Breakdown of La pioggia impedisce di giocare in giardino.
di
of
in
in
il giardino
the garden
giocare
to play
la pioggia
the rain
impedire
to prevent
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Questions & Answers about La pioggia impedisce di giocare in giardino.
Why is the verb impedisce conjugated in the third-person singular form?
The subject La pioggia ("the rain") is singular, so the verb must be in the third-person singular present form. Impedisce is the correct conjugation of the verb impedire for a singular subject in this context.
Why is the infinitive giocare preceded by the preposition di?
In Italian, verbs like impedire follow a specific construction where they are immediately followed by di plus an infinitive. This structure expresses what is being prevented. So, impedisce di giocare literally means "prevents from playing."
What role does the phrase in giardino play in this sentence?
The phrase in giardino functions as a locative prepositional phrase that indicates where the activity would take place. It translates to "in the garden" in English, specifying the location where playing is being hindered by the rain.
Can you explain the overall sentence structure of La pioggia impedisce di giocare in giardino?
Certainly. The sentence starts with the subject La pioggia ("the rain"), followed by the verb impedisce ("prevents"). Next, the construction di giocare ("from playing") uses the infinitive with di to indicate the action that is being prevented. Finally, in giardino provides the setting. This order—subject followed by verb, then the infinitive phrase and location—is a common structure in Italian declarative sentences.
Are there alternative ways to express this idea in Italian?
Yes, you could use similar verbs with comparable constructions. For example, La pioggia non permette di giocare in giardino translates to "The rain does not allow playing in the garden." Although the wording changes slightly (non permette instead of impedisce), the overall meaning remains the same. The di + infinitive structure is standard with many verbs that communicate prevention or prohibition.