Learn Hardcore Italian: Durante l’aperitivo, qualcuno mi ha baciato sulla guancia per salutarmi. - During the aperitif, someone kissed me on the cheek to greet me.

Aperitivo refers to a light drink or snack served before the main meal, often enjoyed in a social setting. It’s a cultural tradition in Italy similar to a pre-dinner cocktail hour where people gather to relax and converse.

What is the role of durante in the sentence?

Durante means “during” in English. It sets the temporal context of the sentence by indicating that the action (being kissed on the cheek) happened at the time of the aperitivo.

What does qualcuno mean, and why is it used here?

Qualcuno translates to “someone” in English. It is used to refer to an unspecified or unknown person who performed the action, emphasizing that it wasn’t a particular, identifiable individual.

What is the function of the pronoun mi in "mi ha baciato"?

In "mi ha baciato", the pronoun mi means “me”. It indicates that the action of kissing was directed towards the speaker. In Italian, object pronouns like mi are placed before the auxiliary verb in compound tenses.

How is the tense "ha baciato" formed, and what does it indicate?

The verb phrase "ha baciato" is in the passato prossimo tense, which is used to describe actions that have been completed in the recent past. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb avere (in this case, ha) combined with the past participle baciato (kissed).

Why is "per salutarmi" used, and what does it signify?

"Per salutarmi" translates to “to greet me.” The preposition per introduces the purpose of the action, explaining that the kiss was intended as a form of greeting. The construction with the infinitive salutarmi (which includes the pronoun mi) clearly indicates that the act of kissing served the purpose of saying hello.