Ogni mattina uso il dentifricio alla menta sul mio spazzolino.

Every morning I use mint toothpaste on my toothbrush.

Breakdown of Ogni mattina uso il dentifricio alla menta sul mio spazzolino.

• io: I
• su: on
• ogni: every
• la mattina: the morning
• il mio: my
• usare: to use
• il dentifricio: the toothpaste
• alla menta: mint

Questions & Answers about Ogni mattina uso il dentifricio alla menta sul mio spazzolino.

What does "Ogni mattina" mean, and why is it placed at the beginning of the sentence?

"Ogni mattina" translates to "every morning." It serves as an adverbial phrase indicating the frequency of the action. Placing it at the beginning highlights when the action happens—a common structure in Italian to set the time context for the rest of the sentence.

How is the verb "uso" conjugated, and what does it reveal about the subject?

"Uso" is the first-person singular present form of the verb "usare" (to use), meaning "I use." Italian often omits the subject pronoun because the verb conjugation itself makes it clear that the speaker is referring to themselves.

What does "dentifricio" mean, and why is it preceded by the definite article "il"?

"Dentifricio" means "toothpaste." It is a masculine noun, which is why it takes the masculine definite article "il." In Italian, using the definite article with a noun in statements like this usually refers to a specific item or a habitual object that the speaker uses regularly.

How is the phrase "alla menta" constructed, and what does it signify?

The phrase "alla menta" translates to "mint-flavored." It is constructed by combining the preposition "a" with the feminine noun "menta" (mint), forming "alla" (a + la). This structure is often used to specify a characteristic—in this case, that the toothpaste has a mint flavor.

Why is "sul mio spazzolino" used, and what does the contraction "sul" indicate?

"Sul mio spazzolino" means "on my toothbrush." The preposition "su" (meaning "on") is combined with the definite article "il" (since "spazzolino" is masculine) to form the contraction "sul" (su + il). The possessive adjective "mio" means "my," indicating ownership of the toothbrush. This construction tells us exactly where the toothpaste is used.