When you want to say "It is important to study" in Italian, you might be tempted to translate every English word directly. You might look for an equivalent of "it" and a preposition for "to". However, Italian makes this construction much simpler.
You only need the verb essere (to be) in its third-person singular form, è, followed by an adjective. For example, you just say è importante (it is important). This is called an impersonal phrase, and it connects to other verbs in specific, predictable ways.
Word list
bellissimomA1beautifulè bellissimo vivere qui = it is wonderful to live herebellomA1beautifulè bello = it is beautifuldifficileA1difficultè difficile capire = it is hard to understandfacileA1easyè facile sbagliare = it is easy to make a mistakeimportanteA1importantè importante partire = it is important to leavepossibileA1possibleè possibile entrare = it is possible to enterbruttomA2uglyè brutto = it is uglybuffomA2funnyè buffo che = it is funny thatchiaromA2clearè chiaro che = it is clear thatcorrettomA2correctè corretto dire = it is correct to sayemozionanteA2excitingè emozionante vedere = it is exciting to seeerratomA2incorrectè errato pensare che = it is wrong to think thatfantasticomA2greatè fantastico poter venire = it is great to be able to comeimpossibileA2impossibleè impossibile sapere = it is impossible to knowimprobabileA2improbableè improbabile che = it is unlikely thatmagnificomA2wonderfulè magnifico poter viaggiare = it is marvelous to be able to travelmeglioA2betterè meglio partire = it is better to leavemeravigliosomA2wonderfulè meraviglioso vedere = it is wonderful to seenecessariomA2necessaryè necessario aspettare = it is necessary to waitnoiosomA2boringè noioso aspettare = it is boring to waitnotomA2famousè noto che = it is well known thatpeggioA2worseè peggio aspettare = it is worse to waitpericolosomA2dangerousè pericoloso guidare = it is dangerous to drivepiacevoleA2pleasantè piacevole camminare = it is enjoyable to walksalutareA2healthyè salutare camminare = it is healthy to walksanomA2healthyè sano mangiare frutta = it is healthy to eat fruitsbagliatomA2incorrectè sbagliato mentire = it is wrong to liesicuromA2safeè sicuro nuotare qui = it is safe to swim herestranomA2strangeè strano che = it is strange thatutileA2usefulè utile ripassare = it is useful to reviewveromA2trueè vero che = it is true thataccettabileB1acceptableè accettabile = it is acceptableben notomB1famousè ben noto che = it is well known thatcomplicatomB1complicatedè complicato spiegare = it is complicated to explaindeprimenteB1depressingè deprimente pensarci = it is depressing to think about itefficaceB1effectiveè efficace ripetere = it is effective to repeatentusiasmanteB1excitingè entusiasmante partecipare = it is exciting to take partessenzialeB1importantè essenziale che = it is essential thatevidenteB1obviousè evidente che = it is obvious thatfalsomB1falseè falso che = it is false thatgradevoleB1pleasantè gradevole stare = it is pleasant to stayincertomB1uncertainè incerto se = it is uncertain whetherincredibileB1incredibleè incredibile che = it is incredible thatinutileB1uselessè inutile discutere = it is useless to argueinutileB1unnecessaryè inutile che tu = it is unnecessary that younaturaleB1naturalè naturale che = it is natural thatorribileB1awfulè orribile vedere = it is horrible to seeovviomB1obviousè ovvio che = it is obvious thatprobabileB1probableè probabile che = it is likely thatragionevoleB1reasonableè ragionevole pensare che = it is reasonable to think thatraromB1rareè raro che = it is rare thatrischiosomB1riskyè rischioso partire = it is risky to leavescioccanteB1shockingè scioccante vedere = it is shocking to seescioccomB1sillyè sciocco preoccuparsi = it is silly to worrysconvolgenteB1shockingè sconvolgente che = it is shocking thatsensatomB1reasonableè sensato aspettare = it is sensible to waitsgradevoleB1unpleasantè sgradevole aspettare = it is unpleasant to waitsorprendenteB1surprisingè sorprendente che = it is surprising thatspiacevoleB1unpleasantè spiacevole che = it is unpleasant thatstupidomB1stupidè stupido litigare = it is stupid to fightstupidomB1sillyè stupido rischiare = it is foolish to take riskssuperfluomB1unnecessaryè superfluo aggiungere = it is redundant to addterribileB1awfulè terribile che = it is terrible thattremendomB1awfulè tremendo pensare che = it is awful to think thaturgenteB1urgentè urgente intervenire = it is urgent to actcomplessomB2complexè complesso spiegare = it is complex to explaincomprensibileB2understandableè comprensibile che = it is understandable thatcredibileB2believableè credibile che = it is believable thatcrucialeB2criticalè cruciale che = it is crucial thatdivertenteB2entertainingè divertente ballare = it is fun to danceequomB2justè equo che = it is fair thatestenuanteB2exhaustingè estenuante aspettare = it is exhausting to waitfaticosomB2exhaustingè faticoso salire = it is tiring to climbfattibileB2feasibleè fattibile finire oggi = it is feasible to finish todaygiustomB2justè giusto che = it is fair thatillegaleB2illegalè illegale fumare qui = it is illegal to smoke hereimpegnativomB2demandingè impegnativo lavorare e studiare = it is demanding to work and studyinaccettabileB2unacceptableè inaccettabile che = it is unacceptable thatindispensabileB2indispensableè indispensabile che = it is indispensable thatingiustomB2unjustè ingiusto che = it is unfair thatinopportunomB2unsuitableè inopportuno parlarne ora = it is inappropriate to talk about it nowlegaleB2legalè legale guidare a 18 anni = it is legal to drive at 18prevedibileB2predictableè prevedibile che = it is predictable thatridicolomB2ridiculousè ridicolo pensare che = it is ridiculous to think thatstancanteB2exhaustingè stancante viaggiare = it is tiring to travelstimolanteB2challengingè stimolante lavorare qui = it is stimulating to work hereverosimileB2probableè verosimile che = it is probable thatagevoleC1effortlessè agevole raggiungere = it is easy to reachinevitabileC1inevitableè inevitabile che = it is inevitable thatobbligatoriomC1mandatoryè obbligatorio = it is mandatorysfibranteC1exhaustingè sfibrante discutere = it is exhausting to arguespossanteC1exhaustingè spossante lavorare così = it is exhausting to work like thisvergognosomC1shamefulè vergognoso che = it is shameful thatinesplicabileC2inexplicableè inesplicabile che = it is inexplicable thatinspiegabileC2inexplicableè inspiegabile che = it is inexplicable that
Connecting to an infinitive
When making a general statement, the impersonal phrase connects directly to the infinitive of the action verb. There is no Italian subject pronoun corresponding to "it", and you must not insert prepositions like di or a before the verb.
È facile sbagliare quando si è stanchi.
(It is easy to make a mistake when one is tired.)
This pattern of using just the infinitive works perfectly for adjectives related to difficulty or likelihood. You can use facile, difficile, possibile, impossibile, probabile, improbabile and verosimile in exactly this way.
È possibile entrare gratis la domenica.
(It is possible to enter for free on Sundays.)
Necessity and usefulness
You will frequently use this structure to talk about what must or should be done. Words like importante, essenziale, necessario, indispensabile, obbligatorio and urgente all follow this straightforward rule.
È necessario aspettare il proprio turno.
(It is necessary to wait one's turn.)
You can also express whether an action is practical. For this, you might choose utile, inutile (which can mean either useless or unnecessary) or superfluo.
È utile ripassare questi concetti.
(It is useful to review these concepts.)
Judgments and feelings
Impersonal adjectives are great for sharing opinions and reactions. You can judge actions as bello, brutto, giusto, ingiusto, pericoloso, rischioso or accettabile.
È pericoloso guidare così velocemente.
(It is dangerous to drive so fast.)
You can describe experiences using gradevole, piacevole, sgradevole or spiacevole. Finally, you can comment on how expected a situation is by using strano, evidente, ovvio, naturale or raro.
È strano mangiare la pizza a colazione.
(It is strange to eat pizza for breakfast.)
Adding a specific subject
The infinitive is perfect for general statements. But what if you want to say "It is important that you arrive early"? When you introduce a specific person, you must use the word che (that) followed by a conjugated verb clause.
È importante che tu parta subito.
(It is important that you leave right away.)
Be careful with the verb mood in these clauses. Most impersonal phrases express a subjective opinion or a necessity, which means they call for the subjunctive mood. However, adjectives that declare a clear fact, such as evidente and ovvio, usually take the normal indicative mood.
È ovvio che lui ha ragione.
(It is obvious that he is right.)
Summary
To use an impersonal adjective in Italian, start with è. If you are making a general statement, follow the adjective directly with an infinitive verb. If you need to mention exactly who is doing the action, use che followed by a conjugated clause.
Impersonal adjectives followed by clauses