ask
Chiedere is an Italian verb that means 'to ask' in English.
verb
Meaning: to ask a question
Posso chiederti una domanda?
Can I ask you a question?
Meaning: to request something
Ho chiesto un caffè al barista.
I asked the barista for a coffee.
Meaning: to demand or require something
Il lavoro richiede molta concentrazione, me l'hanno chiesto esplicitamente.
The job requires a lot of concentration, they explicitly asked for it.
Meaning: to inquire about someone's well-being
Ho chiesto di te alla tua famiglia.
I inquired about you to your family.
A1: Chiedo un caffè, per favore.
I ask for a coffee, please.
A2: Ho chiesto informazioni alla reception dell'hotel.
I asked for information at the hotel reception.
A2: Chiedimi quello che vuoi sapere.
Ask me whatever you want to know.
B1: Ti chiederò di portarmi il libro domani.
I will ask you to bring me the book tomorrow.
B2: Gli ho chiesto se avesse bisogno di aiuto.
I asked him if he needed help.
B2: Chiedimi scusa per quello che hai detto!
Apologize to me for what you said!
C1: Avrei chiesto al professore di spiegare meglio, ma non avevo tempo.
I would have asked the professor to explain better, but I didn't have time.
C2: Mi sono chiesta perché lui abbia deciso di partire così all'improvviso.
I wondered why he decided to leave so suddenly.
C2: Chiederemo al direttore se è possibile posticipare la riunione.
We will ask the director if it is possible to postpone the meeting.
Chiedere is a very common verb in Italian and it is often used in daily conversations. It can be used to ask for information, clarification or permission. For example, 'Posso chiederti una cosa?' means 'Can I ask you something?'
The verb chiedere is irregular and its conjugation changes depending on the tense and the subject pronoun. It belongs to the third group of verbs which means that it ends with -ere. Some of the most common forms are: io chiedo (I ask), tu chiedi (you ask), lui/lei chiede (he/she asks), noi chiediamo (we ask), voi chiedete (you all ask), loro chiedono (they ask).
Chiedere can also be used in idiomatic expressions such as 'chiedere scusa' which means 'to apologize', or 'chiedere il conto' which means 'to ask for the bill'. It is important to note that in some contexts, chiedere can be considered impolite or too direct, so it is always a good idea to use it appropriately.