A2.31: Bucket list

Lista dei desideri

This lesson focuses on expressing wishes and giving advice using "dovresti" and "potresti". Learn to talk about your bucket list, future plans, and career goals with useful phrases like "lista dei desideri", "viaggiare", and "imparare".

Vocabulary (16)

 Il futuro: The future (Italian)

Il futuro

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The future Show

 Impossibile: impossible (Italian)

Impossibile

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Impossible Show

 L'inizio: The beginning (Italian)

L'inizio

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The beginning Show

 La fine: The end (Italian)

La fine

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The end Show

 Il sogno: The dream (Italian)

Il sogno

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The dream Show

 L'avventura: The adventure (Italian)

L'avventura

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The adventure Show

 Sicuramente: definitely (Italian)

Sicuramente

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Definitely Show

 Sconosciuto: unknown (Italian)

Sconosciuto

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Unknown Show

 Voler essere: To want to be (Italian)

Voler essere

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To want to be Show

 Lista delle cose da fare: To-do list (Italian)

Lista delle cose da fare

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To-do list Show

 Viaggiare per il mondo: To travel the world (Italian)

Viaggiare per il mondo

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To travel the world Show

 Vivere in un altro paese: To live in another country (Italian)

Vivere in un altro paese

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To live in another country Show

 Realizare un desiderio: To fulfil a wish (Italian)

Realizare un desiderio

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To fulfil a wish Show

 Desiderare (to wish) - Verb conjugation and exercises

Desiderare

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To wish Show

 Sognare (to dream) - Verb conjugation and exercises

Sognare

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To dream Show

 Realizzare (to accomplish) - Verb conjugation and exercises

Realizzare

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To accomplish Show

Exercises

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

Sconosciuto


Unknown

2

Realizare un desiderio


To fulfil a wish

3

L'avventura


The adventure

4

Impossibile


Impossible

5

L'inizio


The beginning

Esercizio 2: Conversation exercise

Istruzione:

  1. What did you want to be when you were a child? (What did you want to be when you were a child?)
  2. What plans do you have for the future? Would you like to change your job anytime soon? (What plans do you have for the future? Would you like to change your job anytime soon?)
  3. How will you accomplish them? (How will you accomplish them?)

Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes

Example phrases:

Quando ero piccolo volevo diventare un pompiere.

When I was little I wanted to become a firefighter.

Da bambino sognavo di diventare un medico.

As a child I dreamed of becoming a doctor.

Voglio avere più responsabilità nel mio lavoro in futuro.

I want to have more responsibility in my job in the future.

Voglio essere il capo della mia azienda tra qualche anno.

I want to be the boss of my company in a few years.

Vorrei cambiare professione presto perché non sono felice con il mio attuale lavoro.

I would like to change my profession soon because I am not happy with my current job.

Andrò di nuovo all'università per diventare insegnante.

I will go to university again to become a teacher.

...

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. Dovresti ______ una lista dei desideri per organizzare al meglio i tuoi progetti.

(You should ______ a wish list to better organize your projects.)

2. Potresti ______ per il mondo se avessi più tempo libero.

(You could ______ the world if you had more free time.)

3. Dovresti ______ le città italiane per conoscere meglio la cultura locale.

(You should ______ the Italian cities to better know the local culture.)

4. Potresti ______ l'italiano se trascorressi qualche mese in Italia.

(You could ______ Italian if you spent some months in Italy.)

Exercise 5: The Wish List

Instruction:

Luca e Maria sono amici da molti anni. Un giorno, Luca ha detto: "Io (Desiderare - Condizionale presente) viaggiare per il mondo, ma non so da dove iniziare." Maria ha risposto: "Dovresti (Fare - Condizionale presente) una lista delle cose da fare, così ti (Potere - Condizionale presente) organizzare meglio. Io, invece, (Volere - Condizionale presente) vivere in un altro paese per almeno un anno." Luca ha sorriso e ha detto: "Allora, (Dovere - Condizionale presente) aiutarci a vicenda per realizzare i nostri sogni!".


Luca and Maria have been friends for many years. One day, Luca said: "I would wish (To Wish - Present Conditional) to travel around the world, but I don't know where to start." Maria replied: "You should make (To Make - Present Conditional) a to-do list, so you could (Can - Present Conditional) organize yourself better. I, on the other hand, would like (To Want - Present Conditional) to live in another country for at least a year." Luca smiled and said: "Then, we should (Must - Present Conditional) help each other to realize our dreams!".

Verb Tables

Desiderare - To Wish

Condizionale presente

  • io desidererei
  • tu desidereresti
  • lui/lei desidererebbe
  • noi desidereremmo
  • voi desiderereste
  • loro desidererebbero

Fare - To Make

Condizionale presente

  • io farei
  • tu faresti
  • lui/lei farebbe
  • noi faremmo
  • voi fareste
  • loro farebbero

Potere - Can

Condizionale presente

  • io potrei
  • tu potresti
  • lui/lei potrebbe
  • noi potremmo
  • voi potreste
  • loro potrebbero

Volere - To Want

Condizionale presente

  • io vorrei
  • tu vorresti
  • lui/lei vorrebbe
  • noi vorremmo
  • voi vorreste
  • loro vorrebbero

Dovere - Must

Condizionale presente

  • io dovrei
  • tu dovresti
  • lui/lei dovrebbe
  • noi dovremmo
  • voi dovreste
  • loro dovrebbero

Exercise 6: Dare consigli: "dovresti", "potresti"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Grammar: Giving advice: "dovresti", "potresti"

Show translation Show answers

Dovresti, potresti, dovresti, dovremmo, Potresti

1. Consiglio:
Tu ... scrivere una lista dei desideri.
(You should write a wish list.)
2. Suggerimento:
... viaggiare insieme a me in un paese sconosciuto.
(You could travel with me to an unknown country.)
3. Suggerimento:
... realizzare il tuo sogno domani.
(You could make your dream come true tomorrow.)
4. Consiglio:
... vivere in un altro paese per un anno.
(You should live in another country for a year.)
5. Consiglio:
... pensare a ciò che desideri davvero.
(You should think about what you really want.)
6. Suggerimento:
... iniziare una nuova avventura oggi.
(You could start a new adventure today.)
7. Consiglio:
Noi ... sognare senza limiti, almeno una volta.
(We should dream without limits, at least once.)
8. Suggerimento:
Tu ... fare qualcosa che sembra impossibile.
(You could do something that seems impossible.)

Grammar

It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!

A2.31.1 Grammatica

Dare consigli: "dovresti", "potresti"

Giving advice: "dovresti", "potresti"


Verb conjugation tables for this lesson

Realizzare to accomplish

Condizionale presente

Italian English
(io) realizzerei I would accomplish
(tu) realizzeresti You would accomplish
(lui/lei) realizzerebbe he/she would accomplish
(noi) realizzeremmo we would accomplish
(voi) realizzereste you would accomplish
(loro) realizzerebbero they would accomplish

Exercises and examples phrases

Sognare to dream

Condizionale presente

Italian English
(io) sognerei I would dream
(tu) sogneresti You would dream
(lui/lei) sognerebbe he/she would dream
(noi) sogneremmo we would dream
(voi) sognereste you would dream
(loro) sognerebbero they would dream

Exercises and examples phrases

Desiderare to wish

Condizionale presente

Italian English
(io) desidererei I would wish
(tu) desidereresti You would wish
(lui/lei) desidererebbe He/she would wish
(noi) desidereremmo we would wish
(voi) desiderereste you would wish
(loro) desidererebbero they would wish

Exercises and examples phrases

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Lesson Overview: Talking About Your Bucket List in Italian

This lesson focuses on expressing your dreams, desires, and future plans using polite advice forms and the conditional mood in Italian. It introduces useful verbs and expressions to discuss personal goals and give recommendations, centered around the theme of a "bucket list." The content is designed for A2 learners, providing practical language tools for everyday conversation.

Key Grammar Points

  • Modal Verbs for Advice: "dovresti" (you should) and "potresti" (you could) are used to give suggestions politely.
  • The Conditional Present Tense: Verbs like "desiderare" (to desire), "fare" (to do/make), "potere" (to be able to), "volere" (to want), and "dovere" (to have to) are conjugated in the conditional to express wishes, possibilities, and polite advice.

Practical Vocabulary and Phrases

The lesson emphasizes phrases to talk about future wishes and plans, such as:

  • Ho scritto la mia lista dei desideri. – I've written my bucket list.
  • Dovresti andare in primavera. – You should go in spring.
  • Potresti imparare qualche parola di giapponese. – You could learn some Japanese words.
  • Vorrei migliorare il mio inglese. – I would like to improve my English.

Conversation Practice

The dialogues encourage discussing personal goals in various contexts: planning trips, career ambitions, or hobby aspirations. Using "dovresti" and "potresti" helps learners practice giving and receiving advice naturally.

Verb Conjugation Exercises

Multiple-choice questions on the correct use of verbs in the conditional present reinforce understanding of verb forms. For example, completing sentences like "Dovresti ______ una lista dei desideri" with the correct verb "fare."

Short Story Application

The mini story about Luca and Maria illustrates how to express desires and advice using conditional verbs in context. This helps consolidate learning by showing grammar and vocabulary in real-life-like dialogue.

Instruction Language vs. Learning Language

Since the instruction language is English and the target language is Italian, this lesson highlights the importance of modal verbs and conditional mood, which function differently in English and Italian. For instance, English uses "should" and "could" for advice, whereas Italian prefers "dovresti" and "potresti," often followed by the infinitive verb form. Understanding this structure helps English speakers form polite suggestions and discuss possibilities more naturally in Italian.

Useful phrases include:

  • Dovresti + infinitive – "You should..." (e.g., Dovresti visitare – You should visit)
  • Potresti + infinitive – "You could..." (e.g., Potresti imparare – You could learn)
  • Vorrei – "I would like..." (used to express wishes)
This lesson provides practical expressions that learners can immediately use to discuss their dreams and plans, offering a solid foundation to build on Italian conversation skills.

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