A dire il vero, l'impermeabilizzante protegge la tomaia.

To tell the truth, the waterproofing treatment protects the upper.

Breakdown of A dire il vero, l'impermeabilizzante protegge la tomaia.

• proteggere: to protect
• la tomaia: the upper (of a shoe)
• l'impermeabilizzante: the waterproofing treatment
• a dire il vero: to tell the truth; actually

Questions & Answers about A dire il vero, l'impermeabilizzante protegge la tomaia.

What does A dire il vero mean?

It means to tell the truth, truth be told, or to be honest.

It is a fixed expression used to introduce a correction, clarification, or more honest opinion. In this sentence, it sets the tone before the main statement.

Examples:

• A dire il vero, non mi piace molto. = To tell the truth, I don’t like it very much.
• A dire il vero, avevi ragione. = To tell the truth, you were right.

Why is it a dire and not some other verb form?

Here dire is in the infinitive, and a + infinitive can form set expressions in Italian.

So a dire il vero literally means something like at saying the truth, but in natural English it becomes to tell the truth.

You do not need to analyze it word by word every time; it is best learned as a whole expression.

Why is there a comma after A dire il vero?

Because A dire il vero is an introductory expression, separate from the main clause.

So the sentence is structured like this:

• A dire il vero, = introductory phrase
• l'impermeabilizzante protegge la tomaia. = main statement

In writing, the comma helps show that pause. In speech, you would usually hear a slight pause too.

What does l'impermeabilizzante mean?