Bevo una tazza di tè caldo prima di iniziare a studiare.

I drink a cup of hot tea before starting to study.

Breakdown of Bevo una tazza di tè caldo prima di iniziare a studiare.

• io: I
• di: of
• bere: to drink
• prima di: before
• studiare: to study
• la tazza: the cup
• il tè: the tea
• caldo: hot
• iniziare: to start

Questions & Answers about Bevo una tazza di tè caldo prima di iniziare a studiare.

Why does the sentence use Bevo instead of including the subject pronoun Io?

In Italian, the subject pronoun (such as io, meaning “I”) can often be omitted because the verb form already tells us the subject. Bevo is the first-person singular present tense of bere (to drink). If you want to emphasize the subject, you can say Io bevo, but it’s not necessary.

Why is una used before tazza?

You use una (an indefinite article) before tazza to indicate one cup in a non-specific sense. It means you’re having a single cup of tea, not multiple cups. If you just said Bevo tazza di tè, you would be missing the necessary article and it wouldn’t sound right to native speakers.

Why do we say una tazza di tè caldo instead of una tazza del tè caldo?

When referring to the contents of a container or portion, Italians use di (of) to link the container and the contents (for example, un bicchiere di vino, “a glass of wine”). The phrase del tè caldo would imply a specific supply of hot tea you’ve already identified; di tè caldo is more general and indicates the kind of drink in the cup.

What is the difference between prima di iniziare and prima che inizi?

Use prima di + infinitive (e.g., prima di iniziare) when the subject of both actions is the same. In this case, you’re doing both actions (drinking tea and then starting to study). Prima che + subjunctive (e.g., prima che inizi) is used when different subjects are involved, or you want to introduce a new subject performing the verb in the following clause.

Could I use cominciare instead of iniziare?

Yes, cominciare is a synonym of iniziare, so prima di cominciare a studiare is perfectly fine. Some regions or speakers might prefer iniziare, others might use cominciare more often, but there’s no significant difference in meaning here.

Why do we say a studiare and not per studiare at the end?

In Italian, certain verbs and expressions that describe the purpose of an action often follow a + infinitive. Prima di iniziare a studiare indicates that the action you’re about to start is studying. Although per studiare can sometimes be used to express purpose, with iniziare or cominciare, the construction iniziare/cominciare a + infinitive is the standard form.