Learn how we can turn Italian verbs into nouns. With a Quiz.

Second lesson about the use of prefixes. Today we are looking into a different set of prefixes. Verbs turning into nouns. Look at the examples:

• insegnare –> insegnamento (nouns indicating the action)
• lavorare –> lavoratore (nouns indicating the “agente”)

Two examples represent two different sets of distinct nouns.

In the first case, we obtain the name of the action from the verb.

In the second, the result is the name of the “agente,” which is the person or the object doing the action described by the verb. The worker works…

In case you want to look up the exact definition, we call this family of nouns “nomi deverbali.” You don’t need to remember this.

As you know, the present participle of the verb insegnare is insegnante, which means teacher. The Italian present participle of most verbs converts into a noun or an adjective, depending on the use of the word. Do you now have a little indicator that words ending in —ante or —ente could be a noun, specifically the “person (or object) who does what the verb says”? Insegnante is “the person who teaches.”

What you need to remember are the suffixes below and how they interact with Italian verbs to create nouns.

Please note, there are no consistent rules; however, you can spot some patterns and follow your instinct. Experience will give you the right solution. I’ll try to use new words; look them up if you don’t know their meaning.

Nouns indicating an action

• -zione

sparire –> sparizione

tentare –> tentazione

operare –> operazione

privare –> privazione

• -sione – a variation of -zione

collidere –> collisione

vedere –> visione

deludere –> delusione

invadere –> invasione

• -mento

sentire –> sentimento

insegnare –> insegnamento

godere –> godimento

affidare –> affidamento

• -anza

abbondare –> abbondanza

perseverare –> perseveranza

tollerare –> tolleranza

somigliare –> somiglianza

• -enza

diffidare –> diffidenza

divergere –> divergenza

esistere –> esistenza

dirigere –> dirigenza

• -aggio

salvare –> salvataggio

dosare –> dosaggio

lavare –> lavaggio

atterrare –> atterraggio

• -eggio

noleggiare –> noleggio

saccheggiare –> saccheggio

parcheggiare –> parcheggio

pareggiare –> pareggio

• -ura

acconciare –> acconciatura

cuocere –> cottura

pitturare –> pittura

pungere –> puntura

• -io (stress on “i”) common for background noises and lights

mormorare –> mormorio

luccicare –> luccichio

formicolare –> formicolio

ronzare –> ronzio

• -ato, -ito, -ata, -ita, -uta (past participles turned into nouns)

certificare –> certificato

dettare –> dettato

appetire –> appetito

spartire –> spartito

abbuffare –> abbuffata

nevicare –> nevicata

dormire –> dormita

salire –> salita

cadere –> caduta

valere –> valuta

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Nouns indicating an “agent”

• -tore / -trice

agire –> attore – attrice

giocare –> giocatore – giocatrice

lavorare –> lavoratore – lavoratrice

dirigere –> direttore – direttrice

• -sore

difendere –> difensore

comprimere –> compressore

aggredire –> aggressore

invadere –> invasore

• -ante (Present Participle)

cantare –> cantante

migrare –> migrante

ignorare –> ignorante

bagnare –> bagnante

• -ente

studiare –> studente

dipendere –> dipendente

consultare –> consulente

confidare –> confidente

• -one / -ona (pejorative / argumentative noun)

chiacchierare –> chiacchierone – chiacchierona

frignare –> frignone – frignona

brontolare –> brontolone – brontolona

maneggiare –> maneggione – maneggiona

• -ino (often times a job or a tool)

spazzolare –> spazzolino

spazzare –> spazzino

galoppare –> galoppino

bagnare –> bagnino

• -toio (name of places or tools)

lavare –> lavatoio

annaffiare –> annaffiatoio

fasciare –> fasciatoio

serbare –> serbatoio

• -torio (mostly places)

consultare –> consultorio

sanare –> sanatorio

dormire –> dormitorio

ambulare –> ambulatorio

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Please have a second look. Learn how we change verbs into nouns and try the quiz. Suffixes are very useful for expanding your vocabulary.

The quiz does not include all the possible options. f you added a valid noun which is not in the quiz, please write it in the comments and I’ll add it if it makes sense.

Enjoy.

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(continues …)

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Painting: Telemaco Signorini – L’alzaia – 1864 (dettaglio)