How to use "-Ere" Verbs in Italian?
Italian “-ERE” Verbs Explained 🇮🇹

Many important Italian verbs end in -ere. This group is called the second conjugation. One of the most common and useful of these verbs is prendere — “to take”.

prendere
to take · to get · to have (in some situations)

Just like with -are verbs, most -ere verbs follow a predictable pattern. Once you learn one, you unlock many others.

How “-ERE” Verbs Work

Remove -ere from the verb and add the correct ending. The endings are very similar to -are, with a small difference.

prendere → prend-
Italian English Example
io prendo I take Prendo un caffè.
tu prendi you take Prendi il bus ogni giorno.
lui / lei prende he / she takes Lei prende le medicine.
noi prendiamo we take Prendiamo il treno.
voi prendete you (plural) take Prendete sempre appunti.
loro prendono they take Prendono un bicchiere di vino.
The “-ERE” Verb Pattern
Endings for regular -ere verbs
io → -o
tu → -i
lui / lei → -e
noi → -iamo
voi → -ete
loro → -ono
More Common “-ERE” Verbs
Verb Meaning Example
scrivere to write Scrivo un messaggio.
leggere to read Leggiamo un libro.
chiedere to ask Chiede informazioni.
decidere to decide Decidiamo insieme.
mettere to put Metto il telefono qui.
conoscere to know (people) Conosco Maria.
Prendere in Real Life

Prendere is often used where English would say “have”, “get”, or “take”.

Cosa prendi? — What are you having?
Prendo un caffè. — I’m having a coffee.
Prendiamo il treno. — We take the train.
Common Idioms with “Prendere”
Prendere in giro
To make fun of someone

Prendere per la gola
To win someone over with good food

Prendere due piccioni con una fava
To solve two problems with one action
Beginner Tip 💚
If a sentence sounds strange when translated word-for-word, trust the verb — Italian often uses prendere where English uses a different idea.
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