Camminiamo in giardino dopo il pranzo.

We walk in the garden after lunch.

Breakdown of Camminiamo in giardino dopo il pranzo.

• camminare: to walk
• in: in
• il giardino: the garden
• il pranzo: the lunch
• dopo: after
• noi: we

Questions & Answers about Camminiamo in giardino dopo il pranzo.

Why is the verb "camminiamo" used here instead of something like "cammineremo"?

In Italian, the present tense (camminiamo) can express a future action, especially when the context or time expression makes the meaning clear (e.g., dopo il pranzo). If you wanted to use the future tense, you could say cammineremo to emphasize the future aspect, but it's not strictly necessary.

Why do we say "in giardino" and not something like "al giardino" or "nel giardino"?

In giardino is used when referring to the general idea of being in or walking within the garden. Nel giardino might imply you're specifying a particular garden area enclosed by fences or walls. Al giardino is less common in this context. Think of in giardino as "in the garden" in a general sense.

Why is there an article "il" before "pranzo"? Could we just say "dopo pranzo"?

Both forms are acceptable. Dopo pranzo is commonly used and means "after lunch" in a general sense. Dopo il pranzo can add a slight emphasis to a specific lunch, but the difference is subtle. In everyday speech, you'll often hear Italians say simply dopo pranzo.

Does "camminiamo" only mean "we walk," or can it also mean "we go" in Italian?

Camminiamo specifically means "we walk," from the verb camminare ("to walk"). If you want to say "we go," you would more likely use the verb andare. For example, andiamo in giardino means "we go to the garden," not necessarily on foot.

Is it necessary to use "dopo" plus the definite article, or could I use "dopo il pranzo" without "in"?

The phrase dopo il pranzo stands alone perfectly well to mean "after lunch." When we add in (as in in giardino), it's functioning as the preposition for location (i.e., where we're walking). So there's no conflict between dopo il pranzo (when) and in giardino (where) — both can coexist or appear separately, depending on what information you want to convey.