B1 Italian is the level at which you stop surviving and start participating. You're no longer just ordering food and asking for directions โ you're explaining opinions, discussing plans, writing formal letters, and following conversations on familiar topics at natural speed.
The CELI 2 exam tests exactly this range: can you read a newspaper article and understand the argument? Can you write a letter to a landlord about a problem? Can you hold a conversation about your daily life, your city, your work? These are real situations, and they require real grammar โ not just vocabulary.
This guide gives you the complete B1 Italian structure: the tenses, the key verbs, the connectors, the writing formulas, and the vocabulary you need for the exam and for life in Italy. Every section connects directly to what the CELI 2 tests.
B1 Italian grammar for CELI 2: essere vs stare, sapere vs conoscere, -isc- verbs, tenses, connectors, colours, and model writing formulas.
Table of Contents
- How B1 Italian Works: The Logic of the Level
- Articles, Gender, and Agreement at B1
- Adjectives: Agreement, Position, and Superlatives
- The 10 Verbs That Run the Language
- essere vs stare: The Most Important Distinction in Italian
- Multi-Meaning Verbs: One Word, Many Uses
- The Five Tenses You Actually Need
- The Subjunctive: Introduction for B1
- Modal Verbs and Semi-Modal Constructions
- Building B1 Sentences: Complexity and Nuance
- Discourse Connectors: Linking Ideas in Italian
- Pronouns at B1: Direct, Indirect, and Combined
- Numbers, Time, Statistics, and Dates
- Directions and Spatial Language
- Colours in Italian: Basic, Nuanced, and Idiomatic
- 50 Verbs for CELI 2 Topics
- Writing Formulas for the CELI 2 Exam
1. How B1 Italian Works: The Logic of the Level
B1 is the threshold level โ the point at which language becomes functional for real-life participation rather than just survival. The CELI 2 defines B1 as the ability to handle familiar situations, express opinions on familiar topics, and produce connected written texts.
The exam tests four skills:
SKILL WHAT B1 REQUIRES
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
Reading Understand newspaper articles, formal letters, and
informational texts on familiar topics. Extract
specific information and understand the overall argument.
Listening Follow conversations and radio features at natural
speed on familiar social and professional topics.
Identify the speaker's main point and specific details.
Writing Produce formal letters (~150โ180 words) and short
opinion texts (~100โ120 words). Correct register,
connected paragraphs, standard Italian formal structure.
Speaking Hold a conversation with the examiner on familiar
topics โ daily life, work, society, plans. Present
a structured opinion on a given topic. (~20 min total)Word order at B1
Italian follows Subject โ Verb โ Object, like English and French.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ SUBJECT โ + โ VERB โ + โ OBJECT โ
โ Il sindaco โ โ firma โ โ il contratto โ
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
Il sindaco firma il contratto. โ The mayor signs the contract.Italian word order is more flexible than English โ elements can shift for emphasis โ but SVO is the default and the safe choice for the exam.
Subjects are often dropped, just like Spanish and Portuguese, because the verb ending encodes the subject:
Vivo a Milano. โ I live in Milan. (subject dropped)
Lavoro in banca. โ I work at the bank.๐ต Italian and register: At B1, register matters. The CELI 2 writing section penalises mixing formal and informal register. Lei (formal you) uses third-person singular verb forms (Lei viene? โ Are you coming?). In formal letters, always use Lei for the recipient. In the speaking section, use tu with peers, Lei with the examiner unless they invite informality.
2. Articles, Gender, and Agreement at B1
Every Italian noun has a gender. The article changes based on gender, number, and the first sound of the following word.
Definite articles (the)
MASCULINE FEMININE
Singular il / lo / l' la / l'
Plural i / gli le
il libro โ the book (masc., consonant)
lo studente โ the student (masc., s+consonant, z, ps, gn, x)
l'amico โ the friend (masc., vowel)
la casa โ the house (fem., consonant)
l'idea โ the idea (fem., vowel)
i libri โ the books
gli studenti โ the students
gli amici โ the friends
le case โ the houses
le idee โ the ideasโ ๏ธ *lo* and *gli* before specific consonant clusters. Use lo/gli before: s + consonant (lo studente), z (lo zaino), ps (lo psicologo), gn (lo gnocco), x (lo xenofobo), y (lo yogurt), vowels (l'/gli). Everything else uses il/i. This is one of the most consistent Italian rules and appears in the writing section.
Indefinite articles (a / an)
MASCULINE FEMININE
un una / un'
un libro โ a book
uno studente โ a student (before s+cons, z, ps, gn, x)
un'idea โ an idea (masc. before vowel โ same form)
una casa โ a house
un'idea โ an idea (fem. before vowel โ apostrophe)Articles contract with prepositions
Italian prepositions contract with the definite article โ one of the most distinctive features of written Italian:
il lo l' la i gli le
di del dello dell' della dei degli delle
a al allo all' alla ai agli alle
da dal dallo dall' dalla dai dagli dalle
in nel nello nell' nella nei negli nelle
su sul sullo sull' sulla sui sugli sulle
con col โ โ โ coi โ โVado al mercato. โ I'm going to the market. (a + il)
Vengo dalla scuola. โ I'm coming from school. (da + la)
Il libro dello studente. โ The student's book. (di + lo)
Abito nel centro storico. โ I live in the historic centre. (in + il)
Il libro sull'italiano. โ The book about Italian. (su + il)๐ฏ CELI writing: Contracted prepositions are obligatory in formal written Italian. Writing a il mercato instead of al mercato is an error that costs marks. Practice until contractions are automatic.
3. Adjectives: Agreement, Position, and Superlatives
Gender and number agreement
Italian adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number. They follow two patterns:
Pattern 1 โ four forms (-o / -a / -i / -e):
bello / bella / belli / belle โ beautiful
nuovo / nuova / nuovi / nuove โ new
piccolo / piccola / piccoli / piccole โ smallPattern 2 โ two forms (-e / -i, same for masc./fem.):
grande / grande / grandi / grandi โ big
interessante / interessante / interessanti / interessanti โ interesting
felice / felice / felici / felici โ happyPosition: before or after the noun?
Most Italian adjectives follow the noun. A small group of common adjectives typically precede it.
USUALLY BEFORE USUALLY AFTER
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
bello, brutto (beautiful, ugly) Colour: una macchina rossa
buono, cattivo (good, bad) Nationality: un ragazzo italiano
grande, piccolo (big, small) Shape/material: una tavola rotonda
giovane, vecchio (young, old) Past participle adj.: un problema risolto
nuovo (new in sense of another)
lungo, breve (long, short)
stesso, altro (same, other)
primo, secondo... (ordinal) Adjectives that change meaning by position:
BEFORE NOUN AFTER NOUN
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
un vecchio amico un amico vecchio
an old (long-time) friend an elderly friend
un grande uomo un uomo grande
a great man a tall/big man
un certo momento una cosa certa
a certain (specific) moment a certain (definite) thing
una nuova proposta una proposta nuova
a new (different) proposal a brand-new proposalSuperlatives
Relative superlative (the most / the least):
il/la/i/le + piรน/meno + adjective
il libro piรน interessante โ the most interesting book
la cittร piรน bella d'Italia โ the most beautiful city in Italy
i problemi meno urgenti โ the least urgent problemsAbsolute superlative (very / extremely):
Add -issimo/-issima/-issimi/-issime to the adjective stem:
grande โ grandissimo โ very big
bello โ bellissimo โ very beautiful
caro โ carissimo โ very expensive
difficile โ difficilissimo โ extremely difficult๐ก The absolute superlative is used constantly in spoken and written Italian at B1 level. It's also a mark of genuine Italian register โ native speakers use it far more than English speakers do. ร carissimo (it's very expensive), Grazie mille, sei gentilissimo (Thank you, you're very kind). Use it in the CELI speaking section.
4. The 10 Verbs That Run the Language
VERB MEANING WHY IT MATTERS
essere to be (identity/state) identity, description, passive voice
stare to be (condition/place) location, health, stare + gerund
avere to have possession, age, passato composto aux.
andare to go movement + idiomatic expressions
fare to do / to make actions, weather, many fixed expressions
potere can / to be able ability, permission, requests
volere to want desire, polite requests
sapere to know (facts/skills) knowledge vs. conoscere
venire to come movement + become (colour change)
rimanere to remain / to stay location, result, statePresent tense of all 10:
essere (to be โ identity/classification)
io sono I am
tu sei you are
lui/lei รจ he/she/it is
noi siamo we are
voi siete you are (plural)
loro sono they arestare (to be โ condition/location)
io sto I am / I stay
tu stai you are
lui/lei sta he/she is
noi stiamo we are
voi state you are
loro stanno they areavere (to have)
io ho I have
tu hai you have
lui/lei ha he/she has
noi abbiamo we have
voi avete you have
loro hanno they haveandare (to go)
io vado I go
tu vai you go
lui/lei va he/she goes
noi andiamo we go
voi andate you go
loro vanno they gofare (to do / make)
io faccio I do/make
tu fai you do
lui/lei fa he/she does
noi facciamo we do
voi fate you do
loro fanno they dopotere (can)
io posso I can
tu puoi you can
lui/lei puรฒ he/she can
noi possiamo we can
voi potete you can
loro possono they canvolere (to want)
io voglio I want
tu vuoi you want
lui/lei vuole he/she wants
noi vogliamo we want
voi volete you want
loro vogliono they wantsapere (to know โ facts/skills)
io so I know
tu sai you know
lui/lei sa he/she knows
noi sappiamo we know
voi sapete you know
loro sanno they knowvenire (to come)
io vengo I come
tu vieni you come
lui/lei viene he/she comes
noi veniamo we come
voi venite you come
loro vengono they comerimanere (to remain / stay)
io rimango I remain
tu rimani you remain
lui/lei rimane he/she remains
noi rimaniamo we remain
voi rimanete you remain
loro rimangono they remain5. essere vs stare: The Most Important Distinction in Italian
Both mean "to be." Like Spanish (ser/estar) and Portuguese (ser/estar), Italian uses two verbs where English uses one. The distinction is slightly different from Spanish, and it catches English speakers consistently.
ESSERE STARE
Identity and classification Condition and health
Origin and nationality Location (people โ informal)
Profession Ongoing actions (stare + gerund)
Intrinsic qualities Fixed expressions of state
Passive voice auxiliary
Past tense auxiliary (movement) When to use essere
Sono italiano. โ I am Italian. (nationality)
Lei รจ medica. โ She is a doctor. (profession)
Marco รจ alto. โ Marco is tall. (intrinsic quality)
Siamo di Roma. โ We are from Rome. (origin)
La riunione รจ alle 10. โ The meeting is at 10. (scheduled event)
Il libro รจ sul tavolo. โ The book is on the table. (location of objects)
Sono arrivato ieri. โ I arrived yesterday. (passato composto aux.)When to use stare
Come stai? โ How are you? (health/condition)
Sto bene, grazie. โ I'm well, thank you.
Sto studiando. โ I am studying. (stare + gerund)
Sta piovendo. โ It is raining. (weather ongoing)
Stai tranquillo. โ Stay calm. / Relax. (fixed expression)
Sta a te decidere. โ It's up to you to decide.โ ๏ธ Location: essere for objects, stare for people (informal) โ but essere is safer The rule in practice: essere for objects and formal contexts, stare for people in casual speech. Il libro รจ sul tavolo. โ The book is on the table. (essere โ always) Sono a casa. โ I'm at home. (essere โ formal/written) Sto a casa. โ I'm at home. (stare โ informal spoken) For the CELI writing section, use essere for location โ it's always correct.
โ ๏ธ essere vs stare with adjectives ร stanco. โ He is tired. (essere โ general/habitual) Sta stanco. โ He's feeling tired. (stare โ right now, less common) Most descriptive adjectives use essere in Italian โ unlike Spanish, where temporary states use estar. The Italian distinction is less sharp than the Spanish one.
sapere vs conoscere โ two ways of "to know"
Just as in French (savoir/connaรฎtre) and Spanish (saber/conocer), Italian has two verbs for "to know":
SAPERE CONOSCERE
Facts, information, skills People, places, things (familiarity)
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
So dove abita. Conosco Marco.
I know where he lives. I know Marco. (I'm acquainted with him)
Sai parlare francese? Conosci Roma?
Do you know how to speak French? Do you know Rome? (Are you familiar with it?)
Non so la risposta. Non conosco questo libro.
I don't know the answer. I'm not familiar with this book.6. Multi-Meaning Verbs: One Word, Many Uses
Italian has a set of verbs whose single core logic generates a range of English translations. Understanding the logic is more efficient than memorising a list.
fare โ to do/make, but much more
At its core, fare means causing something to happen or exist. From this single logic comes a vast range of uses.
Faccio i compiti. โ I do my homework. (to do)
Fa caldo oggi. โ It's hot today. (weather)
Faccio sport tre volte a settimana. โ I do sport three times a week. (activity)
Fa il medico. โ He works as a doctor. (profession/role)
Faccio riparare la macchina. โ I'm having the car repaired. (causative)
Fare una passeggiata. โ To take a walk. (fixed expression)
Fare una domanda. โ To ask a question.
Fare la spesa. โ To do the grocery shopping.
Fare finta di. โ To pretend.
Fare a meno di. โ To do without.
Quanto tempo fa? โ How long ago? (time)
Fa niente. โ It doesn't matter. / Never mind.๐ก *Fare + infinitive is the Italian causative: it means to have/get something done, or to cause someone to do something. Faccio riparare il tetto (I'm having the roof repaired). La musica mi fa pensare* (The music makes me think). This structure is very common in CELI B1 texts.
andare โ to go, but also: to work, to suit, to sell
Core logic: movement or flow in a direction โ physical, operational, or commercial.
Vado al lavoro in bici. โ I go to work by bike.
Il motore non va. โ The engine isn't working.
Come va? โ How's it going? / How are you?
Ti va un caffรจ? โ Would you like a coffee? (lit: does a coffee go to you?)
Va bene cosรฌ? โ Is this OK? / Is that alright?
Va fatto subito. โ It must be done immediately. (andare + past participle)
Vado a mangiare. โ I'm going to eat. (andare a + infinitive = near future)
Come te la cavi? โ How are you getting on? / How are you managing?๐ก *Andare a + infinitive is Italian's most natural way to express the immediate future โ just like English "going to." Vado a studiare (I'm going to study), Andiamo a vedere il film* (We're going to watch the film). Use it freely in the speaking section.
tenere โ to hold, to keep, to care about
Core logic: maintaining something in position โ physical, relational, or emotional.
Tieni la porta, per favore. โ Hold the door, please.
Tiene sempre le promesse. โ He always keeps his promises.
Tengo molto alla famiglia. โ I care a lot about my family. (tenere a)
Tiene un corso di italiano. โ She runs/teaches an Italian course.
Tieni presente che... โ Bear in mind that...
Tenersi in contatto. โ To keep in touch.
Tenersi aggiornato. โ To keep up to date.
Non tenere conto di. โ To disregard / to not take into account.lasciare โ to leave, to let, to cause
Core logic: releasing control โ of a person, object, situation, or relationship.
Lascia le chiavi qui. โ Leave the keys here.
Lasciami parlare. โ Let me speak.
Lascia perdere. โ Forget it. / Drop it.
Mi ha lasciato senza parole. โ It left me speechless.
Lasciare a desiderare. โ To leave something to be desired.
Lasciare intendere. โ To imply / to give the impression that.
Si รจ lasciato convincere. โ He allowed himself to be convinced.
Hanno lasciato il lavoro. โ They quit their job.passare โ to pass, to spend (time), to drop by, to get over
Core logic: movement through space or time.
L'autobus รจ giร passato. โ The bus has already gone.
Ho passato le vacanze a Napoli. โ I spent my holidays in Naples.
Passo da te stasera. โ I'll drop by your place tonight.
Come hai passato il weekend? โ How did you spend the weekend?
Passami il sale. โ Pass me the salt.
Il dolore passerร . โ The pain will pass.
Passare un esame. โ To pass an exam.
Passarsela bene / male. โ To be doing well / badly.
Che cosa passa per la testa? โ What's going through your head?7. The Five Tenses You Actually Need
For CELI 2 B1, five tenses cover everything the exam requires.
Tense 1: Presente
Used for: current states, habits, scheduled events, general truths, and the near future.
Regular verbs follow three patterns:
-ARE -ERE -IRE
parlare credere partire
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
io parlo credo parto
tu parli credi parti
lui/lei parla crede parte
noi parliamo crediamo partiamo
voi parlate credete partite
loro parlano credono partono-IRE verbs with -isc- infix (the most common sub-type):
finire capire preferire
io finisco capisco preferisco
tu finisci capisci preferisci
lui/lei finisce capisce preferisce
noi finiamo capiamo preferiamo
voi finite capite preferite
loro finiscono capiscono preferiscono๐ก How to know which -ire verbs take -isc-: The majority do. Learn the exceptions (partire, dormire, servire, sentire, aprire, offrire, coprire, soffrire) and assume the rest take -isc-. This covers: finire, capire, preferire, costruire, gestire, pulire, garantire, unire, definire, and hundreds more.
Tense 2: Passato Prossimo (Recent/Completed Past)
Used for: completed actions, events in the speaker's experience, recent past.
Formed: avere or essere (present) + past participle.
Past participles of regular verbs:
-ARE โ -ATO parlare โ parlato
-ERE โ -UTO credere โ creduto
-IRE โ -ITO partire โ partitoVerbs taking essere (movement, reflexive, impersonal):
Movement/state: andare, venire, partire, arrivare, tornare, entrare,
uscire, salire, scendere, cadere, rimanere, restare,
essere, diventare, nascere, morire, piacere, sembrare
Reflexive: all reflexive verbs (mi sono alzato)โ ๏ธ Agreement with essere: Past participle agrees with subject. Marco รจ arrivato. (masc. sing. โ -o) Maria รจ arrivata. (fem. sing. โ -a) I bambini sono arrivati. (masc. pl. โ -i) Le ragazze sono arrivate. (fem. pl. โ -e) With avere, no agreement (except with preceding direct object pronouns): Ho comprato il libro. (no agreement) L'ho comprato. (lo precedes โ agreement: comprato โ)
Common irregular past participles (memorise):
essere โ stato fare โ fatto
avere โ avuto dire โ detto
bere โ bevuto scrivere โ scritto
leggere โ letto aprire โ aperto
prendere โ preso chiudere โ chiuso
vedere โ visto/veduto mettere โ messo
venire โ venuto nascere โ nato
rimanere โ rimasto scegliere โ sceltoTense 3: Imperfetto (Ongoing/Habitual Past)
Used for: background descriptions, ongoing past states, habitual actions in the past, interrupted actions.
Formed from the infinitive stem (keeping the characteristic vowel):
parlare credere partire
io parlavo credevo partivo
tu parlavi credevi partivi
lui/lei parlava credeva partiva
noi parlavamo credevamo partivamo
voi parlavate credevate partivate
loro parlavano credevano partivano๐ต Passato prossimo vs imperfetto: Passato prossimo = the event (completed, foreground) Imperfetto = the context (ongoing, background) Leggevo (background) quando ha suonato il telefono (event). I was reading when the phone rang. Da bambino, andavo al mare ogni estate. (habitual past โ imperfetto) As a child, I went to the sea every summer. Ieri sono andato al mare. (specific event โ passato prossimo) Yesterday I went to the sea.
Tense 4: Futuro Semplice
Used for: future predictions, promises, formal statements about the future.
parlare credere partire
io parlerรฒ crederรฒ partirรฒ
tu parlerai crederai partirai
lui/lei parlerร crederร partirร
noi parleremo crederemo partiremo
voi parlerete crederete partirete
loro parleranno crederanno partirannoIrregular future stems:
essere โ sar- sarรฒ, sarai, sarร ...
avere โ avr- avrรฒ, avrai, avrร ...
fare โ far- farรฒ, farai, farร ...
andare โ andr- andrรฒ, andrai, andrร ...
venire โ verr- verrรฒ, verrai, verrร ...
dovere โ dovr- dovrรฒ, dovrai, dovrร ...
potere โ potr- potrรฒ, potrai, potrร ...
volere โ vorr- vorrรฒ, vorrai, vorrร ...
tenere โ terr- terrรฒ, terrai, terrร ...
rimanere โrimarr- rimarrรฒ, rimarrai...๐ฏ CELI speaking: When asked about future plans (Cosa farร il prossimo anno?), the futuro semplice is expected. L'anno prossimo andrรฒ a vivere all'estero, Finirรฒ gli studi in giugno. Practice using irregular future forms โ they appear in almost every future statement.
Tense 5: Condizionale Presente
Used for: polite requests, hypotheses, wishes, reported information.
parlare credere partire
io parlerei crederei partirei
tu parleresti crederesti partiresti
lui/lei parlerebbe crederebbe partirebbe
noi parleremmo crederemmo partiremmo
voi parlereste credereste partireste
loro parlerebbero crederebbero partirebberoKey uses:
Vorrei un caffรจ. โ I'd like a coffee. (polite request)
Potrebbe ripetere? โ Could you repeat? (polite)
Dovrebbe arrivare a breve. โ He should arrive shortly. (expectation)
Se avessi tempo, studierei. โ If I had time, I'd study. (hypothesis)
Secondo le notizie, salirebbe il prezzo. (unverified info)
โ According to news, the price is reportedly rising.8. The Subjunctive: Introduction for B1
The subjunctive (congiuntivo) is one of the markers that distinguishes B1 from A2 Italian. At B1 level, you need to recognise it and use it in the most common constructions โ full mastery belongs to B2.
Forming the present subjunctive
parlare credere partire/finire
io parli creda parta / finisca
tu parli creda parta / finisca
lui/lei parli creda parta / finisca
noi parliamo crediamo partiamo / finiamo
voi parliate crediate partiate / finiate
loro parlino credano partano / finiscanoNote: io/tu/lui all share the same form in the subjunctive. Only context distinguishes them.
Irregular present subjunctive (essential):
essere โ che io sia, che tu sia, che lui sia, che noi siamo...
avere โ che io abbia, che tu abbia...
fare โ che io faccia, che tu faccia...
andare โ che io vada, che tu vada...
venire โ che io venga, che tu venga...
potere โ che io possa, che tu possa...
dovere โ che io debba, che tu debba...
sapere โ che io sappia, che tu sappia...When to use the subjunctive at B1
1. After verbs of opinion and belief (with doubt)
Penso che sia tardi. โ I think it's late.
Credo che abbiano ragione. โ I believe they're right.
Non credo che venga. โ I don't think he'll come.2. After verbs of emotion and wishing
Spero che tutto vada bene. โ I hope everything goes well.
Sono contento che tu sia qui. โ I'm glad you're here.
Voglio che tu capisca. โ I want you to understand.
Mi dispiace che non possa venire. โ I'm sorry you can't come.3. After impersonal expressions
ร importante che tu studi. โ It's important that you study.
Bisogna che lei venga. โ It's necessary that she come.
ร possibile che ci sia un problema. โ It's possible there's a problem.
ร strano che non risponda. โ It's strange he's not answering.4. After certain conjunctions
prima che โ before Chiama prima che parta.
affinchรฉ โ so that Lo spiego affinchรฉ capiate.
sebbene โ although Sebbene sia difficile, รจ possibile.
benchรฉ โ although Benchรฉ sia stanco, continua.
nonostante โ despite Nonostante sia tardi, aspetto.๐ฏ CELI exam: The subjunctive appears in CELI 2 reading texts and listening. In writing, using it correctly โ especially with penso che, spero che, รจ importante che โ signals B1 competence. Aim for at least 2 subjunctive uses in your formal letter.
9. Modal Verbs and Semi-Modal Constructions
MODAL MEANING EXAMPLE
potere can / to be able Posso aiutarti? Can I help you?
dovere must / should / to owe Devo partire. I must leave.
volere to want Voglio capire. I want to understand.
sapere to know how to So nuotare. I know how to swim.
bisognare to be necessary (impers.) Bisogna agire. It's necessary to act.
occorrere to be needed (impers.) Occorre pazienza. Patience is needed.Semi-modal constructions at B1
These phrase-level constructions carry more nuance than bare modals:
EXPRESSION MEANING EXAMPLE
essere in grado di to be in a position to Non sono in grado di rispondere.
riuscire a to manage to / succeed in Sono riuscito a finire.
avere bisogno di to need Ho bisogno di aiuto.
avere voglia di to feel like doing Ho voglia di uscire.
avere intenzione di to intend to Ho intenzione di studiare.
avere difficoltร a to have difficulty doing Ho difficoltร a capire.
tendere a to tend to Tendo a rimandare.
permettersi di to be able to afford to Non mi posso permettere di.
stare per + infinitive to be about to Stavo per chiamarti.Non sono in grado di fornire una risposta ora.
โ I'm not in a position to provide an answer now.
Sono riuscito a trovare un appartamento in centro.
โ I managed to find an apartment in the centre.
Ho intenzione di rinnovare il contratto di locazione.
โ I intend to renew the rental contract.
Stavo per uscire quando hai chiamato.
โ I was about to leave when you called.10. Building B1 Sentences: Complexity and Nuance
Relative pronouns
PRONOUN USE EXAMPLE
che subject or direct object L'uomo che parla รจ il direttore.
Il libro che ho letto รจ bello.
cui after a preposition La cittร in cui vivo si chiama Roma.
Il motivo per cui sono qui รจ...
il quale formal, after prepositions La persona con la quale lavoro.
(varies) (avoids ambiguity)
dove place La cittร dove abito.B1 simple: Ho un problema. Non so come risolverlo.
B1 connected: Ho un problema che non so come risolvere.
โ I have a problem I don't know how to solve.
B1 simple: Lavoro in un ufficio. L'ufficio รจ in centro.
B1 connected: Lavoro in un ufficio che si trova in centro.
โ I work in an office that is in the centre.Indirect speech (discorso indiretto)
At B1, transforming direct speech into reported speech is tested in both reading and writing.
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
"Vengo domani." Ha detto che veniva il giorno dopo.
He said "I'm coming tomorrow." He said he was coming the next day.
"Ho finito il lavoro." Ha detto che aveva finito il lavoro.
"I've finished the work." He said he had finished the work.
"Puoi aiutarmi?" Mi ha chiesto se potevo aiutarlo.
"Can you help me?" He asked me if I could help him.Key time and place shifts in indirect speech:
oggi โ quel giorno qui โ lรฌ
domani โ il giorno dopo questo โ quello
ieri โ il giorno prima adesso โ allora11. Discourse Connectors: Linking Ideas in Italian
B1 writing requires sentences that flow. A CELI 2 letter cannot be seven disconnected sentences โ it needs connectors that show logical relationships.
Addition
inoltre โ furthermore, moreover
anche โ also, too
pure โ also (slightly more formal)
per di piรน โ what's more
non solo... ma anche โ not only... but alsoContrast and concession
perรฒ โ however, but (after pause)
tuttavia โ nevertheless (formal)
nonostante ciรฒ โ despite this
al contrario โ on the contrary
d'altra parte โ on the other hand
sebbene / benchรฉ โ although (+ subjunctive)
eppure โ and yetCause and consequence
perchรฉ โ because
poichรฉ โ since / because (formal)
dato che โ given that
a causa di โ because of (+ noun)
per questo โ for this reason
quindi โ therefore, so
pertanto โ therefore (formal)
di conseguenza โ as a consequenceTime and sequence
prima di tutto โ first of all
innanzitutto โ first and foremost
poi โ then
dopo โ after / afterwards
infine โ finally
in seguito โ subsequently
nel frattempo โ in the meantimeExemplification and conclusion
ad esempio / per esempio โ for example
in particolare โ in particular
come โ as, like
in conclusione โ in conclusion
in definitiva โ ultimately
tutto sommato โ all things considered๐ฏ CELI writing: The difference between a passing and a good score in writing is often the quality of connectors. Using only ma, e, and perchรฉ signals A2. At B1, use tuttavia, pertanto, nonostante, inoltre. In your letter, aim for at least one connector from contrast, one from cause, and one from sequence.
12. Pronouns at B1: Direct, Indirect, and Combined
Direct object pronouns (replace the direct object)
mi me Marco mi vede. Marco sees me.
ti you Ti chiamo stasera. I'll call you tonight.
lo him / it Lo compro. I buy it/him.
la her / it La conosco. I know her/it.
ci us Ci aiuta. He helps us.
vi you (pl.) Vi aspetto. I'm waiting for you.
li them (m.) Li vedo domani. I'll see them tomorrow.
le them (f.) Le ho lette. I've read them (f.).Indirect object pronouns (replace the indirect object)
mi to me Mi ha detto tutto. He told me everything.
ti to you Ti scrivo presto. I'll write to you soon.
gli to him Gli ho parlato. I spoke to him.
le to her Le ho scritto. I wrote to her.
ci to us Ci ha telefonato. She phoned us.
vi to you (pl.) Vi mando il link. I'll send you the link.
gli to them Gli ho mandato. I sent it to them.Pronoun position
Pronouns go before conjugated verbs and after (attached to) infinitives and gerunds:
Lo compro. โ I buy it. (before conjugated verb)
Voglio comprarlo. โ I want to buy it. (attached to infinitive)
Sto comprandolo. โ I'm buying it. (attached to gerund)
Compralo! โ Buy it! (attached to imperative)
Non comprarlo! โ Don't buy it! (before negative imperative)Combined pronouns
When a direct and indirect pronoun appear together, the indirect comes first and changes form:
mi + lo = me lo Me lo dai? โ Will you give it to me?
ti + lo = te lo Te lo spiego. โ I'll explain it to you.
gli + lo = glielo Glielo dico. โ I'll tell him/her/them (it).
ci + lo = ce lo Ce lo manda. โ He sends it to us.โ ๏ธ *gli* is used for both him AND them in modern Italian. Gli ho detto can mean "I told him" or "I told them." Context disambiguates. In formal writing, loro (after the verb) is sometimes used for "to them" (ho detto loro) but gli is now standard in both spoken and written B1 Italian.
13. Numbers, Time, Statistics, and Dates
Numbers 1โ20
1 uno/una 2 due 3 tre 4 quattro
5 cinque 6 sei 7 sette 8 otto
9 nove 10 dieci 11 undici 12 dodici
13 tredici 14 quattordici 15 quindici 16 sedici
17 diciassette 18 diciotto 19 diciannove 20 ventiNumbers 21โ1000
21 ventuno 30 trenta
40 quaranta 50 cinquanta
60 sessanta 70 settanta
80 ottanta 90 novanta
100 cento 1000 mille / mila (pl.)โ ๏ธ Mille vs mila: mille = 1,000. The plural of mille is mila (not milli): due mila (2,000), tre mila (3,000). Also: ventuno (not ventiuno) โ the final vowel of the tens is dropped before uno and otto: ventotto (28), trentuno (31).
Telling time
Che ora รจ? / Che ore sono? โ What time is it?
ร l'una. โ It's one o'clock. (singular)
Sono le due. โ It's two o'clock. (plural)
Sono le tre e mezza. โ It's half past three.
Sono le quattro e un quarto. โ It's quarter past four.
Sono le cinque meno un quarto. โ It's quarter to five.
Sono le otto e venti. โ It's twenty past eight.
ร mezzogiorno. โ It's midday.
ร mezzanotte. โ It's midnight.Dates
Che giorno รจ oggi? โ What day is today?
Oggi รจ il 15 marzo. โ Today is the 15th of March.
Il mio compleanno รจ il 3 luglio. โ My birthday is on the 3rd of July.
Siamo nel 2026. โ It's 2026.Days and months
lunedรฌ martedรฌ mercoledรฌ giovedรฌ
venerdรฌ sabato domenicagennaio febbraio marzo aprile
maggio giugno luglio agosto
settembre ottobre novembre dicembre๐ฏ CELI exam: Dates, times, and schedules appear in almost every listening task โ transport information, appointment details, office hours. In reading, formal letters are frequently dated. Practice reading and writing Italian dates automatically.
14. Directions and Spatial Language
The CELI 2 oral section includes role-play and conversation about places and movement. Spatial language also appears in reading texts about urban life and services.
Asking for and giving directions
Scusi, dov'รจ...? โ Excuse me, where is...?
Come si arriva a...? โ How do you get to...?
ร lontano da qui? โ Is it far from here?
Quanto ci vuole a piedi? โ How long does it take on foot?
C'รจ una farmacia qui vicino? โ Is there a chemist nearby?a destra โ to the right Giri a destra.
a sinistra โ to the left Giri a sinistra.
sempre diritto โ straight ahead Vada sempre diritto.
indietro โ back Torni indietro.
all'angolo โ at the corner ร all'angolo.
al semaforo โ at the lights Giri al semaforo.
al secondo incrocio โ at the second crossroadsPrepositions of place
in / nel / nella โ in / at Sono in ufficio.
vicino a โ near Vicino alla stazione.
lontano da โ far from Lontano dal centro.
accanto a โ next to Accanto alla banca.
di fronte a โ in front of Di fronte al municipio.
dietro โ behind Dietro il supermercato.
tra / fra โ between Tra il bar e la banca.
sopra โ above / on top Sopra il tavolo.
sotto โ under / below Sotto il ponte.15. Colours in Italian: Basic, Nuanced, and Idiomatic
Colour vocabulary in Italian extends from basic agreement rules through shade vocabulary to a rich system of idioms. At B1, colours appear in reading (descriptions, cultural texts), listening (scene-setting, product descriptions), and speaking (describing images and situations).
Basic colours and their agreement
Italian colour adjectives follow the standard four-form agreement rules โ but several are invariable.
COLOUR MASC. SING. FEM. SING. MASC. PL. FEM. PL. INVARIABLE?
bianco bianco bianca bianchi bianche No
nero nero nera neri nere No
rosso rosso rossa rossi rosse No
blu blu blu blu blu Yes โ
verde verde verde verdi verdi No
giallo giallo gialla gialli gialle No
arancione arancione arancione arancioni arancioni (variable)
rosa rosa rosa rosa rosa Yes โ
viola viola viola viola viola Yes โ
grigio grigio grigia grigi grigie No
marrone marrone marrone marroni marroni No (variable)
beige beige beige beige beige Yes โ
azzurro azzurro azzurra azzurri azzurre Noโ ๏ธ Invariable colours in Italian: blu, rosa, viola, beige, lilla (lilac), bordeaux, turchese (turquoise), color + noun (color sabbia, color cielo) โ these never change for gender or number. Una giacca rosa, delle scarpe rosa, un vestito rosa โ all the same. This is a common B1 writing error. Blu vs azzurro: azzurro is the lighter sky blue; blu is the darker navy/cobalt blue. The Italian national football team wears azzurro โ they are called gli Azzurri. The Italian flag is green, white and red (verde, bianco, rosso).
Shades and nuances
chiaro โ light un verde chiaro a light green
scuro โ dark un blu scuro a dark blue
acceso / vivace โ bright, vivid un rosso acceso a vivid red
pallido โ pale un rosa pallido a pale pink
sbiadito โ faded un azzurro sbiadito a faded blue
intenso โ deep, intense un viola intenso a deep purpleCompound colour names
When a colour is specified with a noun (colour + noun or colour + adjective), the whole combination is invariable:
blu navy โ navy blue (invariable)
blu elettrico โ electric blue (invariable)
verde bottiglia โ bottle green (invariable)
verde oliva โ olive green (invariable)
rosso ciliegia โ cherry red (invariable)
rosso mattone โ brick red (invariable)
giallo limone โ lemon yellow (invariable)
grigio perla โ pearl grey (invariable)
bianco panna โ cream white (invariable)
nero carbone โ charcoal black (invariable)Una borsa verde bottiglia. โ A bottle-green bag.
Dei pantaloni blu navy. โ Navy blue trousers.
Le scarpe rosso ciliegia. โ The cherry-red shoes.Colour idioms in Italian
Italian has a rich system of colour idioms. Many appear in B1 reading texts and listening audio, especially in journalistic and cultural contexts.
IDIOM MEANING
essere al verde to be broke (lit: to be at the green)
vedere tutto nero to see everything negatively / to be pessimistic
essere in rosso to be in the red (financially)
dare il via libera to give the green light (lit: free way)
essere di cattivo umore โ see: avere il sangue amaro, non essere in forma
prendere una nota nera to get a black mark / to be noted negatively
avere il pollice verde to have a green thumb (gardening ability)
dare carta bianca to give free rein / full authority
mettere nero su bianco to put in writing (lit: put black on white)
essere alla fame nera to be desperately hungry / to be starving
fare vedere i sorci verdi to give someone a hard time
rosso di rabbia red with rage
bianco come un lenzuolo white as a sheet (very pale with fear)
verde di invidia green with envy
essere al settimo cielo to be over the moon (lit: at the seventh sky)
giallo mystery / thriller (un romanzo giallo = a detective novel)Sono completamente al verde questo mese.
โ I'm completely broke this month.
L'azienda รจ in rosso da tre trimestri.
โ The company has been in the red for three quarters.
Ha messo nero su bianco tutti gli accordi.
โ He put all the agreements in writing.
Era bianca come un lenzuolo quando ha sentito la notizia.
โ She was white as a sheet when she heard the news.
Gli ho dato carta bianca per decidere.
โ I gave him free rein to decide.Colours in Italian cultural context
EXPRESSION MEANING / CONTEXT
il tricolore the Italian flag (verde, bianco, rosso)
gli Azzurri the Italian national football team
la Rossa Ferrari (la Rossa = the Red One)
il giallo mystery/detective genre (un film giallo)
romanzo giallo detective novel / thriller
la zona rossa red zone (restricted access area)
lista nera blacklist
mercato nero black market
lavoro nero undeclared/informal work
economia grigia grey economy
zona grigia grey area (morally ambiguous)
il Palazzo Bianco The White House (translated literally)๐ฏ CELI oral section: When describing a document or photograph in the speaking exam, colour vocabulary signals precision. Instead of una foto con delle persone say una fotografia in bianco e nero che mostra delle figure sullo sfondo di un paesaggio urbano (a black-and-white photograph showing figures against an urban landscape background). Lexical precision raises your score.
16. 50 Verbs for CELI 2 Topics
The CELI 2 covers social, civic, professional, and environmental themes. These verbs appear across reading, listening, writing, and speaking sections.
Daily life and services
affittare โ to rent Affitto un appartamento.
acquistare โ to purchase (formal) Ho acquistato il biglietto.
richiedere โ to request Richiedere un documento.
presentare โ to submit/present Presentare la domanda.
compilare โ to fill in Compilare il modulo.
firmare โ to sign Firmi qui, per favore.
consegnare โ to deliver/hand in Consegnare i documenti.
ritirare โ to collect/pick up Ritirare il passaporto.
rinnovare โ to renew Rinnovare il permesso.
prenotare โ to book Prenotare una visita medica.Communication and information
informare โ to inform Vi informo che...
comunicare โ to communicate Comunicare una decisione.
segnalare โ to report/flag Segnalare un problema.
richiamare โ to call back La richiamo domani.
confermare โ to confirm Confermare l'appuntamento.
avvisare โ to notify/warn La avviso in anticipo.
spiegare โ to explain Spiegare la situazione.
precisare โ to specify Preciso che non sono d'accordo.
allegare โ to attach Allego i documenti.
trasmettere โ to transmit/forward Trasmettere le informazioni.Work and economy
assumere โ to hire L'azienda assume personale.
licenziare โ to fire/dismiss ร stato licenziato.
candidarsi โ to apply (for a job) Mi sono candidato per il posto.
svolgere โ to carry out Svolgere un'attivitร .
gestire โ to manage Gestire un progetto.
aumentare โ to increase I prezzi sono aumentati.
diminuire โ to decrease Il tasso รจ diminuito.
investire โ to invest Investire in formazione.
risparmiare โ to save (money) Risparmiare per il futuro.
guadagnare โ to earn Guadagno abbastanza.Society and civic life
partecipare โ to participate Partecipare alla riunione.
contribuire โ to contribute Contribuire alla comunitร .
sostenere โ to support/maintain Sostenere una proposta.
opporsi a โ to oppose Si oppone alla riforma.
protestare โ to protest I cittadini protestano.
richiedere โ to demand/require La legge richiede...
garantire โ to guarantee Garantire i diritti.
tutelare โ to protect Tutelare l'ambiente.
rispettare โ to respect/comply Rispettare le norme.
migliorare โ to improve Migliorare la qualitร .Health and environment
prevenire โ to prevent Prevenire le malattie.
curare โ to treat/care for Curarsi dal medico.
ridurre โ to reduce Ridurre i consumi.
inquinare โ to pollute Inquinare l'ambiente.
riciclare โ to recycle Riciclare i rifiuti.
preservare โ to preserve Preservare le risorse.
sviluppare โ to develop Sviluppare energie rinnovabili.
danneggiare โ to damage Danneggiare il territorio.
sensibilizzare โ to raise awareness Sensibilizzare il pubblico.
promuovere โ to promote Promuovere stili di vita sani.17. Writing Formulas for the CELI 2 Exam
The CELI 2 writing section has two tasks: a formal letter (~150โ180 words) and a short opinion text (~100โ120 words).
Formal letter โ 150โ180 words
Italian formal letters follow a fixed structure. Deviating from it in the CELI exam signals poor register control.
๐ต Italian formal letter structure: 1. Place and date (top right) 2. Recipient (left) 3. Subject line (Oggetto:) 4. Opening formula 5. Body (reason + details + request) 6. Closing formula 7. Signature
Milano, 6 aprile 2026
Spett.le Agenzia Immobiliare Rossi
Via Dante, 15
20121 Milano
Oggetto: Segnalazione guasto nell'appartamento in affitto
Gentile Responsabile,
Con la presente Le segnalo un problema che si รจ verificato
nell'appartamento da me occupato in Via Verdi 8, secondo piano.
Da circa una settimana l'impianto di riscaldamento non funziona
correttamente, causando disagio significativo, in particolare
nelle ore notturne.
La prego di inviare un tecnico il prima possibile per effettuare
le riparazioni necessarie. Rimango a Sua disposizione per
concordare un orario conveniente.
In attesa di un Suo riscontro, porgo cordiali saluti.
Anna Bianchi
Tel. 333 456 7890Essential opening formulas
Gentile Sig./Sig.ra [Surname], โ Dear Mr/Ms [Surname] (semi-formal)
Egregio Sig./Gentile Sig.ra, โ Dear Sir/Madam (formal)
Alla cortese attenzione di..., โ For the attention of...
Spett.le [Company/Office], โ Dear [Company/Office] (to an organisation)Reasons for writing
Con la presente Le scrivo per... โ I am writing to you to...
Mi rivolgo a Lei per... โ I am turning to you to...
Ho il piacere di comunicarLe che... โ I have the pleasure of informing you that...
Le scrivo in riferimento a... โ I am writing with reference to...
In seguito alla nostra conversazione telefonica... โ Following our telephone conversation...Making requests
La prego di... โ I kindly ask you to...
Potrebbe gentilmente...? โ Could you kindly...?
Le sarei grato/a se... โ I would be grateful if...
Mi permetto di chiederLe... โ I take the liberty of asking you...
Attendo una Sua risposta entro... โ I await your reply by...Closing formulas
Rimango a Sua disposizione per qualsiasi chiarimento.
โ I remain at your disposal for any clarification.
In attesa di un Suo cortese riscontro...
โ Awaiting your kind reply...
Confidando in un Suo positivo riscontro...
โ Trusting in your positive reply...
La ringrazio anticipatamente per la Sua attenzione.
โ I thank you in advance for your attention.
Cordiali saluti, โ Kind regards,
Distinti saluti, โ Yours sincerely,
Con stima, โ With esteem, (formal)Short opinion text โ 100โ120 words
๐ต Template: 1. State the topic and your position 2. Give two reasons / arguments 3. Acknowledge a counterpoint 4. Conclude
Il trasporto pubblico nelle grandi cittร italiane: problema o soluzione?
A mio avviso, il trasporto pubblico rappresenta una soluzione fondamentale
per le grandi cittร , a condizione che venga migliorato significativamente.
In primo luogo, un sistema efficiente ridurrebbe notevolmente l'inquinamento
atmosferico e il traffico. Inoltre, garantirebbe una mobilitร piรน equa per
chi non possiede un'automobile.
ร vero che spesso i mezzi pubblici sono sovraffollati e poco puntuali. Tuttavia,
la risposta non รจ rinunciare al trasporto pubblico, bensรฌ investire in infrastrutture
moderne e in una migliore gestione del servizio.
In conclusione, ritengo che il trasporto pubblico sia una prioritร per
costruire cittร piรน vivibili e sostenibili.
(115 parole)Structures used: subjunctive (venga migliorato, sia), conditional (ridurrebbe, garantirebbe), connectors (in primo luogo / inoltre / tuttavia / in conclusione), formal register throughout
๐ฏ CELI writing checklist: โ Formal letter: correct structure (oggetto, Lei form, opening formula, closing formula) โ Opinion text: 4-part structure (position / 2 arguments / counterpoint / conclusion) โ At least one subjunctive in each text โ At least one conditional for politeness (letter) or hypothesis (opinion) โ Connectors from at least three categories โ No informal register โ no ciao, no io penso che without subjunctive โ Word count: letter 150โ180, opinion 100โ120
Putting It All Together
The CELI 2 tests whether you can participate in Italian life at an intermediate level โ reading a newspaper, writing a letter to a landlord, following a conversation about familiar social topics, expressing and defending an opinion.
This guide gives you the complete toolkit:
- The logic of B1 Italian structure: SVO, dropped subjects, register - The full article and contraction system including all preposition mergers - Adjective agreement, position, and superlatives - The 10 core verbs with full conjugations - essere vs stare โ the Italian distinction and how it differs from Spanish - Multi-meaning verbs: fare, andare, tenere, lasciare, passare โ each with its cluster of meanings - Five tenses: presente, passato prossimo, imperfetto, futuro, condizionale - The subjunctive: when and why at B1 - Semi-modal constructions that mark B1 register - Full pronoun system: direct, indirect, combined - Colours: agreement rules, invariable colours, shades, compound colours, idioms, cultural context - 50 verbs across the CELI 2 topic areas - Complete writing formulas with a model letter and opinion text
The CELI 2 is not about perfection. It's about competent, connected, register-appropriate Italian across all four skills. Everything in this guide serves that goal directly.
๐ฏ Practice, not just study. Write one formal letter per week using the template in Section 17. Conjugate a new irregular verb every day. Record yourself speaking for 3 minutes on a familiar topic, then listen back โ where did you hesitate? Use Section 6 to expand your verb range beyond basic vocabulary. Grammar becomes automatic through production, not through reading.
Ready to test your level? [Start your CELI 2 mock exam โ free, 7 days โ](https://www.prep2go.study/celi-a2)
Last updated: March 2026. All examples use standard Italian as required for the CELI 2 exam administered by CVCL, Universitร per Stranieri di Perugia.