Breakdown of Giochiamo la volée prima del rimbalzo.
giocare
to play
prima di
before
il rimbalzo
the bounce
la volée
the volley
Questions & Answers about Giochiamo la volée prima del rimbalzo.
What does giochiamo mean here: we play or let's play?
It can mean either, depending on context.
- Indicative: we play / we hit
- Hortatory use: let's play / let's hit
In an isolated sports sentence like this, many learners would understand it as let's play the volley before the bounce, especially if it sounds like instruction or strategy. But grammatically, giochiamo is also the normal we play form of giocare.
So context decides the exact nuance.
Why is there la before volée?
Because volée is a feminine singular noun, so it takes the feminine singular definite article la.
- la volée = the volley
In Italian, it is very common to use the definite article with sports shots, techniques, or specific actions:
- giocare la volée
- fare il rovescio
- colpire la palla
So la here is completely natural.