Unit 105 Guidebook: use the infinitive
KEY PHRASES
Use the infinitive
Mi aiuti a spingere la macchina?
Would you help me to push the car?
Would you help me to push the car?
Quale strada prendo per ritornare?
Which street do I take to go back?
Which street do I take to go back?
Non voglio attraversare la strada.
I do not want to cross the street.
I do not want to cross the street.
L'ho visto girare a sinistra.
I saw him turn left.
I saw him turn left.
TIP
Non pensarci troppo!
You've already seen how many Italian verbs can include short words that aren't there in English, like lui si siede. Infinitives do things a little differently when they combine with these short words.
Short words always go after the infinitives and not before them!
Mi ha detto di passarti il telefono.
He told me to pass you the telephone.
He told me to pass you the telephone.
And notice how the verb loses its final ‑e and smooshes together with the short word.
Voglio dirgli tutto.
I want to tell him everything.
I want to tell him everything.
Voglio metterla in un altro posto.
I want to put it in another place.
I want to put it in another place.
TIP
Ce la faccio!
Sometimes Italian verbs have not just one, but two of these short words tagging along.
Non me lo dai mai.
You never give it to me.
You never give it to me.
Ce la puoi vendere?
Can you sell it to us?
Can you sell it to us?
Keep in mind that when two short words go one after the other, the first one always ends in ‑e.
Te lo offriamo noi.
We offer it to you.
We offer it to you.
TIP
Glielo
What’s the deal with glielo? Glielo is the combination of two short words together: gli or le plus lo.
Chi glielo ha dato?
Who has given it to him?
Who has given it to him?
Glielo spiego velocemente.
I will explain it to him quickly.
I will explain it to him quickly.