Metti

Metti is a form of the Italian verb mettere, meaning to put or to place. It functions as the second-person singular present indicative (tu metti) and as the imperative form used for giving a direct command to a single familiar person (Metti!). The verb mettere is conjugated in many tenses and moods, with metti appearing in common speech across a wide range of contexts.

Etymology and range of meaning: Mettere derives from Latin mittere, meaning to send, and over time its meaning broadened in Italian to include putting, placing, or setting something somewhere. Because of this broad sense, metti is used in phrases that cover placing objects, setting conditions, or detailing actions. The language also uses constructions with metti in fixed expressions and hypothetical clauses, such as metti che… meaning “suppose that…” or “what if…,” followed by a subjunctive verb.

Usage and examples: In everyday Italian, you might hear Metti la chiave sul tavolo (Put the key on the table) or Metti quel vestito, per favore (Put on that dress, please). The imperative Metti! is a direct command, whereas the indicative form Tu metti is used when stating a simple present-action subject to you. The phrase Metti che piova introduces a hypothetical scenario: Metti che piova, non usciamo (Suppose it rains, we won’t go out).

Notes: Metti is highly productive in Italian, forming the backbone of many phrases about placing objects, arranging situations, or initiating actions. It is the root of numerous compound expressions and participial forms related to putting or placing. In other languages and contexts, the sequence metti may appear coincidentally but does not carry a universal meaning beyond the Italian verb form.