Lei è uscita presto stamattina, ma non ne ho capito il motivo.

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Breakdown of Lei è uscita presto stamattina, ma non ne ho capito il motivo.

• ma: but
• non: not
• uscire: to go out
• presto: early
• il motivo: the reason
• lei: she
• stamattina: this morning
• capire: to understand
• ne: of it

Questions & Answers about Lei è uscita presto stamattina, ma non ne ho capito il motivo.

Why is the auxiliary verb "essere" used in the first clause ("Lei è uscita presto stamattina") instead of "avere"?

Italian uses "essere" with certain verbs that indicate movement or a change of state. Since "uscire" (to leave/exit) falls into that category, the compound tense is formed with "essere." Additionally, when using "essere," the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject, which is why we have "uscita" for a female subject.

Why does the past participle appear as "uscita" (with an "a") rather than "uscito" (with an "o")?

The past participle must agree with the subject when using the auxiliary "essere." Since "lei" refers to a female, the feminine form "uscita" is used. If the subject were masculine, it would appear as "uscito."

What does the word stamattina mean in this sentence?

Stamattina means "this morning." It is an adverb that specifies when the action took place.

What role does the pronoun ne play in the clause "ma non ne ho capito il motivo"?

In this sentence, ne is a pronoun that refers back to something already mentioned or implied (in this case, the circumstances or details behind her leaving early). It effectively substitutes for a longer phrase (like "of it" or "about it"), so the sentence translates to "but I did not understand the reason for it."

Why is the auxiliary "avere" used in the second clause ("non ne ho capito il motivo") even though the first clause uses "essere"?

The auxiliary depends on the main verb in each clause. In the first clause, the verb is "uscire" (which uses "essere"), while in the second clause the main verb is "capire" (to understand), which always takes "avere" in compound tenses. Hence, "ho capito" is correct for "capire."

What is the function of the comma before ma in the sentence?

The comma before ma serves as a separator between two independent clauses. It signals a pause and indicates a transition from one complete idea ("Lei è uscita presto stamattina") to another contrasting one ("non ne ho capito il motivo"), thereby enhancing the sentence’s clarity and readability.