, e.g., "I am watering the plants." Italian uses "stare" conjugated plus the gerund for the same effect, e.g., "Sto annaffiando le piante." One difference is that in English, this form is used quite broadly, while Italian uses it mostly for actions happening at the present time.

Useful Phrases and Words

  • Sto coltivando – I am cultivating
  • Stai annaffiando – You are watering
  • Sta annusando – He/She is smelling
  • Stiamo guardando – We are watching
  • State seminando – You all are sowing
  • Stanno giocando – They are playing

Understanding this structure is essential for expressing ongoing activities naturally and effectively in Italian.

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 10:42