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Io mantengo la casa pulita.

Io mantengo la casa pulita.
I keep the house clean.
FromLesson 12inHardcore Italian

Breakdown of Io mantengo la casa pulita.

io
I
la casa
the house
pulito
clean
mantenere
to keep

Questions & Answers about Io mantengo la casa pulita.

What does mantengo mean, and how is it conjugated in this sentence?
Mantengo is the first person singular present tense form of the verb mantenere, which means “to keep” or “to maintain.” In this sentence, it tells us that the speaker (I) is performing the action.
Why is the adjective pulita in the feminine form, and why does it follow la casa?
The adjective pulita means “clean” and must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Since casa (house) is a feminine singular noun, pulita is also in the feminine singular form. In Italian, adjectives typically come after the noun, which is why pulita follows la casa.
Is it necessary to include the subject pronoun Io in this sentence?
No, it isn’t strictly necessary because Italian verb conjugations indicate the subject. The pronoun Io is often omitted when the context is clear. However, including it can add emphasis or clarity, especially for beginners or when stressing who is performing the action.
What is the sentence structure of Io mantengo la casa pulita and how does it compare to English?
The sentence follows a Subject (Io) + Verb (mantengo) + Direct Object (la casa) + Adjective (pulita) structure. In English, the adjective typically comes before the noun (“I keep the clean house”), but in Italian the adjective usually follows the noun, as seen here.
Why is the definite article la used with casa in this sentence?
The definite article la is used because casa is a specific noun and in Italian it’s common to include articles with most nouns. It also agrees in gender and number with casa (feminine singular), making the phrase la casa the correct way to say “the house.”
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