Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to use the Italian phrase "stare per" + infinitive to express actions that are about to happen, with examples like "Io sto per andare" (I am about to go) and "Tu stai per fare" (You are about to do). Master this structure to talk about imminent events clearly and naturally.
  1. The formula is: stare per + infinitive.
  2. This structure is used to talk about imminent actions.
Pronome (Pronoun)Formula (Formula)Esempio (Example)
IoSto per + infinitoIo sto per andare in montagna (I am about to go to the mountains)
TuStai per + infinitoTu stai per fare una vacanza (You are about to have a holiday)
Lui/LeiSta per + infinitoLei sta per andare a casa (She is about to go home)
NoiStiamo per + infinitoNoi stiamo per cambiare lavoro (We are about to change jobs)
VoiState per + infinitoVoi stare per andare al mare (You are about to go to the sea)
LoroStanno per + infinitoLoro stanno per cambiare città (They are about to change city)

Exercise 1: Stare per + infinito

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

sta, stanno, stiamo, stai, Sta, sto

1.
... per piovere.
(It is about to rain.)
2.
Loro ... per andare in montagna.
(They are about to go to the mountains.)
3.
Io ... per andare a lavoro.
(I am about to go to work.)
4.
Tu ... per andare al mare.
(You are about to go to the beach.)
5.
... per nevicare.
(It is about to snow.)
6.
Noi ... per vedere la neve!
(We are about to see the snow!)
7.
Non uscite oggi, ... per arrivare un temporale.
(Don't go out today, a thunderstorm is about to arrive.)
8.
Lui ... per andare in montagna.
(He is about to go to the mountain.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Io ___ per partire per le vacanze estive a luglio.

(I ___ am about to leave for the summer holidays in July.)

2. Tu ___ per andare in montagna in inverno.

(You ___ are about to go to the mountains in winter.)

3. Lei ___ per visitare una città d'arte a settembre.

(She ___ is about to visit an art city in September.)

4. Noi ___ per organizzare una festa di primavera.

(We ___ are about to organize a spring party.)

5. Voi ___ per fare una gita al mare a giugno.

(You (plural) ___ are about to go on a trip to the sea in June.)

6. Loro ___ per cambiare città in autunno.

(They ___ are about to change city in autumn.)

Lesson Overview: Using "Stare per" + Infinitive in Italian

This lesson focuses on a fundamental Italian structure: the verb "stare" combined with "per" followed by an infinitive verb form. This construction is essential for expressing imminent future actions—things that are about to happen very soon.

How to Form "Stare per" + Infinitive

The formula is simple: conjugated form of "stare" + "per" + infinitive verb.

PronounFormulaExample
IoSto per + infinitiveIo sto per andare in montagna
TuStai per + infinitiveTu stai per fare una vacanza
Lui/LeiSta per + infinitiveLei sta per andare a casa
NoiStiamo per + infinitiveNoi stiamo per cambiare lavoro
VoiState per + infinitiveVoi state per andare al mare
LoroStanno per + infinitiveLoro stanno per cambiare città

Usage and Meaning

This structure is used when you want to talk about actions that are just about to take place. For example, "Io sto per partire" means "I am about to leave."

Important Vocabulary Highlights

  • Andare - to go
  • Fare - to do/make
  • Cambiare - to change
  • Partire - to leave/depart
  • Vacanza - vacation
  • Città - city

Notes on Differences Between English and Italian

In English, future intentions or imminent actions are often expressed with "be about to" plus the base verb (e.g., "I am about to leave"). Italian uses the "stare per" construction to convey the same meaning. Unlike in English, where "be" is always "am", "are", or "is", in Italian, the verb stare must be conjugated to match the subject pronoun.

While English often just uses "going to" for near future, Italian distinguishes by specifically using "stare per" to emphasize immediacy or imminence.

Useful Phrases For Practice

  • Io sto per partire per le vacanze estive a luglio.
  • Tu stai per andare in montagna in inverno.
  • Lei sta per visitare una città d'arte a settembre.
  • Noi stiamo per organizzare una festa di primavera.
  • Voi state per fare una gita al mare a giugno.
  • Loro stanno per cambiare città in autunno.

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 02:57