Io spiego il motivo a mia sorella.

I explain the reason to my sister.

Breakdown of Io spiego il motivo a mia sorella.

• io: I
• la mia: my
• la sorella: the sister
• a: to
• il motivo: the reason
• spiegare: to explain

Questions & Answers about Io spiego il motivo a mia sorella.

What does Io mean in the sentence, and why is it included even though Italian verbs indicate the subject?

Io means “I” and serves as the subject of the sentence. Although Italian verb endings often make the subject clear (allowing for the omission of the pronoun), including Io can add emphasis or clarity.

What is the role of spiego in this sentence?

Spiego is the first-person singular form of the verb spiegare, meaning “to explain.” It indicates that the speaker (“I”) is performing the action of explaining.

How does il motivo function in this sentence?

Il motivo is the direct object of the sentence. It answers the question “What do I explain?” and translates to “the reason” or “the motive.”

What does the phrase a mia sorella signify?

The phrase a mia sorella indicates the indirect object of the sentence. The preposition a marks “my sister” as the beneficiary or recipient of the explanation, translating as “to my sister.”

Is it acceptable to omit the subject pronoun in Italian, and what effect does including Io have?

Yes, in Italian, the subject pronoun is often omitted because the verb conjugation already tells you who is doing the action. Including Io is grammatically correct and can serve to emphasize the subject or avoid ambiguity, especially in contexts where multiple subjects might be involved.