Studio e lavoro
Chapter Overview and Objectives
Chapter 14 completes the community-focused instruction of Unit III by moving into school and work. You will talk about what you study or do, discuss schedules and responsibilities, and make polite requests in institutional settings such as a university office or a workplace. By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Talk about school, university, and work in simple, controlled terms.
- Describe what you study or do and name basic skills and tasks.
- Ask and answer questions about schedules and responsibilities.
- Express ability, obligation, and desire using potere, dovere, and volere.
- Distinguish sapere from potere when talking about ability and knowledge.
- Make a polite request in an institutional context and understand a short school or work notice.
Communication Scenario
Marco is a university student who also works part-time at a small office. Between classes, he stops by his professor's office hours to ask about an assignment deadline, and later he sends a short, polite message to his supervisor asking to change a work shift.
- This chapter teaches you to describe study and work routines, ask about schedules, and make polite institutional requests.
- You will practice this through Marco's office-hours visit and workplace message, then apply it to your own school or work situation.
Where This Chapter Fits
Chapter 14 completes Unit III. It builds on the modal verbs first introduced with health advice in Chapter 13, the polite request language of Chapters 8 and 11, and the routine and time expressions of Chapter 7, and it introduces new material: school and work vocabulary, fuller modal-verb use, and formal institutional requests.
Coming Into This Chapter
You can already use potere and dovere in controlled health-advice patterns (Ch. 13), describe your daily routine (Ch. 7), and make polite requests with vorrei and per favore (Ch. 8, Ch. 11).
In This Chapter
You will add school and work vocabulary, develop potere, dovere, and volere across more persons, contrast sapere with potere, and practice formal requests with può, posso, and vorrei in institutional settings.
Looking Forward
Chapter 15, Ripasso 3: Situazioni nella comunità, reviews and integrates the community, health, and work-and-study language from Chapters 11 through 14 before Unit IV begins.
Core Vocabulary
| Italian | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| la scuola | school | feminine |
| l'università | university | feminine |
| il corso | course | masculine |
| la lezione | class, lesson | feminine |
| il compito | assignment, homework | masculine |
| l'esame | exam | masculine |
| l'orario | schedule, timetable | masculine |
| il professore / la professoressa | professor, teacher | masculine / feminine |
| Italian | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| il lavoro | work, job | masculine |
| l'ufficio | office | masculine |
| il capo / la capa | boss | masculine / feminine |
| il turno | shift | masculine |
| la riunione | meeting | feminine |
| il progetto | project | masculine |
| il computer | computer | masculine, invariable, English loanword |
| l'email | feminine, invariable, English loanword |
| Italian | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Studio economia. | I study economics. | studiare, present tense |
| Lavoro in un ufficio. | I work in an office. | lavorare, present tense |
| So usare il computer. | I know how to use the computer. | sapere for skill/knowledge |
| Posso finire domani? | Can I finish tomorrow? | potere question |
| Devo consegnare il compito. | I have to turn in the assignment. | dovere obligation |
| Vorrei cambiare il turno. | I would like to change my shift. | |
| Può ripetere, per favore? | Could you repeat that, please? |
This chapter uses only a small, high-frequency set of school and work vocabulary. Résumé writing, contracts, and specialized bureaucratic or professional terminology are not part of Volume I and are reserved for later, more specialized instruction.
Pronunciation Focus
Phrases like posso finire and devo consegnare are pronounced as one connected rhythmic unit, with the stress falling on the infinitive rather than on the modal verb. Also notice that English-origin technology words such as computer and email keep their spelling but are pronounced with Italian vowel clarity rather than English vowel reduction, and they do not change form in the plural: i computer, le email.
14.1 Formal request intonation
A polite institutional question such as Posso farLe una domanda? typically rises gently at the end and is spoken more slowly and evenly than a casual question among friends. Rushing a formal request can sound abrupt even when the words themselves are polite.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
Form: posso, puoi, può, possiamo; devo, devi, deve, dobbiamo; voglio, vuoi, vuole, vogliamo, each followed by an infinitive.
Use: Devo consegnare il compito venerdì. Vogliamo finire il progetto insieme. (I have to turn in the assignment Friday. We want to finish the project together.) Chapter 13 introduced these modals mainly with io, tu, and lui/lei/Lei; this chapter adds controlled noi forms in study and work contexts. Full conjugation across every person, including voi and loro, is developed further in later volumes.
Form: so, sai, sa, sappiamo + infinitive, or so + fact/language.
Use: sapere expresses learned knowledge or skill: So usare questo programma. (I know how to use this program.) potere expresses general ability or permission in the moment: Non posso venire oggi. (I can't come today — a matter of availability, not skill.) Do not use potere where the meaning is "know how to."
Form: Può + infinitive? (asking someone else, formal); Posso + infinitive? (asking permission for yourself); Vorrei + infinitive (a soft request or wish).
Use: Può spiegare di nuovo? Posso fare una domanda? Vorrei cambiare il turno di lunedì. These formulas are the safe, controlled way to make an institutional request at this stage. Softened or hedged requests using the conditional mood beyond vorrei are developed in later volumes.
Form: Formal Lei takes third-person singular verb forms, the same as lui/lei: Lei può, Lei deve, Lei sa.
Use: A professor or supervisor addressed with Lei is grammatically treated like "he" or "she," even though the meaning is "you." This is recognition-level awareness in Volume I; learners are not expected to produce every formal verb form independently, only to recognize and respond to it in scheduled institutional patterns.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Marco visits his professor's office hours to ask about an assignment, as described in the Communication Scenario above.
Domande di comprensione — Comprehension questions:
- Why does Marco need more time for the assignment?
- What does the professor ask Marco to do to confirm the new deadline?
- What does Marco say he already knows how to do?
Guided Practice
Esercizio 1 — Choose sapere or potere:
- ______ parlare un po' di italiano. (So / Posso)
- Oggi non ______ venire in ufficio. (so / posso)
- Marco ______ usare bene il computer. (sa / può)
Esercizio 2 — Complete with potere, dovere, or volere:
- Noi ______ finire il progetto insieme. (volere)
- Lei ______ consegnare il compito domani. (dovere)
- ______ farLe una domanda? (potere)
Esercizio 3 — Match the situation to the appropriate formal request:
- You didn't hear the professor — ______
- You want to change your work shift — ______
- You want permission to ask a question — ______
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a study partner, or a fluent Italian speaker to read the passage below aloud, at a natural pace, twice.
If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read the passage aloud yourself, slowly at first, then at a more natural pace. Any spoken model should be verified by a fluent Italian speaker before being treated as a pronunciation standard.
Una visita durante l'orario di ricevimento — An office-hours visit:
"Marco studia economia all'università e lavora anche in un ufficio. Ha un compito da consegnare, ma questa settimana lavora tutti i giorni. Va dalla professoressa e le spiega la situazione. La professoressa gli dice di consegnare il compito lunedì invece di venerdì e di mandare un'email per confermare. Marco è contento e ringrazia la professoressa."
Compito di ascolto — Listening task:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does Marco study, and where does he also work? | ______ |
| What new deadline does the professor give him? | ______ |
| What must Marco do to confirm the new deadline? | ______ |
Speaking Practice
Pratica controllata — Controlled practice: study and work routine
With a partner, take turns asking Che cosa studi? / Dove lavori? and answering with one sentence about your studies or work.
Compito comunicativo — Communicative task: office-hours role-play
One partner plays a student or employee explaining a scheduling problem; the other plays a professor or supervisor who responds using può or deve. Confirm the new arrangement before ending the conversation.
Pratica da solo — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing one thing you study or do for work, one thing you know how to do well, and one polite request you might make to a professor or supervisor.
Reading Practice
Read the class notice and workplace message below aloud, sounding out each Italian word slowly.
Domande di comprensione — Comprehension questions:
- What must students do by Monday morning, according to the class notice?
- What is Marco asking his boss to change?
- What does Marco propose doing tomorrow?
Writing Workshop
Write a short, polite message asking to change a schedule at school or work.
Compito di scrittura — Writing task: Write six to eight sentences describing what you study or do, one responsibility or deadline, and a polite request to change something about your schedule. Include at least one sapere or potere sentence, one dovere sentence, and one formal request with vorrei or posso.
- Say what you study or do. Use studio... or lavoro....
- Name a responsibility or deadline. Use a dovere sentence.
- Mention a skill or limitation. Use so... or non posso....
- Make a polite request. Use vorrei... or posso...?.
Lista di controllo — Editing checklist:
- sapere is used for skill/knowledge and potere for ability/permission, not interchangeably.
- devo/deve, posso/può, and voglio/vuole match the correct address form.
- The message opens and closes with an appropriate formal greeting and closing.
- Accents and apostrophes are spelled correctly, especially in università and un'email.
Culture and Communication
Many Italian universities set aside orario di ricevimento (office hours) when students can speak directly with a professor. Practices vary by institution, department, and country, so this should not be treated as a universal or fixed system.
Requests to a supervisor or professor commonly use Lei, a clear opening greeting, and a direct but softened request such as vorrei rather than a blunt demand. Workplace norms around hierarchy, directness, and formality vary considerably by company, field, region, and generation.
Common Mistakes
Error: Saying Posso usare il computer to mean "I know how to use the computer."
Correction: Use So usare il computer for learned skill or knowledge. Reserve potere for general ability or permission in a specific moment, as in Non posso usare il computer adesso perché è occupato.
Error: Saying Puoi ripetere? to a professor during office hours.
Correction: Use the formal form: Può ripetere, per favore? Formal institutional interaction calls for Lei agreement unless the relationship has clearly shifted to an informal one.
Error: Writing Cambio il turno di lunedì as a flat statement to a supervisor, with no greeting or softening.
Correction: Open with a greeting and soften the request: Gentile signor Bruni, vorrei cambiare il mio turno di lunedì, se possibile. A soft, polite opening is expected in institutional messages at this level.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter you learned to talk about school and work, describe skills and responsibilities, and distinguish sapere from potere. You developed potere, dovere, and volere across additional persons, practiced formal requests with può, posso, and vorrei, and applied these systems in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Chapter Review
Parte A — Comprensione (Comprehension)
1. Return to the model dialogue and answer in English:
- Why does Marco ask for more time on his assignment?
- What does the professor ask Marco to send her?
Parte B — Grammatica (Grammar)
1. Complete: ______ parlare un po' di italiano. (sapere)
2. Complete: Non ______ venire oggi. (potere)
3. Complete: ______ consegnare il compito lunedì. (dovere)
Parte C — Lettura (Reading)
1. Return to the workplace message above and answer:
- Which shift does Marco want to change, and to which day?
- What does Marco propose doing tomorrow?
Parte D — Scrittura (Writing)
1. Write a short school or work message, following the writing workshop steps above.
Parte E — Parlato (Speaking)
1. With a partner or recorded solo, describe your studies or work, then make one polite institutional request.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 14 Performance Task
Ask for a Schedule Change
Complete the following four connected tasks in order.
- Listen to the model dialogue or listening passage above and complete the listening table.
- Read the class notice and workplace message above and answer the comprehension questions.
- Write a short, polite message asking to change a school or work schedule.
- Speak by role-playing an office-hours or workplace conversation with a partner, or by recording a solo narration, and include one skill or ability statement and one polite request.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Study or work description | The learner clearly describes what they study or do. |
| Skill versus ability | The learner correctly distinguishes sapere from potere. |
| Obligation and desire | The learner correctly forms at least one sentence with dovere or volere. |
| Formal request | The learner makes a polite institutional request using può, posso, or vorrei. |
| Integration | Study or work information, schedule, and request connect clearly across listening, reading, writing, and speaking. |
This task assesses only what this chapter has taught. It does not require full modal-verb paradigms across every person, subjunctive request forms, résumé or CV writing, or specialized bureaucratic terminology.
Answer Key
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Marco needs more time because he works all day and cannot finish the assignment before Saturday.
- The professor asks Marco to send her an email to confirm the new deadline.
- Marco says he already knows how to use the data well.
Guided Practice
Esercizio 1: (1) So (2) posso (3) sa
Esercizio 2: (1) vogliamo (2) deve (3) Posso
Esercizio 3: (1) Può ripetere, per favore? (2) Vorrei cambiare il turno. (3) Posso farLe una domanda?
Listening
- Marco studies economics at the university and also works in an office.
- The professor lets him turn in the assignment Monday instead of Friday.
- Marco must send an email to confirm the new deadline.
Reading — Comprehension
- Students must turn in the assignment online by Monday morning.
- Marco wants to switch his Monday shift for Wednesday.
- Marco proposes speaking with his boss about it tomorrow.
Chapter Review — Parte B
- So
- posso
- Devo
Looking Ahead
Cosa sai fare ora — What you can do now
You can talk about school and work, describe skills and responsibilities, distinguish sapere from potere, and make a polite institutional request using può, posso, or vorrei.