siedi

Siedi is the second person singular present indicative form of the Italian verb sedere, meaning to sit. In addition to its use as a simple statement, it is also used as an informal imperative in direct address to tell someone to take a seat, with the subject often implied by the context (as in Siedi qui, Sit here).

Etymology and meaning: Sedere comes from Latin sedere, which in turn derives from Proto-Italic forms connected to the Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to sit.” The word is a basic part of everyday Italian vocabulary and is used in many common expressions involving sitting or choosing a position.

Conjugation and forms: The present tense of sedere is irregular in its forms. The standard paradigm for the present tense is: io siedo, tu siedi, lui/lei siede, noi sediamo, voi sedete, loro siedono. The second person singular form siedi shares a stem with the third person singular siede, reflecting a stem change in this verb’s present tense. The form can also function as an informal imperative in direct address, depending on the syntactic context.

Usage notes: Siedi appears frequently in conversation and writing whenever a speaker asks someone to sit or describes someone’s current action of sitting. It can be used with location or manner, as in Siedi accanto a me or Siedi bene durante la riunione. Other related forms include the infinitive sedere and the gerund sedendo.

See also: Italian language, sedere, Italian verb conjugation, irregular verbs in Italian.