chiedono

Chiedono is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Italian verb chiedere, meaning to ask or to request. It is used when the subject is they (loro) or when addressing a group, and it can express asking a question, seeking information, or requesting something from someone. In use, chiedere is transitive and often appears with a direct object indicating what is being asked, and with a prepositional phrase to indicate the person from whom the request is made.

Etymology and related forms: chiedere derives from Latin quaerere, meaning to seek or inquire. The verb forms vary across tenses and persons, with chiedono serving as the present tense for loro. The past participle is chiesto, used in compound tenses such as hanno chiesto (they asked for something).

Grammatical notes: The present indicative conjugation of chiedere is io chiedo, tu chiedi, lui/lei chiede, noi chiediamo, voi chiedete, loro chiedono. Chiedono typically governs a direct object (what is asked) and can be followed by a direct object pronoun or by an indirect construction, such as chiedere a qualcuno qualcosa, or chiedere qualcosa a qualcuno (they ask someone for something). In subordinate clauses, it may introduce reported questions or requests: Chiedono dove sia la stazione; Chiedono se possono entrare.

Usage and register: Chiedere is the standard, neutral verb for making requests or posing questions in everyday Italian. Domandare is more formal or literary in some contexts. Chiedono appears frequently in conversation, journalism, and narrative to denote plural subjects asking or requesting. See also chiedere, chiesto.