esigere

Esigere is an Italian transitive verb that means to demand, require, or insist on something being done or a certain condition being met. It is commonly used in formal and emphatic contexts as well as in everyday speech, often signaling an obligation or necessity beyond a simple request.

Etymology and range of meaning: the verb derives from Latin exigere, from ex- “out” + agere “to drive, do,” originally conveying the sense of driving out or calling for something. In modern Italian, esigere covers demanding payments, actions, or standards, as well as imposing requirements or expectations on others.

Conjugation and grammar: esigere is a regular -ere verb. Present tense forms include: io esigo, tu esigi, lui/lei esige, noi esigiamo, voi esigete, loro esigono. The imperfect is esigevo/esigevi/esigeva/esigevamo/esigevate/esigevano, and the future is esigerò/esigerai/esigerà/esigeremo/esigerete/esigeranno. The subjunctive present is che io esiga, che tu esiga, che lui esiga, che noi esigiamo, che voi esigiate, che loro esigano. The imperative forms are esigi (tu), esiga (Lei), esigiamo (noi), esigete (voi), esigano (Loro). In clauses expressing demand directed at another person, esigere is often followed by che + congiuntivo (esigono che vengano, esigo che tu paghi).

Usage notes: esigere conveys a stronger, more formal sense of obligation than chiedere; it frequently occurs with direct objects (esigere qualcosa da qualcuno) or with subordinate clauses indicating required actions (esigere che qualcuno faccia qualcosa). It appears in legal, contractual, managerial, and ethical contexts, as well as in everyday admonition.

Related forms: the noun esigenza means need or requirement, and the adjective esigente means demanding. Synonyms include richiedere and pretendere, though these can carry different nuances.