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Io spengo il computer dopo cena.

Io spengo il computer dopo cena.
I turn off the computer after dinner.
FromLesson 7inHardcore Italian

Questions & Answers about Io spengo il computer dopo cena.

What does spengo mean, and can you explain its conjugation?

Spengo is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb spegnere, which means “to turn off” or “to switch off.” Note that spegnere is an irregular verb; for example, its conjugation in the present tense is: • Io spengo (I turn off)
• Tu spegni (you turn off)
• Lui/lei spegne (he/she turns off)
• Noi spengiamo (we turn off)
• Voi spengete (you [plural] turn off)
• Loro spengono (they turn off)

Why does the sentence include the subject pronoun Io even though Italian verbs clearly indicate the subject?
In Italian, subject pronouns like Io are usually optional because the verb conjugation already indicates who is performing the action. However, using the subject pronoun adds clarity or emphasis. In this sentence, Io makes it clear that I, and not someone else, am turning off the computer.
What does the phrase dopo cena mean and how is it used in this sentence?
The phrase dopo cena literally means “after dinner” where dopo is a preposition meaning “after” and cena means “dinner.” It functions as an adverbial phrase that tells you when the action takes place.
Why is the noun computer preceded by the definite article il, and does computer have a grammatical gender in Italian?
Yes, in Italian every noun is assigned a grammatical gender. Despite being borrowed from English, computer is treated as a masculine noun, which is why it takes the masculine definite article il. This is common with many technological terms that have been incorporated into Italian.
What is the overall structure of the sentence Io spengo il computer dopo cena?

The sentence follows a clear, standard Italian structure:
• Io is the subject.
• Spengo is the verb (in the first-person singular present tense).
• Il computer is the direct object.
• Dopo cena is an adverbial phrase indicating time.
This order—Subject, Verb, Object, Adverbial—is typical in Italian sentences and clearly communicates the meaning “I turn off the computer after dinner.”

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