Fermo l’auto all’incrocio e guardo il semaforo.

I stop the car at the intersection and look at the traffic light.

Breakdown of Fermo l’auto all’incrocio e guardo il semaforo.

• io: I
• e: and
• guardare: to look
• fermare: to stop
• l’auto: the car
• all': at
• l'incrocio: the intersection
• il semaforo: the traffic light

Questions & Answers about Fermo l’auto all’incrocio e guardo il semaforo.

What does Fermo mean in this sentence?

Fermo is the first person singular present form of the verb fermare, which means "to stop". In this sentence, it translates as "I stop", describing the action performed by the speaker.

What does l’auto refer to?

l’auto is a shortened form of l’automobile, meaning "the car". This abbreviation is common in informal Italian.

How is the phrase all’incrocio constructed and what does it mean?

all’incrocio is formed by the fusion of the preposition a ("at") with the definite article l’ that precedes incrocio (meaning "intersection"). Together, they mean "at the intersection". This kind of contraction (a + l’) is typical in Italian when the preposition and article appear together.

Why is the subject pronoun omitted in this sentence?

In Italian, subject pronouns such as io (meaning "I") are often dropped because the verb conjugation clearly indicates the subject. Since fermo and guardo are both conjugated in the first person singular, the subject is understood without needing to be explicitly stated.

What does guardo il semaforo mean, and why is it in the present tense?

guardo is the first person singular present form of guardare, which means "I look at" or "I watch". il semaforo translates as "the traffic light". The use of the simple present tense here describes actions that are routinely or immediately happening—indicating what the speaker does at that moment/regularly.