Houseplants and garden plants
Piante da appartamento e piante da giardino
- Learn the names of common plants and flowers in the house and in the garden.
- Daily plant care routine and gardening.
- Stare + gerund
Learn essential Italian verbs and vocabulary related to caring for houseplants and garden plants, such as "annaffiando" (watering), "seminando" (sowing), and plant names like "rosa" and "albero" while practicing the use of "Stare + gerundio" for ongoing actions.
Vocabulary (14) 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: Divide the following words into two clear categories: "Houseplants" and "Garden plants".
Piante da appartamento
Piante da giardino
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
La rosa
The rose
2
Il fiore
The flower
3
Seminare
To sow
4
Il tulipano
The tulip
5
La foglia
The leaf
Esercizio 5: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- Say what you can see in the garden. (Say what you can see in the garden.)
- Describe your own or your ideal garden. (Describe your own or your ideal garden.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Ci sono fiori viola nel giardino. There are purple flowers in the garden. |
|
C'è un grande albero vecchio. There is a big old tree. |
|
Ho fiori gialli e rosa nel mio giardino. I have yellow and pink flowers in my garden. |
|
Ho un'altalena nel mio giardino per i miei bambini. I have a swing in my garden for my children. |
|
Non ho cactus nel mio giardino. I don't have cactuses in my garden. |
|
Annaffio le mie piante ogni 3 giorni. I water my plants every 3 days. |
| ... |
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. Sto _______ le piante nel giardino adesso.
(I am _______ the plants in the garden now.)2. Tu stai _______ i semi vicino alla casa.
(You are _______ the seeds near the house.)3. Noi stiamo _______ un albero nel cortile.
(We are _______ a tree in the yard.)4. I bambini stanno _______ vicino alla rosa rossa.
(The children are _______ near the red rose.)Exercise 8: Plant care in the garden
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Seminare - To sow
Presente
- io semino
- tu semini
- lui/lei semina
- noi seminiamo
- voi seminate
- loro seminano
Crescere - To grow
Presente
- io cresco
- tu cresci
- lui/lei cresce
- noi cresciamo
- voi crescete
- loro crescono
Annaffiare - To water
Passato prossimo
- io ho annaffiato
- tu hai annaffiato
- lui/lei ha annaffiato
- noi abbiamo annaffiato
- voi avete annaffiato
- loro hanno annaffiato
Stare - To be
Presente
- io sto
- tu stai
- lui/lei sta
- noi stiamo
- voi state
- loro stanno
Exercise 9: Stare + gerundio
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Stare + gerund
Show translation Show answersstanno giocando, state preparando, sto annusando, sto annaffiando, stanno curando, sta sistemando, sta seminando, stiamo crescendo
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!
Crescere to grow Share Copied!
Passato prossimo
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) sono cresciuto/sono cresciuta | I have grown |
| (tu) sei cresciuto/sei cresciuta | You have grown |
| (lui/lei) è cresciuto/è cresciuta | he/she has grown |
| (noi) siamo cresciuti/siamo cresciute | we have grown |
| (voi) siete cresciuti/siete cresciute | You have grown |
| (loro) sono cresciuti/sono cresciute | they have grown |
Seminare to sow Share Copied!
Presente
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) semino | I sow |
| (tu) semini | You sow |
| (lui/lei) semina | he/she sows |
| (noi) seminiamo | we sow |
| (voi) seminate | You sow |
| (loro) seminano | they sow |
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice Italian today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Lesson Overview: Houseplants and Garden Plants
This lesson introduces the present continuous tense in Italian (known as "stare + gerundio") with vocabulary focused on houseplants and garden plants. It is designed for A1-level learners who are beginning to describe ongoing actions related to gardening and plant care.
Key Grammar Point: Present Continuous Tense (Stare + Gerundio)
In Italian, the present continuous is formed by conjugating the verb stare followed by the gerund (-ando/-endo) of the main verb. It expresses actions happening right now. Examples include:
- Sto annaffiando le rose nel giardino adesso. (I am watering the roses in the garden now.)
- Stai seminando i semi nel vaso grande? (Are you sowing the seeds in the large pot?)
Vocabulary Highlights: Houseplants vs. Garden Plants
The lesson distinguishes between "Piante da appartamento" (houseplants) and "Piante da giardino" (garden plants). This distinction is important for choosing the right vocabulary and context. Examples from each category:
- Houseplants: la rosa, il tulipano, la foglia, annaffiare le piante
- Garden plants: l'albero, l'erba, la terra, seminare
Useful Phrases Related to Plant Care
Learn practical expressions for everyday conversations about gardening and plant care:
- Io sto annaffiando le piante perché oggi fa molto caldo. (I am watering the plants because it is very hot today.)
- Il giardiniere sta sistemando l'erba nel giardino vicino al cancello. (The gardener is fixing the grass in the garden near the gate.)
- Noi stiamo seminando i semi per avere fiori in primavera. (We are sowing seeds to have flowers in spring.)
- La rosa è il mio fiore preferito perché ha un profumo dolce. (The rose is my favorite flower because it has a sweet scent.)
Dialogues and Interactive Practice
The lesson includes dialogues for practicing common scenarios such as buying houseplants, daily plant care routines, and weekend gardening tasks. These help learners use vocabulary and verb forms naturally in conversation.
Additional Notes on Language Differences
Unlike English, Italian uses a present continuous tense formed by the verb stare plus the gerund, while in English the present continuous uses the auxiliary verb "to be" plus the -ing form. For example:
- Italian: Sto annaffiando le piante.
- English: I am watering the plants.
Being familiar with this structure allows learners to express ongoing actions clearly in Italian.
Useful Words and Expressions Summary
- Annaffiare - to water
- Seminare - to sow
- Sistemare - to fix / arrange
- Crescere - to grow
- La terra - soil
- L'erba - grass
- Il fiore - flower
- La foglia - leaf
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
