In questa ricetta, devi tagliare la cipolla a fette sottili.

In this recipe, you must slice the onion thinly.

Breakdown of In questa ricetta, devi tagliare la cipolla a fette sottili.

• in: in
• questa: this
• dovere: to have to
• a: in
• la ricetta: the recipe
• tagliare: to slice
• la cipolla: the onion
• la fetta: the slice
• sottile: thin

Questions & Answers about In questa ricetta, devi tagliare la cipolla a fette sottili.

What does devi mean in this sentence?

Devi is the second-person singular form of the modal verb dovere, which means "must" or "have to". It expresses a requirement or obligation within the context of the recipe.

Why is tagliare in the infinitive form following devi?

In Italian, when a modal verb like dovere (of which devi is a form) is used, it is typically followed by another verb in the infinitive. So, tagliare (meaning "to cut") remains in the infinitive to express the action that must be performed.

What does the phrase a fette sottili mean, and how is it structured?

The phrase a fette sottili translates to "into thin slices". Here, fette means "slices", and sottili means "thin". The preposition a is used to indicate the result or manner of the cutting, linking the action to its outcome.

What role does the prepositional phrase In questa ricetta play?

In questa ricetta means "in this recipe". It sets the context by specifying that the instruction applies within the framework of the recipe, indicating where or under what conditions the action is to take place.

Why is the adjective sottili in the plural form, even though cipolla is singular?

Although cipolla (onion) is singular, the adjective sottili describes fette (slices), which is plural. In Italian, adjectives agree in number with the nouns they modify. Thus, sottili is plural to match fette, the result of cutting the onion.