Breakdown of Ho un foglio pieno di appunti, ma devo sostituire alcune parole che non mi convincono.
io
I
avere
to have
di
of
ma
but
me
me
non
not
alcune
some
che
that
l'appunto
the note
dovere
to have to
pieno
full
la parola
the word
il foglio
the sheet
sostituire
to replace
convincere
to convince
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Questions & Answers about Ho un foglio pieno di appunti, ma devo sostituire alcune parole che non mi convincono.
What does foglio refer to in this sentence?
In this context, foglio means a sheet of paper. It’s used here to indicate a single piece of paper that’s covered with written notes.
What is the meaning of the phrase pieno di appunti?
The phrase pieno di appunti translates as full of notes. Pieno di means “filled with” and appunti are the notes (written ideas, reminders, or lecture notes) on the sheet.
Why is the relative clause che non mi convincono placed after alcune parole?
The clause che non mi convincono serves as a relative clause modifying alcune parole (some words). It specifies which words the speaker is not convinced by. The relative pronoun che stands in for parole, linking the clause directly to the noun it describes.
What does devo sostituire tell us about the speaker's intention?
Devo sostituire combines devo (from the verb dovere, meaning “I have to” or “must”) with sostituire (“to replace”). This construction indicates that the speaker is obligated or intends to replace some words—they must change those words because they don’t feel confident about them.
How does the construction non mi convincono work grammatically?
In non mi convincono, the verb convincere takes an indirect object; here, the pronoun mi means “me.” The phrase literally translates to “they don’t convince me,” showing that the words fail to have the intended effect on the speaker. This indirect structure is typical with verbs like convincere in Italian.
Could sostituire be replaced by another verb like cambiare in this context?
While cambiare means “to change,” sostituire specifically means “to replace” or “substitute.” In this sentence, sostituire implies swapping out some words for different ones, which is more precise than simply changing them.