Breakdown of Attendano la firma qui, signori.
qui
here
il signore
gentleman, sir, Mr.
attendere
to wait (formal)
la firma
the signature
Questions & Answers about Attendano la firma qui, signori.
Why does the verb end in -ano here instead of the usual voi ending -ete?
Because this is a formal command addressed to a group of people. Instead of using the informal voi form (attendete), the speaker uses the highly formal Loro form of the imperative. For -ere verbs like attendere, the Loro formal command ending is -ano.
Why is there no word for "for" after attendano?
In English, we "wait for" something, but in Italian, attendere is a transitive verb. This means it connects directly to its object without needing a preposition. You just say attendano la firma (literally "wait the signature"). You don't need to use per!
Could I use aspettare instead of attendere here?
Yes! Both mean "to wait" and both take a direct object without "for". However, attendere sounds slightly more formal and elegant, which perfectly matches the respectful tone of this sentence. If you did use aspettare, the formal plural command would be aspettino.
Learn Attendano la firma qui, signori and more in Italian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free