precedo

Precedo is the first-person singular present indicative form of the Italian verb precedere, meaning to precede, to go before, or to lead ahead. It is used to express being in front of someone or something in space, time, or order. The form io precedo is commonly found in sentences that describe the speaker taking an earlier position or leading a sequence.

Etymology and usage context: precedere comes from Latin praecedere, formed from prae- meaning before and cedo meaning to go or yield. In Italian, precedere is a regular -ere verb, so its other present-tense forms follow the standard pattern for -ere verbs: tu precedi, lui/lei precede, noi precediamo, voi precedete, loro precedono. The verb can describe physical lead, such as a runner who precedes the others in a race, or more abstract precedence, such as items in a list, events in time, or steps in a process.

Common usage and nuances: precedere is often used with subjects that physically or conceptually come before others. It can also appear in phrases indicating priority or preface, such as an event that precedes another in the schedule or a statement that precedes a conclusion by providing context. In contrast to the related noun predecessor (predecessore) or the English term predecessor, precedere focuses on the action of going before rather than the status of being prior.

See also: precedere, precedence, predecessor.