Unit 74 Guidebook: form complex sentences
KEY PHRASES
Form complex sentences
Se non cucino, non mangio.
If I do not cook, I do not eat.
If I do not cook, I do not eat.
Io non parlo mentre mangio.
I do not talk while I eat.
I do not talk while I eat.
Lei non mangia né pollo né pesce.
She eats neither chicken nor fish.
She eats neither chicken nor fish.
Io mangio sia verdura che carne.
I eat both vegetables and meat.
I eat both vegetables and meat.
Leggo un libro mentre mangio.
I read a book while I eat.
I read a book while I eat.
TIP
Why? Because...
The Italian word perché means both because and why. But don't worry! It won't be too confusing. Context will always help you understand what perché means.
Perché non mangi la verdura?
Why don't you eat the vegetables?
Why don't you eat the vegetables?
Tu mangi perché hai fame.
You eat because you are hungry.
You eat because you are hungry.
TIP
Don't be so negative!
You've already come across the negative words no and non. But how can you say neither... nor in Italian? You can use a similar pattern and say né... né.
Lei non mangia né pollo né pesce.
She eats neither chicken nor fish.
She eats neither chicken nor fish.
Careful! Notice how in Italian you'll still need to add non before the verb, even if you're saying né... né.
TIP
You can't until you finish your practice!
To say until in Italian, you'll have to use the two‑word expression finché non.
Io aspetto finché non trovi il cane.
I wait until you find the dog.
I wait until you find the dog.