Language/Sicilian/Grammar/Present-Tense
Hello everybody,
In today's lesson you will learn some useful vocabulary about ¨PRESENT TENSE¨ in Sicilian.
Feel free to edit this page by adding new words and expressions!
Happy learning! 😀
Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Past Tense & Prepositions.
Conjugating Sicilian –ari Verbs[edit | edit source]
The paradigm for conjugating present tense –ari
verbs in Sicilian is simple:
- The ending of the verb will change from 1st, 2nd and 3rd person.
Look closely how the ending changes, because this will happen the same way for all –ari verbs.
All verbs ending with the letters –ari such as parrari (to speak), accattari (to buy), cantari (to sing) etc., will end with the new ending of u, i, a, amu, ati, and anu respectively.
Here’s how it goes:
Sicilian | Translation |
---|---|
Parrari | to speak, talk |
Parru | I speak |
Parri | you speak |
Parra | he/she speaks |
Parramu | we speak |
Parrati | y’all speak |
Pàrranu | they speak |
Did you notice how the ending of the verb parrari (-ari) was removed, and replaced with u, i, a, amu, ati and anu as it was conjugated through 1st, 2nd and 3rd person? Well, this will happen with all –ari verbs. Here is another verb being conjugated.
Sicilian | Translation |
---|---|
Accattari | to buy |
Accattu | I buy |
Accatti | you buy |
Accatta | he/she buys |
Accattamu | we buy |
Accattati | y’all buy |
Accàttanu | they buy |
Now you try one.
Sicilian | Translation |
---|---|
Cantari | to sing |
Cant__ | I sing |
Cant__ | you sing |
Cant__ | he/she sings |
Cant___ | we sing |
Cant___ | y’all sing |
Cànt___ | they sing |
Very good! Also notice how in the third person plural that the accent changes.
Also be aware that the auxiliary verb “do” is simply understand in the Sicilian language.
So,
- “Parri sicilianu?” means, “Do you speak Sicilian?”.
- “Canti canzuni Sicilianu?” means “Do you sing Sicilian songs?”.
Hope this helps! Good luck and have fun learning Sicilian.
Some Verbs in the Present Tense in Sicilian[edit | edit source]
Verb : to love (amari / finishing by -ari)[edit | edit source]
Sicilian | Translation |
---|---|
İu amu | I love |
Tu ami | You love |
İddu ama | He loves |
Nuàutri amamu | We love |
Vuàutri amati | You love |
İddi àmanu | They love |
Verb : to speak (parrari / finishing by -ari)[edit | edit source]
Sicilian | Translation |
---|---|
İu parru | I speak |
Tu parri | You speak |
İddu parra | He speaks |
Nuàutri parràmu | We speak |
Vuàutri parràti | You speak |
İddi pàrranu | They speak |
Verb : to sleep (durmìri / finishing by -ìri)[edit | edit source]
Sicilian | Translation |
---|---|
İu dormu | I sleep |
Tu dormi | You sleep |
İddu dormi | He sleeps |
Nuàutri durmèmu | We sleep |
Vuàutri durmìti | You sleep |
İddi dòrminu | They sleep |
Verb : to open (gràpiri / finishing by -iri)[edit | edit source]
Sicilian | Translation |
---|---|
İu grapu | I open |
Tu grapi | You open |
İddu grapi | He opens |
Nuàutri grapemu | We open |
Vuàutri grapiti | You open |
İddi gràpinu | They open |
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- How to Use Have
- Possessive Case in Sicilian
- Future Tense
- Prepositions
- Imperative Mood
- Relative Pronouns
- Articles
- How to Use Be
- Conditional Tense