Possiedi

Possiedi is the second-person singular present indicative form of the Italian verb possedere, meaning to possess or own. It is used to indicate that the subject you (informal) currently has ownership or control of something. For example, in a sentence like Tu possiedi una casa al mare, the verb states a current possession. In questions, Possiedi un passaporto valido? asks whether you possess a valid passport.

In contemporary Italian, possedere is more formal or precise than avere when talking about ownership, so possiedi appears more often in written, legal, or literary contexts and in situations that require emphasis on ownership or control. In everyday speech, most speakers would typically use avere (Hai una casa?) to express possession, reserving possedere for emphasis, nuance, or formal registers.

Grammatically, possedere is a transitive verb that takes a direct object. The present indicative forms, in addition to tu possiedi, include io possiedo, lui/lei possiede, noi possediamo, voi possedete, loro possiedono. The form possiedi specifically marks the second-person singular and is commonly used in both statements and questions about what someone owns.

Etymology and related terms: possedere comes from the Latin possidere, meaning to possess. Related verbs in Italian include avere (to have), detenere (to hold), and proprietaria/ proprietà (ownership or property). The term is often found in legal, administrative, or formal text where precise phrasing about ownership is important.