Language/Italian/Grammar/Do-and-Say

The Italian verbs fare (to do) and dire (to say) are closely related to each other due to their similar irregular conjugation pattern.

Their infinitive form endings may suggest they belong respectively to first (-are) and third (-ire) conjugation. Actually these two verbs are classifiable as second conjugation (-ere) further to their respective Latin stems facĕre and dicĕre. As shown in table below, the original Latin stems fac* and dic* act as base form to which we will add the present tense endings:

Fare	Prononciation	Dire	Prononciation
Io faccio*	['Io 'faʧ:o]	Io dico	['Io 'diko]
Tu fai	[Tu 'fai̯]	Tu dici	[Tu 'diʧi]
Egli fa	['Eʎʎi fa]	Egli dice	['Eʎʎi 'diʧe]
Noi facciamo*	[ˈNoi̯ fa'ʧ:amo]	Noi diciamo	[ˈNoi̯ di'ʧamo]
Voi fate	[ˈVoi̯ 'fate]	Voi dite	[ˈVoi̯ 'dite]
Essi fanno	['Essi 'fan:o]	Essi dicono