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  13.4.3 verbs which connect the infinitive with a

As we already said there is no rule allowing us to deduce the correct preposition. It is even possible that verbs with a similar if not identical meaning use different prepositions to connect an infinitive.

ammonire = to admonish
Mi ha ammonito di lavorare meno.
  He admonished me to work less.
esortare = to admonish
  Mi ha esortato a lavorare meno.
  He admonished me to work less.

As a rule of thumb it is possible to say that the reflexive form is connected with the preposition a, the non reflexive form with the preposition di.

decidersi = to decide oneself
Mi sono deciso a andare via.
  I decided myself to go away.
but (non reflexive) decidere = to decide
  Ho deciso di andare via.
  I decided to go away.
abituarsi = to accustom oneself
  Si è abituato a alzarsi alle sei della mattina.
  He accustomed himself to get up at six o' clock in the morning.
adattarsi = to accustom
  Non ci siamo mai potuti adattare a doverci alzare alle sei della mattina.
  We never accustomed to be obliged to get up at six o'clock in the morning.
affanarsi = to strive
  Mi sono affannato a cercare altre informazioni sulla questione della sicurezza dell' amalgama.
  I strive to get more information concerning the security of amalgam.
affrettarsi = to hurry
  Mi sono affrettato a rispondergli.
  I hurried to answer him.
aiutare = to help
  L' ho aiutato a trovare un posto di lavoro.
  I helped him to find a job.
apprendere = to learn
  Non ha ancora appreso a scrivere il suo nome.
  He didn't learn already to write his name.
arrischiarsi = to dare
  Se si arrischia a farlo, non è cosciente dei rischi.
  If he dares to do it, he doesn't know the risks.
aspettare = to wait, to hope
  Aspetto a finirlo domani.
  I hope to finish it tomorrow.
attacare = to start
  Quando attacco a leggere non riesco a smettere.
  If I start reading, I can't stop doing it.





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