Learn Hardcore Italian: Metto l’orologio al polso e mi accorgo che è già tardi per uscire. - I put the watch on my wrist and realize that it’s already late to go out.

Metto is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb mettere, which means "to put" or "to put on." In this context, it indicates that the speaker is actively putting their watch on.

How is the phrase l’orologio al polso structured and what does it mean?

L’orologio means "the watch," and al polso literally translates to "on the wrist." Here, al is a contraction of a + il, showing location. Together, the phrase tells us that the watch is being worn on the wrist.

Why does the verb accorgo have the reflexive pronoun mi preceding it?

The verb accorgersi is reflexive in Italian, meaning "to notice" or "to realize." The reflexive pronoun mi corresponds to the subject "I," so mi accorgo effectively means "I realize" or "I notice." It’s a necessary grammatical component to complete the reflexive construction.

What does the segment è già tardi per uscire convey about the situation?

This segment translates to "it’s already late to go out" or "it’s too late for going out." It indicates that after putting on the watch, the speaker becomes aware that the time has advanced past the point when going out is practical, implying that their plans might be affected.

How are the two parts of the sentence connected, and what is the significance of their order?

The sentence connects the two actions with the conjunction e ("and"), creating a clear sequence. First, the speaker puts on the watch, and then, by checking it, they realize that it’s already too late to go out. This order emphasizes that noticing the time is a direct consequence of putting on the watch, reflecting a natural progression of everyday actions.