Viaggi e visite
Chapter Overview and Objectives
Chapter 17 continues Unit IV by giving you the second half of the passato prossimo system: the auxiliary essere. In Chapter 16 you learned to narrate completed actions with avere. Now you will learn that a small set of high-frequency verbs — mostly verbs of movement and change of state — use essere instead, and that their participles must agree with the subject in gender and number. This chapter lets you talk about trips, visits, arrivals, and departures. By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Form the passato prossimo with essere for common movement and change-of-state verbs.
- Make the past participle agree with the subject in gender and number when essere is the auxiliary.
- Distinguish, in scheduled high-frequency verbs, which verbs take avere and which take essere.
- Describe a trip or visit, including where you went and with whom.
- Ask and answer follow-up questions about a trip using dove, quando, con chi, and come.
- Read and write a short account of a trip or visit using sequence markers.
Communication Scenario
Marta told Giulia about her quiet weekend in Chapter 16. Now Giulia remembers that Marta recently visited her family in Bologna, and she wants to hear about the trip.
- This chapter teaches you to talk about a trip or visit using the passato prossimo with essere.
- You will practice this through Giulia and Marta's conversation about Marta's visit to Bologna, then apply the same tools to your own travel experiences.
Where This Chapter Fits
Chapter 17 continues Unit IV, Esperienze e progetti. It builds directly on the passato prossimo with avere from Chapter 16 and on the movement verbs and transportation vocabulary from Chapter 11, and introduces the passato prossimo with essere for the first time.
Coming Into This Chapter
You can already narrate completed actions with avere plus a past participle, ask what someone did, and sequence events with prima, poi, dopo, and alla fine.
In This Chapter
You will learn that verbs like andare, venire, arrivare, partire, uscire, and entrare use essere instead of avere, and that their participles agree with the subject.
Looking Forward
Chapter 18, Ieri, oggi e domani, contrasts past, present, and future reference and reviews both auxiliaries together.
Core Vocabulary
| Infinitive | Past Participle | English |
|---|---|---|
| andare | andato/a | to go / gone |
| venire | venuto/a | to come / come |
| arrivare | arrivato/a | to arrive / arrived |
| partire | partito/a | to leave / left |
| uscire | uscito/a | to go out / gone out |
| entrare | entrato/a | to enter / entered |
| tornare | tornato/a | to return / returned |
| restare | restato/a | to stay / stayed |
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| il viaggio | the trip |
| la visita | the visit |
| la valigia | the suitcase |
| il treno | the train |
| l'aereo | the airplane |
| la stazione | the station |
| l'aeroporto | the airport |
| i parenti | the relatives |
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| con chi? | with whom? |
| quanto tempo? | how long? |
| com'è andata? | how did it go? |
| tutto bene? | everything OK? |
Receptive only: station and airport announcement phrases encountered in short listening tasks are for recognition. You are not expected to produce full announcement-style language independently.
Pronunciation Focus
When essere is the auxiliary, the final vowel of the participle changes to agree with the subject: andato, andata, andati, andate. These endings are pronounced clearly and distinctly — do not let the final vowel weaken or disappear, since it is the only signal in speech that tells you whether the speaker is masculine, feminine, singular, or plural.
17.1 Auxiliary rhythm with essere
Just as with avere, the auxiliary and participle form one rhythmic unit, with stress on the participle: sono anDAto, sei parTIta, è arriVAto. Practice moving lightly through the auxiliary and landing on the stressed syllable of the participle.
17.2 Listening for agreement endings
Because the participle ending carries information about the subject, listen carefully for the final vowel: è partito (he left) versus è partita (she left) sound different only in that final syllable. This is a genuine listening skill, not just a spelling rule.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
A small group of high-frequency verbs — mostly verbs of movement and change of state — form the passato prossimo with essere instead of avere. When essere is the auxiliary, the past participle agrees with the subject in gender and number, just like an adjective:
| Subject | essere | Participle | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| io (m.) | sono | andato | I went |
| io (f.) | sono | andata | I went |
| tu (m.) | sei | partito | you left |
| lui | è | arrivato | he arrived |
| lei / Lei (f.) | è | arrivata | she / you (formal) arrived |
Productive focus in this chapter remains on io, tu, and lui/lei/Lei, with correct singular agreement. Plural agreement (andati/andate) is receptive only at this stage.
You do not need to memorize a formal rule yet. For now, learn this scheduled list of high-frequency essere verbs as a set:
andare, venire, arrivare, partire, uscire, entrare, tornare, restare
Nearly every other verb you have learned so far — mangiare, lavorare, studiare, fare, vedere, leggere, scrivere, prendere, mettere, and others — uses avere, as you learned in Chapter 16.
Combine familiar prepositions with the new auxiliary to say where someone went, came from, or arrived:
- Sono andata a Bologna. — I went to Bologna.
- Sei venuto da Milano? — Did you come from Milan?
- È arrivata in treno. — She arrived by train.
- Ho viaggiato con mia sorella. — I traveled with my sister. (viaggiare uses avere)
Use these controlled question patterns to ask about someone's trip:
- Dove sei andata? — Where did you go?
- Quando sei partito? — When did you leave?
- Con chi sei andata? — Who did you go with?
- Com'è andata? — How did it go?
Non still comes directly before the auxiliary: Non sono partita venerdì. — I didn't leave Friday. Sequence connectors from Chapter 16 continue to work the same way: Prima sono arrivata, poi sono uscita con i miei parenti.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Giulia and Marta continue their Monday-morning conversation from Chapter 16.
Domande di comprensione — Comprehension questions:
- When did Marta leave, and when did she arrive?
- Who did Marta travel with?
- Why didn't Marta stay in Bologna longer?
Guided Practice
Esercizio 1 — Give the past participle, with masculine and feminine singular forms:
- andare → ______ / ______
- partire → ______ / ______
- arrivare → ______ / ______
- tornare → ______ / ______
Esercizio 2 — Complete with the correct form of essere plus the agreeing participle in parentheses. Assume the speaker or subject named is feminine unless marked otherwise:
- Io (f.) ______ (andare) a Bologna.
- Tu (m.), quando ______ (partire)?
- Marco ______ (arrivare) tardi ieri.
- Marta ______ (tornare) domenica.
Esercizio 3 — Choose avere or essere and complete the sentence:
- Ieri (io) ______ (lavorare) fino a tardi.
- Ieri (io, f.) ______ (uscire) con un'amica.
- Marco ______ (leggere) un libro sul treno.
Listening Practice
Ask an instructor, study partner, or fluent Italian speaker to read the passage below aloud, at a natural pace, twice.
If no speakers are available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read it 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.
Il viaggio di Elena — Elena's trip:
"Sono partita giovedì mattina e sono arrivata a Torino nel pomeriggio. Sono andata subito a casa di mia nonna. La sera siamo uscite insieme e abbiamo mangiato in un ristorante vicino a casa sua. Sabato sono tornata a casa in treno."
Compito di ascolto — Listening task:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When did Elena leave, and when did she arrive in Turin? | ______ |
| Where did Elena go right after arriving? | ______ |
| How did Elena get home on Saturday? | ______ |
Speaking Practice
Pratica controllata — Controlled practice: where did you go?
With a partner, take turns asking Dove sei andato/andata l'ultima volta che hai viaggiato? and answering with the correct participle agreement.
Compito comunicativo — Communicative task: my trip
In pairs or small groups, describe a real or imagined trip using at least three essere verbs, one time marker, and one sequence word. Your partner should ask at least one follow-up question with dove, quando, con chi, or come.
Pratica da solo — Solo alternative
Record yourself narrating a short trip, making sure your participles agree correctly with your own gender.
Reading Practice
Read the short travel note below aloud, sounding out each Italian word slowly.
Note: è stato appears here as a receptive-only form. Full mastery of essere as its own participle in the passato prossimo is not required at this stage.
Domande di comprensione — Comprehension questions:
- When did the writer arrive in Naples?
- What did the writer do this morning and this afternoon?
- Where is the writer going tomorrow?
Writing Workshop
Write a short note describing a trip or visit.
Compito di scrittura — Writing task: Write five to seven sentences describing a real or imagined trip. Include at least three essere verbs with correct participle agreement, one time marker, one sequence word, and one follow-up detail such as who you went with.
- Say when you left. Use sono partito/partita plus a time marker.
- Say when you arrived. Use sono arrivato/arrivata.
- Sequence two more actions. Use poi and dopo, mixing essere and avere verbs as needed.
- Say when you returned. Use sono tornato/tornata.
Lista di controllo — Editing checklist:
- The auxiliary essere agrees with the subject (sono, sei, è).
- The participle ending agrees with the subject's gender (-o for masculine, -a for feminine).
- Verbs like mangiare, vedere, leggere, prendere still use avere, not essere.
- non comes before essere in negative sentences.
- Prepositions such as a, da, in, con are used correctly with places and companions.
Culture and Communication
Visiting relatives in another city or region is common across Italian-speaking communities, though the frequency, distance, and occasion for these visits vary widely by family, region, and personal circumstance. Do not assume every family visits in the same way or for the same reasons.
Train travel is a common way to move between Italian cities, and many people share short accounts of their trips as ordinary small talk. Transportation preferences, costs, and travel times vary by region and by the specific route.
Common Mistakes
Error: Saying Ho andato a Bologna instead of Sono andata a Bologna.
Correction: High-frequency movement and change-of-state verbs such as andare, venire, arrivare, partire, uscire, entrare, tornare, and restare use essere, not avere.
Error: A female speaker saying Sono andato a Roma.
Correction: With essere, the participle must agree with the subject: a female speaker says Sono andata a Roma.
Error: Saying Ho arrivata ieri e ho vista il centro.
Correction: Each verb keeps its own required auxiliary: Sono arrivata ieri e ho visto il centro — arrivare takes essere with agreement, while vedere takes avere with no agreement.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter you learned to talk about trips and visits using the passato prossimo with essere. You learned a scheduled set of high-frequency movement and change-of-state verbs, practiced making the past participle agree with the subject in gender, asked and answered follow-up questions about a trip, and combined essere verbs with the avere verbs you already know from Chapter 16.
Chapter Review
Parte A — Comprensione (Comprehension)
1. Return to the model dialogue and answer in English:
- Who did Marta travel to Bologna with?
- What did Marta do with her brother and parents before dinner?
Parte B — Grammatica (Grammar)
1. Complete (subject is feminine): Io ______ (partire) lunedì.
2. Complete (subject is masculine): Marco ______ (tornare) tardi.
3. Choose the correct auxiliary: Ieri (io, f.) ______ (uscire) con un'amica e ______ (vedere) un film.
Parte C — Lettura (Reading)
1. Return to the travel message above and answer:
- What did the writer do this morning in Naples?
- Where is the writer traveling next?
Parte D — Scrittura (Writing)
1. Write a short paragraph following the writing workshop steps above.
Parte E — Parlato (Speaking)
1. With a partner or recorded solo, narrate a short trip, including one follow-up question and answer.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 17 Performance Task — Narrate a Trip or Visit
Talk and Write About a Trip
Complete the following four connected tasks in order.
- Listen to Elena's trip passage above and complete the listening table.
- Read the travel message above and answer the comprehension questions.
- Write a short account of a trip or visit, using at least three essere verbs with correct agreement, a time marker, and a sequence word.
- Speak by exchanging trip stories with a partner and asking at least one follow-up question, or by recording a solo narration.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Passato prossimo formation with essere | The learner correctly forms essere plus a past participle for scheduled verbs. |
| Participle agreement | The participle ending agrees with the subject's gender in singular forms. |
| Auxiliary selection | The learner correctly distinguishes scheduled essere verbs from avere verbs. |
| Time markers and sequencing | The learner uses at least one time marker and one sequence connector. |
| Task completion | The narration includes at least three completed actions and one follow-up question across speaking and writing. |
This task assesses only the passato prossimo with essere for the scheduled verb set, plus review of avere from Chapter 16. It does not require the imperfect tense, plural participle agreement, or object pronouns.
Answer Key
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Marta left Friday night and arrived Saturday early morning.
- Marta traveled with her brother.
- She didn't stay longer because she worked Monday.
Guided Practice
Esercizio 1: (1) andato / andata (2) partito / partita (3) arrivato / arrivata (4) tornato / tornata
Esercizio 2: (1) sono andata (2) sei partito (3) è arrivato (4) è tornata
Esercizio 3: (1) ho lavorato (2) sono uscita (3) ha letto
Listening
- Elena left Thursday morning and arrived in Turin in the afternoon.
- Elena went right away to her grandmother's house.
- Elena went home by train on Saturday.
Reading — Comprehension
- The writer went out early and saw the city center.
- In the afternoon the writer went to the beach with a friend.
- The writer is traveling to Rome tomorrow morning.
Chapter Review — Parte B
- sono partita
- è tornato
- sono uscita ... ho visto
Looking Ahead
Cosa sai fare ora — What you can do now
You can narrate a trip or visit using the passato prossimo with essere, make the participle agree with your subject, distinguish scheduled essere verbs from avere verbs, and ask and answer follow-up questions about a trip.