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ITALIAN VERB

permettere

to allow

  • #115 most used
  • Irregular -ere verb
  • Past participle: permesso
  • Gerund: permettendo

Conjugation

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

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passato prossimo · finished actions: “ho parlato”

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

Imperfect

Imperfetto · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

Futuro semplice · plans and guesses

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

Conditional

Condizionale · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

Congiuntivo presente · wishes, doubts, “che …”

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

Imperative

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

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

How to use permettere

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

  1. Present

    I miei non mi permettono di uscire tardi.

    My parents don't let me stay out late.

  2. Past

    Il capo ci ha permesso di uscire prima.

    The boss let us leave early.

  3. Imperfect

    Il tempo non permetteva di fare il bagno.

    The weather didn't allow for swimming.

  4. Future

    Non ti permetterò di pagare anche stavolta.

    I won't let you pay this time too.

  5. Conditional

    Un lavoro migliore mi permetterebbe di viaggiare.

    A better job would let me travel.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Spero che il medico ti permetta di viaggiare.

    I hope the doctor allows you to travel.

  7. Imperative

    Permettimi di aiutarti con le valigie.

    Let me help you with the suitcases.

Good to know

  • Permesso? is what you say when you come in or squeeze past someone.
  • Permettersi is to afford: non me lo posso permettere.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -ere verb.