richiedi

Richiedi is the second-person singular form of the Italian verb richiedere, meaning to request, to require, or to demand. In addition to its present-tense use, richiedi also appears as the imperative form used to give a direct instruction to someone you address informally, as in Richiedi subito i documenti. The word is common in formal and administrative language as well as everyday speech.

Etymology and nuance: richiedere derives from Latin re-quirit̄e (requirere), combining a sense of seeking or demanding with a prefix that adds emphasis. In Italian, richiedere often carries a nuance of formality, necessity, or official procedure, and is typically preferred over chiedere when a formal or procedural tone is intended. Related terms include la richiesta (the request) and il richiedente (the requester).

Usage and grammar: The present tense forms of richiedere include io richiedo, tu richiedi, lui/lei richiede, noi richiediamo, voi richiedete, loro richiedono. The word richiedi can thus be read as either “you request” (tu form in the present indicative) or as the imperative “Request!” when used in commands addressed to someone you know. The passé prossimo is formed with avere: ho richiesto, hai richiesto, ha richiesto, abbiamo richiesto, avete richiesto, hanno richiesto. Common contexts include asking for information, documents, or permissions, as in Richiedi un intervento formale or Hai richiesto una copia del contratto.

See also: chiedere, richiesta, richiedente.