Stare per + infinitive – To be about to: Italian grammar lesson 143

In this post, we are going to focus on how to use “stare per + infinitive” in Italian. This particular construction is quite common and can be applied to a variety of different contexts.

Let’s learn it with simple rules and examples and practice with audio lessons.

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Summary

In Italian, "stare per + infinitive" is a construction used to express that something is about to happen or someone is about to do something, similar to the English "to be about to + verb".

To use it, conjugate the verb "stare" with the subject of the action, add "per," and the infinitive form of the verb.

The "stare per + infinitive" construction can be used with the present, past, and future tenses of "stare" to describe an action that is about to happen.

When using "stare per + infinitive" with reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun can either go before "stare" or attach to the end of the infinitive verb.

This construction can also be used with verbs requiring a pronoun.

Stare per + infinitive

To say that you are about to do something, or that something is about to happen in the near future, in Italian we use the structure stare per + infinitive, which is the equivalent of the English structure “to be about to + verb”.

This construction is very common and can be used in all kinds of contexts.

Sto per andare a correre.

I am about to go running.

Sta per piovere.

It is about to rain.

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Stiamo per uscire, ci sentiamo dopo.

We are about to go out, let’s talk later.

As you can see from the examples above, to use this construction you just need to conjugate the verb stare with the subject of the action, add per, and the infinitive of a verb. Simple!

be about to italian

Stare per + infinitive: when to use

Stare per + infinitive is used when the action described will happen very soon. It is literally “about to happen”, which means it will happen very soon.

This construction cannot only be used with the present tense of stare but can also be used with the past (imperfetto) and future (futuro semplice) tense of the verb.

Stavo per uscire quando ha iniziato a piovere.

I was about to go out when it started raining.

Luca stava per ordinare quando siamo arrivati.

Luca was about to order when we got there.

Starò per partire a quell’ora.

I will be about to leave at that time.

stare per infinitive italian

Practice with Quizlet

Here's a set of flashcards and quizzes to practice this grammar topic.

Stare per + infinitive with reflexive verbs

Now that you know how to use stare per + infinitive to talk about an event that is about to happen (in the past, present or future), you might be wondering how to use this construction with reflexive verbs.

As you know, reflexive verbs come with a reflexive pronoun: mi lavo (I wash myself), ti svegli (you wake up), and si vestono (they get dressed).

With this construction, the reflexive pronoun can either go before the verb stare or join onto the end of the infinitive verb.

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Have a look at the examples below:

Mi sto per lavare. – Sto per lavarmi.

I am about to wash myself.

Ti stavi per svegliare. – Stavi per svegliarti.

You were about to wake up.

Si staranno per vestire. – Staranno per vestirsi.

They will be about to get dressed.

This construction does not work only for reflexive verbs, but for all verbs that need a pronoun.

Stare should not be confused with essere.

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FAQs on Stare per + infinitive – To be about to: Italian grammar lesson 143

What is stare plus infinitive in Italian?

In Italian, the structure "stare per + infinitive" is used to indicate that an action is about to be performed or an event is going to happen soon. This is similar to the English structure "to be about to + verb".

How do you use the infinitive in Italian?

The Italian language uses a specific form of verb known as the infinitive, which is always a single word. This particular verb form is identified by its ending, which can be either –are, –ere, or –ire. Examples of such verbs include parlare (meaning to speak), credere (meaning to believe), and finire (meaning to finish). It is worth noting that in some cases, the final –e of the infinitive may be omitted.

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One Response

  1. I discovered Lesson 143. Stare per + Infinitive <— To be about to + Verb
    Sto per andare a correre.
    Sta per piovere.
    Stiamo per uscire, ci snetiamo dopo.

    This helps reinforce the use of finire per + infinitive that I'm learning about here in Lesson 200.
    Finiamo per divorciare
    Finirai per ammaltarti
    Finirai per dimenticare

    That is to say, to help me get used to not trying to use a gerund after 'per'.

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