Learn the Difference Detween the Italian Verbs Smettere and Fermare.

Are you ready to learn the difference between 'smettere' and 'fermare'?  These verbs can be very confusing at first, but I'm here to help you out!

You can download this lesson in PDF format for free here!

Sometimes in your language learning journey you will come across some verbs that might sound similar but have different meanings. These verbs can obviously create a new challenge… In Italian you do have some of these too. 

With my videos I want to be able to help you better understand them and use them correctly. Maybe you have already watched my previous video on Conoscere and Sapere… you can check it out by clicking on this link: Conoscere vs. Sapere

Similar to those two verbs you also have the verbs SMETTERE and FERMARE. 

Why are these two verbs confusing? Well because when you are trying to translate them in English they both have the same translation and they mean to stop.

Let’s try to understand the real difference between these two verbs and let’s use them in sentences that can help you focus and stop making a mistake. 

Let’s look at the verb FERMARE. 

You have to think of this verb as stopping an action. It means physically blocking or stopping something or a somebody. In this case the action can be stopped by the intervention of another person or object.

Let’s look at some sentences together:

For example:

• Il treno si è fermato alla stazione – the train stopped at the station.
• Mi sono fermata dal giornalaio – I stopped by the newsstand .
• Luca ha fermato la macchina – Luca stopped the car.
• La polizia ha fermato il ladro - The police stopped the thief.
• Paolo si è fermato al bar - Paolo stopped by the caffè.
• La maestra si ferma a parlare con i bambini - The teacher stopped to talk to the children.

How do you conjugate it?

• io fermo 
• tu fermi
• lui/lei ferma
• noi fermiamo
• voi fermate
• loro fermano

This verb is often used in the reflexive form... so don't forget to add the reflexive pronoun:

• io mi fermo 
• tu ti fermi
• lui/lei si ferma
• noi ci fermiamo
• voi vi fermate
• loro si fermano

What about the verb Smettere?

This verbs means “to stop doing something”. This verb will be used by the preposition DI and an infinitive. 

The formula that you need to remember is:

SMETTERE DI + a verb in the infinitive form . 

This verb will be used to stop another action (the action of the verb in the infinitive form):

• smettere di bere – to stop drinking
• smettere di parlare – to stop talking 
• smettere di russare- to stop snoring
• smettere di guardare un film - to stop watching a film

You can translate it to “giving up something” to quit doing something.

• Ho smesso di fumare
• Ho smesso di andare in palestra

Be careful because in this verb has an irregular past participle as you have already noticed in the examples above. At the past you will say HO SMESSO.

Let’s look a the the conjugation of this verb:

Present tense:

• io smetto
• tu smetti
• lui / lei smette
• noi smettiamo
• voi smettete
• loro smettono

Passato Prossimo:

• ho smesso
• hai smesso
• ha smesso
• noi abbiamo smesso
• voi avete smesso
• loro hanno smesso

If you want to quickly remember in one sentence the difference between these two verbs remember that

"SMETTERE has the meaning of ceasing or quitting and is always followed by the preposition DI and an infinitive verb and FERMARE means to stop somebody or something from moving. 

Last little thing! You can very often use these verbs with pronouns at the end… you can use them to strongly advise (or yell) or tell somebody to stop doing something or stop moving…

the most common forms are:

• FERMATI! 
• SMETTILA!!!