Vado all’ospedale per visitare un amico malato.

I go to the hospital to visit a sick friend.

Breakdown of Vado all’ospedale per visitare un amico malato.

• io: I
• l'amico: the friend
• andare: to go
• per: for
• visitare: to visit
• a: to
• l'ospedale: the hospital
• malato: sick

Questions & Answers about Vado all’ospedale per visitare un amico malato.

What does the contraction all’ in all’ospedale represent?

It is formed by combining the preposition a (meaning “to”) with the definite article l’ (the contracted form of lo or il used before a vowel). Since ospedale (hospital) is a masculine noun that begins with a vowel, a + l’ospedale contracts to all’ospedale.

Why is the preposition per used in this sentence, and what does it indicate?

Per introduces the purpose or intention behind the action. In this sentence, it means “in order to,” clarifying that the speaker’s visit to the hospital is specifically for the purpose of visiting a sick friend.

Why is malato placed after amico? Is there a rule in Italian about adjective placement?

Yes, in Italian adjectives that describe a simple, factual quality usually follow the noun. Here, malato (sick) comes after amico (friend) to indicate that the friend is sick. Placing the adjective after the noun is the standard order for descriptive adjectives, although some adjectives may precede the noun when expressing subjective or emphatic qualities.

Is it acceptable to use visitare when referring to visiting a person, or is there an alternative expression?

While visitare correctly translates as “to visit” and is perfectly acceptable, many native speakers might opt for andare a trovare when referring to visiting friends or relatives in a personal context. Both expressions convey the same idea, though andare a trovare is generally more common in everyday conversation.

What is the difference in nuance between using visitare and andare a trovare for visiting someone?

Visitare is more direct and often used in both formal and informal contexts, but when it comes to visiting people, andare a trovare can sound warmer and more personal. While both are correct, andare a trovare tends to emphasize the act of paying a personal visit, making it slightly more common among native speakers when referring to friends or relatives.

Does the present tense vado indicate a habitual action or a planned future action in this sentence?

In Italian, the present tense is versatile and can indicate both habitual actions and near-future events. In Vado all’ospedale per visitare un amico malato, the context—especially the purpose expressed by per visitare un amico malato—makes it clear that vado refers to a planned, imminent action rather than a habitual one.