The government and elections
Il governo e le elezioni
- Get to know the basic government institutions of the country.
- Talk about elections and voting.
- The past tenses (summary)
Explore Italian vocabulary about local government and elections, including words like "sindaco" (mayor), "elezioni" (elections), and verbs in past tenses like "avevo deciso" (I had decided) and "ho votato" (I voted). This lesson focuses on discussing government roles, election procedures, and election results.
Vocabulary (19) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Lo Stato
The State
2
La legge
The law
3
Il Primo Ministro
The Prime Minister
4
Il presidente
The president
5
Le elezioni
The elections
Esercizio 2: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- What government does your country have? (What government does your country have?)
- Does there exist a royal family in your country? (Does there exist a royal family in your country?)
- Did you go to the army? (Did you go to the army?)
- When are the elections? (When are the elections?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Il 7 luglio abbiamo votato per un nuovo presidente e governo. The 7th of july we voted for a new president and government. |
|
Il re è il capo dello stato. The king is the head of the state. |
|
L'ultimo governo era composto da 3 partiti politici. The last government consisted out of 3 political parties. |
|
Il governo è controllato dal parlamento e dai giudici. The government is controlled by the parliament and judges. |
|
Ho dovuto andare nell'esercito proprio come tutti i miei amici. I had to go to the army just like all my friends. |
|
Non sono andato al servizio militare, ma ho lavorato per un anno in un'organizzazione sociale. I did not go to the army but I worked in a social organisation for a year instead. |
|
Il primo ministro è cambiato dalle ultime elezioni. The prime minister changed since the last elections. |
| ... |
Exercise 3: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 4: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Il governo ______ spesso con il Parlamento durante le riunioni.
(The government ______ often spoke with Parliament during the meetings.)2. I cittadini ______ alle elezioni ieri.
(The citizens ______ in the elections yesterday.)3. ______ deciso di informarmi prima di votare per il sindaco.
(______ decided to inform myself before voting for the mayor.)4. I giudici ______ la legge con attenzione.
(The judges ______ the law carefully.)Exercise 5: Elections in the city
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Andare - Andare
Imperfetto
- io andavo
- tu andavi
- lui/lei andava
- noi andavamo
- voi andavate
- loro andavano
Decidere - Decidere
Trapassato prossimo
- io avevo deciso
- tu avevi deciso
- lui/lei aveva deciso
- noi avevamo deciso
- voi avevate deciso
- loro avevano deciso
Parlare - Parlare
Imperfetto
- io parlavo
- tu parlavi
- lui/lei parlava
- noi parlavamo
- voi parlavate
- loro parlavano
Parlare - Parlare
Passato prossimo
- io ho parlato
- tu hai parlato
- lui/lei ha parlato
- noi abbiamo parlato
- voi avete parlato
- loro hanno parlato
Votare - Votare
Passato prossimo
- io ho votato
- tu hai votato
- lui/lei ha votato
- noi abbiamo votato
- voi avete votato
- loro hanno votato
Exercise 6: I tempi del passato (riassunto)
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The past tenses (summary)
Show translation Show answersparlava, avevo mangiato, avevo votato, avevamo deciso, andavo, è stato, ho visto
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!
Votare to vote Share Copied!
Imperfetto
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) votavo | I was voting |
| (tu) votavi | You were voting |
| (lui/lei) votava | he/she was voting |
| (noi) votavamo | we were voting |
| (voi) votavate | you were voting |
| (loro) votavano | they were voting |
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.
The Government and Elections: An A2 Italian Learning Guide
This lesson focuses on discussing local government institutions, the election process, and the political outcomes in Italian, suitable for A2 level learners. It provides practical vocabulary, dialogues, and verb usage related to government and voting, enhancing both conversational skills and understanding of past tenses.
Key Topics Covered
- Local Government Institutions: Mayor (il sindaco), City Council (il consiglio comunale), and Executive Committee (la giunta).
- Elections: Dates, voting procedures, political parties, and election discussions.
- Election Results and Political Consequences: Parliamentary majority, appointment of ministers, and government policies.
Important Vocabulary and Expressions
- Votare – to vote
- Discutere – to discuss
- Approvare – to approve
- Candidato – candidate
- Risultati delle elezioni – election results
- Partecipare alle elezioni – to participate in elections
- Il presidente – the president
Verb Tenses Highlighted
The lesson emphasizes past tenses essential for narrating events related to government and elections:
- Imperfetto: describing habitual or ongoing past actions (andavo, parlavo).
- Passato Prossimo: describing specific completed actions (ho votato, ha parlato).
- Trapassato Prossimo: indicating actions completed before another past action (avevamo deciso).
Example Sentence from the Lesson
"Io andavo sempre al seggio vicino a casa mia per votare." (I used to always go to the polling station near my house to vote.)
Learner Notes on Italian vs. English
Italian uses different past tenses to convey the nuances of past actions more precisely than English. The Imperfetto expresses repeated or background past actions, while the Passato Prossimo refers to completed past actions. The Trapassato Prossimo is used for actions completed before another past event. English often uses simple past for these cases.
Useful Phrases:
- Parlare del governo locale – Talking about the local government
- Quando sono state le ultime elezioni? – When were the last elections?
- Hai votato? – Did you vote?
- Il primo ministro ha nominato i nuovi ministri – The prime minister has appointed new ministers
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
