Preferisco indossare la gonna quando fa caldo.

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Breakdown of Preferisco indossare la gonna quando fa caldo.

• quando: when
• preferire: to prefer
• indossare: to wear
• la gonna: the skirt
• fare caldo: to be hot

Questions & Answers about Preferisco indossare la gonna quando fa caldo.

Why is the definite article la used before gonna instead of an indefinite article?

In Italian, clothing items are often referred to with the definite article when speaking in general terms. Here, la gonna not only reflects that gonna is a feminine noun but also emphasizes a habitual or general preference for wearing skirts.

Why is the verb indossare in its infinitive form rather than conjugated?

Indossare appears in the infinitive because it functions as the complement to the main verb preferisco. In Italian, verbs like preferire are directly followed by an infinitive to indicate the action preferred, much like saying “I prefer to wear...” in English.

How does the phrase quando fa caldo work, and why is fare used to describe the weather?

The phrase quando fa caldo means “when it’s hot.” In Italian, weather conditions are typically expressed using the impersonal form of fare (as in fa caldo), rather than using essere. This is an idiomatic construction that conveys the idea of the weather “making” heat.

Could I replace la gonna with una gonna, or omit the article altogether?

While una gonna is grammatically correct, it has a slightly different nuance—it refers to “a skirt” rather than the general concept of “skirt” as worn habitually. In Italian, when expressing a general preference for wearing a particular type of clothing, the definite article is preferred. Omitting the article would be incorrect in this context.

What role does quando play in the sentence?

Quando is a subordinating conjunction that introduces a time clause. It sets the condition under which the speaker prefers to wear the skirt, effectively linking the preference with the specific weather condition (“when it’s hot”).