A2.32: Family plans

Piani familiari

This Italian A2 lesson focuses on discussing future family plans using useful vocabulary like figli (children), sposarsi (to marry), and trasferirsi (to move). You will practice expressions for sharing ambitions and organizing work-life balance.

Exercises

These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.

Esercizio 1: Conversation exercise

Istruzione:

  1. What is the next big step (your partner and) you want to take? (What is the next big step (your partner and) you want to take?)
  2. Would you like to start a family? (Would you like to start a family?)
  3. Would you like to have pets? Why or why not? (Would you like to have pets? Why or why not?)

Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes

Example phrases:

Io e il mio partner ci sposiamo a giugno.

My partner and I are getting married in June.

Non ho un partner, ma la mia migliore amica e io ci siamo appena trasferiti insieme.

I don't have a partner but my best friend and I just moved in together.

Vorrei iniziare una famiglia presto. Mi piacerebbe avere 3 bambini.

I would like to start a family soon. I would love to have 3 children.

Non voglio avere figli in futuro. Il mio partner ed io siamo molto felici senza di loro.

I don't want to have children in the future. My partner and I are very happy without them.

Vorrei avere un cane e due gatti in futuro. Sono cresciuto con animali domestici e desidero lo stesso per i miei figli.

I would like to have a dog and two cats later. I grew up with pets and I would like the same for my children.

Un animale domestico comporta molte responsabilità e con il nostro lavoro e due bambini non abbiamo abbastanza tempo per prenderci cura di un animale.

A pet is a lot of responsibility and with our work and two children we do not have enough time to care for a pet.

...

Exercise 2: Dialogue Cards

Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Se potessi, ______ una casa più grande per la mia famiglia.

(If I could, I would ______ a bigger house for my family.)

2. Ci piacerebbe ______ insieme durante le vacanze estive del prossimo anno.

(We would like to ______ together during next year's summer holidays.)

3. Marco avrebbe voluto ______ più tempo da dedicare alla famiglia.

(Marco would have liked to ______ more time to dedicate to the family.)

4. Se avessimo spazio, ______ tutti i nostri amici a cena.

(If we had space, we would ______ all our friends for dinner.)

Exercise 4: Family Plans

Instruction:

La settimana scorsa, noi (Parlare - Passato Prossimo) con i nostri genitori dei nostri progetti per il futuro. Io (Volere - Condizionale Presente) vivere in una casa più grande dove i bambini possano giocare nel giardino. Tu invece (Preferire - Condizionale Presente) una casa in città, più vicina al lavoro. Mio marito (Sperare - Presente) di trovare un lavoro stabile quest'anno, così noi (Potere - Condizionale Presente) pensare a un viaggio in famiglia l'anno prossimo. Speriamo che tutto (Andare - Congiuntivo Presente) per il meglio!


Last week, we talked with our parents about our plans for the future. I would like to live in a bigger house where the children can play in the garden. You, however, would prefer a house in the city, closer to work. My husband hopes to find a stable job this year, so we could think about a family trip next year. We hope that everything goes for the best!

Verb Tables

Parlare - Talk

Passato Prossimo

  • io ho parlato
  • tu hai parlato
  • lui/lei ha parlato
  • noi abbiamo parlato
  • voi avete parlato
  • loro hanno parlato

Volere - Want

Condizionale Presente

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

Preferire - Prefer

Condizionale Presente

  • io preferirei
  • tu preferiresti
  • lui/lei preferirebbe
  • noi preferiremmo
  • voi preferireste
  • loro preferirebbero

Sperare - Hope

Presente

  • io spero
  • tu speri
  • lui/lei spera
  • noi speriamo
  • voi sperate
  • loro sperano

Potere - Can

Condizionale Presente

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

Andare - Go

Congiuntivo Presente

  • che io vada
  • che tu vada
  • che lui/lei vada
  • che noi andiamo
  • che voi andiate
  • che loro vadano

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Lesson Overview: Family Plans

This A2-level lesson focuses on discussing future family projects, career and family plans, and personal relationships in Italian. It helps learners express ambitions, desires, and intentions related to family life using practical vocabulary and common verb tenses.

Key Topics Covered

  • Talking about future family projects: expressing wishes about having children, living arrangements, and family size.
  • Discussing work and family balance: sharing ideas on managing job responsibilities alongside family commitments.
  • Chatting about current relationships and future desires: discussing engagements, marriage plans, and dreams for family life.

Important Vocabulary and Expressions

Some useful words include figli (children), casa (house), sposarsi (to get married), famiglia numerosa (large family), and ambizioni (ambitions). Key phrases used to express future intentions include vorrei (I would like), penso di (I plan to), and ci piacerebbe (we would like).

Grammar Highlights

The lesson emphasizes the use of conditional tense to express wishes (e.g., vorrei avere — I would like to have), present tense for current situations, and the subjunctive for hopes and uncertainty (e.g., speriamo che tutto vada bene — we hope everything goes well). Practicing these verb forms helps learners communicate plans and desires clearly and politely.

Useful Phrases and Their English Equivalents

  • Sai, vorrei avere dei figli nei prossimi anni. — You know, I would like to have children in the next few years.
  • Magari due, e mi piacerebbe vivere vicino ai miei genitori. — Maybe two, and I would like to live close to my parents.
  • Vorrei continuare a lavorare, ma anche avere tempo per la famiglia. — I would like to continue working but also have time for the family.
  • È importante pianificare insieme questi cambiamenti. — It's important to plan these changes together.

Instruction Language vs. Italian: Notes

Since the instruction language is English and the learning language is Italian, translations and explanations support comprehension. For example, the Italian conditional mood (e.g., vorrei, preferirei) is often equivalent to "would like" or "would prefer" in English. The subjunctive mood (vada) expresses hopes or doubts, which is less frequently used in English but important in Italian. Familiarity with expressions of future plans and conditional politeness forms is essential for natural conversation.

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