Io mangio lattuga con la forchetta.

I eat lettuce with the fork.

Breakdown of Io mangio lattuga con la forchetta.

• io: I
• con: with
• mangiare: to eat
• la forchetta: the fork
• la lattuga: the lettuce

Questions & Answers about Io mangio lattuga con la forchetta.

What does mangio mean in this sentence?

Mangio is the first-person singular form of the verb mangiare, which means “to eat.” In this context, it translates to “I eat,” and its ending clearly shows that the subject is Io (I), even though the subject is also stated explicitly.

Why is the subject Io included even though the verb already indicates the speaker?

In Italian, subject pronouns like Io are often omitted because the verb ending (in this case, -o) already indicates who is acting. However, they can be included for emphasis, clarity, or stylistic reasons, ensuring that the listener understands exactly who is performing the action.

What is the role of the article la in la forchetta?

The article la is the feminine singular definite article and is used here with forchetta (fork) to specify the object. In Italian, it’s customary to use the definite article with instruments or objects, which may differ from English usage where an article is sometimes omitted.

How does the preposition con function in this sentence?

The preposition con translates to “with” in English. It connects the action of eating to the means by which the action is performed—in this case, indicating that the lettuce is being eaten with the fork.

How does the word order in this Italian sentence compare to that of English?

The sentence Io mangio lattuga con la forchetta follows a similar structure to English: it has a subject (Io/I), a verb (mangio/eat), a direct object (lattuga/lettuce), and a prepositional phrase (con la forchetta/with the fork). While Italian word order is generally flexible, this construction is quite direct and parallels the typical English sentence order.