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ITALIAN VERB

osservare

to observe

  • #320 most used
  • Regular -are verb
  • Past participle: osservato
  • Gerund: osservando

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. io I observe
  2. tu you observe
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she observes
  4. noi we observe
  5. voi you all observe
  6. loro they observe

Past

Passato prossimo · finished actions: “ho parlato”

  1. io I observed
  2. tu you observed
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she observed
  4. noi we observed
  5. voi you all observed
  6. loro they observed

Imperfect

Imperfetto · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. io I used to observe
  2. tu you used to observe
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she used to observe
  4. noi we used to observe
  5. voi you all used to observe
  6. loro they used to observe

Future

Futuro semplice · plans and guesses

  1. io I will observe
  2. tu you will observe
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she will observe
  4. noi we will observe
  5. voi you all will observe
  6. loro they will observe

Conditional

Condizionale · “would”, polite requests

  1. io I would observe
  2. tu you would observe
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she would observe
  4. noi we would observe
  5. voi you all would observe
  6. loro they would observe

Present subjunctive

Congiuntivo presente · wishes, doubts, “che …”

  1. io (that) I observe
  2. tu (that) you observe
  3. lui, lei, Lei (that) he/she observe
  4. noi (that) we observe
  5. voi (that) you all observe
  6. loro (that) they observe

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders: tu, Lei, noi, voi

  1. tu observe!
  2. Lei observe! (formal)
  3. noi observe! (let’s)
  4. voi observe! (all of you)

How to use osservare

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Osservo gli uccelli dal balcone ogni mattina.

    I watch the birds from the balcony every morning.

  2. Past

    Il medico ha osservato la ferita con attenzione.

    The doctor examined the wound carefully.

  3. Imperfect

    Da bambino osservava le formiche per ore.

    As a child he would watch ants for hours.

  4. Future

    Stanotte osserveremo le stelle dalla collina.

    Tonight we'll watch the stars from the hill.

  5. Conditional

    Osserverei volentieri una lezione prima di decidere.

    I'd happily sit in on a lesson before deciding.

  6. Present subjunctive

    È importante che osserviate bene prima di parlare.

    It's important that you look carefully before speaking.

  7. Imperative

    Osserva bene il quadro: cosa vedi?

    Look closely at the painting: what do you see?

Good to know

  • Osservare is watching closely; it is also keeping a rule: osservare le regole.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -are verb.