precedere

Precedere is an Italian verb meaning to come before or to precede in time or order. It is used for events, positions, or elements in a sequence, and can describe what occurs earlier than something else. The verb is transitive and typically takes a direct object, as in "Il capitolo uno precede il capitolo due." In passive constructions, it becomes "essere preceduto da," indicating that one item was preceded by another. The related noun "precedenza" denotes priority or precedence.

Etymology: The verb derives from Latin praecedere, from prae- "before" + cedere "to go" or "to yield." The sense of ordering in front is preserved across Romance languages. The adjective "precedente" and the noun "precedenza" share the same root.

Conjugation: Precedere is a regular -ere verb. Present indicative: precedo, precedi, precede, precediamo, precedete, precedono. Past participle: preceduto; gerund: precedendo. Imperfect: precedevo, precedevi, precedeva, precedevamo, precedevate, precedevano. Future: precederò, precederai, precederà, precederemo, precederete, precederanno. Other tenses and moods (subjunctive, conditional) follow typical -ere patterns such as "che preceda" and "precederei." Example: "Se vuoi che l'evento preceda, devi pianificare."

Usage notes: Common derivatives include "precedenza" (priority) and "precedente" (previous). The term is used in literature, law, and everyday language to indicate ordering and sequence. See also: precedence, antecedente.