Meaning
to own, possess
- to possess, have, own
- to master (a subject, language, etc.)
In a sentence
Non possiedo una macchina, uso sempre il treno.
I don't own a car, I always take the train.
Per questo lavoro bisogna possedere un'ottima conoscenza dell'inglese.
For this job, one must have an excellent knowledge of English.
La famiglia possiede diversi terreni in collina.
The family owns several plots of land in the hills.
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| possedere | infinitive |
| possediamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| possiedo | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| possedete | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| possiedi | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| possiedono | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| possiede | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| possedevamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| possedevo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| possedevate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| possedevi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| possedevano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| possedeva | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| possedemmo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| possedetti | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| possedeste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| possedesti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| possedettero | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| possedette | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| possiederemo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| possiederò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| possiederete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| possiederai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| possiederanno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| possiederà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| possediamo | subjunctive · present · plural · 1st person |
| possieda | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| possediate | subjunctive · present · plural · 2nd person |
| possieda | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
| possiedano | subjunctive · present · plural · 3rd person |
| possieda | subjunctive · present · singular · 3rd person |
| possedessimo | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| possedessi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| possedeste | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| possedessi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| possedessero | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| possedesse | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| possiederemmo | conditional · present · plural · 1st person |
| possiederei | conditional · present · singular · 1st person |
| possiedereste | conditional · present · plural · 2nd person |
| possiederesti | conditional · present · singular · 2nd person |
| possiederebbero | conditional · present · plural · 3rd person |
| possiederebbe | conditional · present · singular · 3rd person |
| possediamo | imperative · plural · 1st person |
| possedete | imperative · plural · 2nd person |
| possiedi | imperative · singular · 2nd person |
| possedendo | gerund |
| posseduto | past · participle |
Usage notes
- Use 'possedere' for ownership or deep knowledge; 'avere' is more general (e.g., 'ho una casa' vs. 'possiedo una casa').
- Always takes 'avere' as auxiliary in compound tenses (e.g., 'ho posseduto').
- Avoid overusing it for temporary states (e.g., 'ho fame' not 'possedo fame').
- present: possiedo, possiedi, possiede, possediamo, possedete, possiedono