The Infinitive for General Instructions
When giving a command to a specific person, Italian uses the imperative mood. However, for general, impersonal instructions—like those found on packaging labels, manuals, and public signs—you use the basic infinitive form of the verb (ending in -are, -ere, or -ire).
This is called the Jussive Infinitive (infinito iussivo).
| Read the warning before using the product. | Leggere l'avvertenza prima di usare il prodotto. |
| Dilute the liquid in hot milk. | Diluire il liquido nel latte caldo. |
| Rinse the bottle before recycling the glass. | Sciacquare la bottiglia prima di riciclare il vetro. |
Negative Instructions
To give a negative instruction to the general public, simply place non directly in front of the infinitive verb. You will see this everywhere on product warnings.
| Do not swallow for any reason. | Non ingerire per nessun motivo. |
| Do not exceed the maximum dose. | Non superare la dose massima. |
Handling and Disposing of Products
You will frequently encounter the infinitive used for instructions on how to care for, handle, and eventually throw away items. Look out for verbs like maneggiare (to handle) and smaltire (to dispose of).
| Handle the package with great care. | Maneggiare il pacco con molta attenzione. |
| Dispose of the plastic in the correct bin. | Smaltire la plastica nel bidone giusto. |
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