B1 Collocation Neutro

stare per

to be about to

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'stare per' to describe an action that is just seconds or minutes away from happening.

  • Means: To be about to do something or on the verge of an event.
  • Used in: Daily plans, weather changes, or interrupting someone before they leave.
  • Don't confuse: With 'stare + gerund' which means you are doing it right now.
🚶 + 🚪 = Sto per uscire (I'm about to go out)

Explanation at your level:

In Italian, 'stare per' means 'about to'. You use it when something is happening very soon. For example, 'Sto per mangiare' means 'I am about to eat'. You use the verb 'stare' (sto, stai, sta...) and then 'per' and then the base verb (mangiare, uscire, dormire). It is very easy and useful for daily life.
The construction 'stare per + infinitive' is used to express an action that will happen in a few moments. It is different from the future tense because it is much closer to the present. You can use it in the present tense (Sto per...) or in the past (Stavo per...) to say you were about to do something but something else happened. It's very common in conversation.
At the B1 level, you should use 'stare per' to add nuance to your descriptions of time. This 'proximative aspect' allows you to distinguish between a planned future and an imminent one. It is particularly useful in the imperfect tense ('stavo per') to describe interrupted actions in the past, a key skill for intermediate storytelling. It requires mastery of the irregular verb 'stare' and correct placement of reflexive pronouns.
As an upper-intermediate learner, you should recognize 'stare per' as an aspectual periphrasis. It focuses on the 'pre-verbal' phase of an action. You should be able to contrast it with 'essere sul punto di' for different registers. Additionally, you should understand how it interacts with modal verbs and how it can be used to express not just physical actions, but also imminent changes in state or natural phenomena with high precision.
At this advanced stage, 'stare per' should be analyzed as a marker of imminent futurity with subjective or objective modal nuances. It functions as a functional auxiliary that bleeds the lexical meaning of 'stare'. You should master its use in complex narrative structures, understanding how the choice between 'stare per' and 'accingersi a' alters the stylistic tone and the perceived agency of the subject. Mastery involves using it to convey subtle emotional states like anticipation or dread.
From a cognitive linguistics perspective, 'stare per' represents the grammaticalization of a locative verb into a temporal-aspectual operator. C2 mastery involves navigating the fine line between the proximative aspect and the inchoative aspect, recognizing when 'stare per' serves as a pragmatic strategy for politeness or social hedging. You should be able to deconstruct its usage in classical literature versus contemporary digital slang, noting how the semantic boundaries of 'imminence' are culturally negotiated in Italian discourse.

Significado

To be on the verge of.

🌍

Contexto cultural

In Italy, 'Sto per arrivare' is often used as a polite way to say 'I am on my way,' even if the person is still 15 minutes away. It's a social lubricant to reduce the stress of lateness. Neorealist films often use 'stare per' to create a sense of impending doom or hope, focusing on the small moments before big life changes. In Rome and parts of the South, you might hear 'Stavo a dì' instead of 'Stavo per dire,' though 'stare per' remains the standard for all Italians. The phrase is central to the ritual of the Italian meal. 'La pasta sta per essere scolata' (The pasta is about to be drained) is the final call for everyone to sit down immediately.

💡

The 'Proprio' Boost

Add 'proprio' (Sto proprio per...) to mean 'I am literally just about to'. It makes you sound very native.

⚠️

No Past Participle

Never say 'Sono stato per uscire'. Use 'Stavo per uscire' for all past 'about to' situations.

Significado

To be on the verge of.

💡

The 'Proprio' Boost

Add 'proprio' (Sto proprio per...) to mean 'I am literally just about to'. It makes you sound very native.

⚠️

No Past Participle

Never say 'Sono stato per uscire'. Use 'Stavo per uscire' for all past 'about to' situations.

🎯

Reflexive Placement

With reflexive verbs, put the pronoun at the beginning (Mi sto per...) for a more natural, conversational flow.

💬

The 'Sto Arrivando' Lie

Be careful! If an Italian says 'Sto per arrivare', they might still be at home. It's often a polite exaggeration.

Teste-se

Conjugate the verb 'stare' correctly in the present tense.

Prendi l'ombrello! ______ per piovere.

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: Sta

The subject is 'it' (the weather), so we use the third person singular 'sta'.

Choose the correct past form to show an interrupted action.

Scusa se non ho risposto, ______ per farti una sorpresa.

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: stavo

The imperfect 'stavo' is used with 'per' to describe being about to do something in the past.

Match the sentence to the situation.

Which sentence fits a person with their hand on a ringing phone?

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: Sto per rispondere.

'Sto per rispondere' means you are about to pick up the phone right now.

Complete the dialogue naturally.

A: 'Vuoi un caffè?' B: 'No grazie, ______ per andare a dormire.'

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: sto

The speaker is talking about their current state of being about to go to bed.

🎉 Pontuação: /4

Recursos visuais

Common Verbs with 'Stare Per'

🚶

Movement

  • • uscire
  • • arrivare
  • • partire
🗣️

Communication

  • • dire
  • • chiamare
  • • scrivere
☁️

Nature

  • • piovere
  • • nevicare
  • • tramontare

Perguntas frequentes

10 perguntas

Technically you can say 'starò per', but it is extremely rare. Stick to the present and imperfect.

No. 'Andare a' (like 'going to' in English) is common in French and Spanish but less common in standard Italian for the future. 'Stare per' is much more imminent.

No. You must use a verb. Say 'Sto per avere fame' or 'Sto per mangiare'.

'Stare per' is everyday language. 'Essere sul punto di' is more dramatic or formal, like 'on the verge of'.

Use the imperfect: 'Stavo per dirlo!'

Usually, no. It's for things happening in the next few minutes.

Yes, very often. 'Sto per presentarvi i dati' (I am about to present the data to you).

Yes, you conjugate 'stare'. 'Noi stiamo per', 'Loro stanno per'.

Yes. 'Non sto per farlo' (I'm not about to do it), though it's less common than the positive form.

Absolutely. 'Sto per arrivare' is one of the most texted phrases in Italy.

Frases relacionadas

🔄

essere sul punto di

synonym

To be on the point of

🔗

stare + gerundio

similar

To be doing something

🔗

accingersi a

specialized form

To prepare oneself to

🔗

mancare poco a

similar

To be close to

Onde usar

🚆

Catching a train

Viaggiatore A: Corri! Il treno sta per partire!

Viaggiatore B: Lo vedo, siamo quasi al binario!

neutral
📞

Phone interruption

Amico 1: Ehi, hai un minuto?

Amico 2: Scusa, sto per entrare in galleria, ti richiamo dopo.

informal
⛈️

Weather warning

Mamma: Prendi l'ombrello, sta per piovere.

Figlio: Hai ragione, il cielo è nerissimo.

neutral
🍝

At the restaurant

Cameriere: I vostri piatti stanno per arrivare.

Cliente: Grazie mille, abbiamo molta fame.

neutral
💻

Office deadline

Collega: Hai finito il report?

Tu: Sì, sto per inviarlo proprio adesso.

formal
🕯️

Dating

Persona A: Ti piace il posto?

Persona B: Sì, stavo per dirti la stessa cosa!

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'STARE' as 'Standing' and 'PER' as 'Prepared'. You are Standing Prepared to act!

Visual Association

Imagine a cat wiggling its butt right before it pounces. That wiggle is the 'stare per' moment.

Rhyme

Se l'azione sta per arrivare, 'stare per' devi usare!

Story

Marco is at the door. He has his keys in his hand (Sto per uscire). Suddenly, the sky turns black (Sta per piovere). He drops his keys (Stanno per cadere). He realizes he's about to have a very bad day.

Word Web

stareperimminentefuturostavopuntoarrivopartenza

Desafio

For the next 5 minutes, look around your room and say out loud three things that are 'about to' happen (e.g., the candle is about to go out, the phone is about to ring).

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Estar a punto de

Italian 'stare per' is more versatile than Spanish 'estar por'.

French moderate

Être sur le point de

French uses 'être' (to be) while Italian uses 'stare' (to stay/stand).

German partial

Im Begriff sein, ... zu tun

Italian uses a verb construction where German often uses a simple adverb.

Japanese high

...tokoro da (ところだ)

Japanese uses a noun-based construction, Italian a verb-based one.

Arabic high

على وشك (ala washak)

Arabic uses a fixed phrase 'on the edge' rather than a conjugated verb.

Chinese moderate

就要...了 (jiùyào...le)

Chinese relies on particles and adverbs rather than auxiliary verb conjugation.

Korean high

-(으)려던 참이다 (ryeodeon cham-ida)

Korean emphasizes the 'intention' aspect more strongly.

Portuguese high

Estar para / Estar prestes a

The usage is nearly identical across both languages.

Easily Confused

stare per vs stare a

Learners often think 'stare a' means 'about to' because of the 'a' in English 'about to'.

Remember: 'Per' is for 'Pending' actions. 'Stare a' is usually regional or part of other idioms.

stare per vs stare + gerundio

Both use the verb 'stare'.

If it's happening NOW, use -ando/-endo. If it's happening in 5 seconds, use 'per'.

Perguntas frequentes (10)

Technically you can say 'starò per', but it is extremely rare. Stick to the present and imperfect.

No. 'Andare a' (like 'going to' in English) is common in French and Spanish but less common in standard Italian for the future. 'Stare per' is much more imminent.

No. You must use a verb. Say 'Sto per avere fame' or 'Sto per mangiare'.

'Stare per' is everyday language. 'Essere sul punto di' is more dramatic or formal, like 'on the verge of'.

Use the imperfect: 'Stavo per dirlo!'

Usually, no. It's for things happening in the next few minutes.

Yes, very often. 'Sto per presentarvi i dati' (I am about to present the data to you).

Yes, you conjugate 'stare'. 'Noi stiamo per', 'Loro stanno per'.

Yes. 'Non sto per farlo' (I'm not about to do it), though it's less common than the positive form.

Absolutely. 'Sto per arrivare' is one of the most texted phrases in Italy.

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