Learn Italian: I nemici cedettero e fuggirono. - The enemies yielded and fled.

I nemici cedettero e fuggirono.

The enemies yielded and fled.

Breakdown of I nemici cedettero e fuggirono.

Questions & Answers about I nemici cedettero e fuggirono.

Why does cedere become cedettero here? Aren't regular -ere verbs supposed to end in -erono?

Many regular -ere verbs actually have two correct endings for the "they" form in the passato remoto: -erono and -ettero. For cedere (to yield), cedettero is the most common and natural-sounding choice, though cederono is also technically correct.

What is the infinitive of fuggirono, and how does its ending work in this tense?

The infinitive is fuggire (to flee). For all regular -ire verbs in the passato remoto, you simply drop the -ire and add -irono to form the 3rd person plural (they) form.

Wait, shouldn't the plural of nemico be nemichi instead of nemici?

It is a tricky exception! Normally, nouns ending in -co take a -chi plural if the stress falls on the second-to-last syllable (like fuoco becoming fuochi). Even though nemico has that same stress pattern, it breaks the rule and becomes nemici.

Can cedere also mean "to cede" like in English?

Yes, they come from the same root. In political or formal contexts, it means to cede or surrender territory. In broader contexts like this sentence, it means to yield, give way, or collapse.