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fluentbyear

ITALIAN VERB

permettersi

to afford, to take the liberty

  • #493 most used
  • Irregular -ere verb
  • Past participle: permesso
  • Gerund: permettendosi

Conjugation

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

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Passato prossimo · finished actions: “ho parlato”

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

Imperfect

Imperfetto · “used to” and “was …ing”

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

Future

Futuro semplice · plans and guesses

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

Conditional

Condizionale · “would”, polite requests

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

Present subjunctive

Congiuntivo presente · wishes, doubts, “che …”

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

Imperative

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

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

How to use permettersi

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

  1. Present

    Quest'anno ci permettiamo una vacanza vera.

    This year we're treating ourselves to a real holiday.

  2. Past

    Si è permesso di criticare la mia cucina!

    He took the liberty of criticizing my cooking!

  3. Imperfect

    Allora non ci permettevamo nemmeno il cinema.

    Back then we couldn't even afford the cinema.

  4. Future

    Con il nuovo stipendio mi permetterò una macchina.

    With the new salary I'll be able to afford a car.

  5. Conditional

    Non mi permetterei mai di dirle una cosa simile.

    I'd never dare say such a thing to her.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Non credo che si permettano un albergo così.

    I don't think they can afford a hotel like that.

  7. Imperative

    Permettiti un dolce ogni tanto, non fa male.

    Treat yourself to a dessert now and then, it doesn't hurt.

Good to know

  • Permettersi di + verb: non posso permettermi di sbagliare; come ti permetti? is "how dare you?".

Verbs like this one

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