Stasera preparo la cena per la mia famiglia.

Tonight I prepare dinner for my family.

Breakdown of Stasera preparo la cena per la mia famiglia.

• io: I
• preparare: to prepare
• per: for
• la famiglia: the family
• la mia: my
• la cena: the dinner
• stasera: tonight

Questions & Answers about Stasera preparo la cena per la mia famiglia.

What does stasera mean, and when is it used?

Stasera means "tonight". It is used to refer to the evening of the current day, especially when talking about events planned for later that day.

Why isn’t the subject io (I) explicitly mentioned in the sentence?

In Italian, subject pronouns are typically omitted because the verb conjugation already clarifies the subject. Here, preparo ends in -o, indicating that the speaker is referring to "I prepare" without needing to state io.

How can I tell that preparo is in the first person singular?

The verb preparo is the present tense, first person singular form of preparare. In Italian, regular -are verbs form the first person singular by ending in -o, which in this case signals that the speaker is saying "I prepare" or implying "I will prepare."

Why is the definite article la used before cena?

Italian grammar generally requires the definite article before nouns when referring to a specific item. La cena translates to "the dinner", indicating a particular meal that is being prepared.

What function does the preposition per serve in this sentence?

Per means "for". It introduces the beneficiary of the action. In per la mia famiglia, it tells us that the dinner is being prepared for my family.

Why is mia used with famiglia, and how does gender agreement work here?

Mia is the feminine singular possessive adjective meaning "my". Since famiglia is a feminine noun, mia correctly agrees in gender and number, ensuring grammatical consistency in the phrase "la mia famiglia".

Why is the present tense used to talk about a future action in this sentence?

In Italian, using the present tense to refer to a near-future event is common, particularly when a specific time reference like stasera is provided. The context makes it clear that the action is scheduled for later that evening.

Can stasera be replaced with questa sera, and are there any differences between them?

Yes, stasera and questa sera both mean "tonight". Stasera is more colloquial and commonly used in daily conversation, while questa sera is a bit more formal or emphatic. Both are perfectly acceptable depending on the context.