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Io mangio pollo per cena.

Io mangio pollo per cena.
I eat chicken for dinner.
FromLesson 16inHardcore Italian

Questions & Answers about Io mangio pollo per cena.

What does the Italian sentence Io mangio pollo per cena. mean?
It translates to "I eat chicken for dinner." The sentence clearly states that the speaker enjoys chicken as their evening meal.
Why is the subject pronoun Io included, even though the verb mangio already suggests who is performing the action?
Italian is known as a pro-drop language, which means the subject pronoun is often omitted because the verb ending already indicates the subject. Including Io can add emphasis or clarity, especially if you want to stress that it is specifically I who am eating chicken.
What tense is the verb mangio, and what does it indicate about the action?
Mangio is in the present tense and is the first person singular form of the verb mangiare (to eat). This form is used both for actions happening right now and for habitual actions.
Why is there no article before pollo in this sentence?
In Italian, when referring to food in a general sense—talking about a type or kind of food, rather than a specific item—the article is often omitted. Here, pollo means "chicken" as a type of meat, so no article is used.
What does the preposition per signify in the phrase per cena, and could another preposition be used?
The preposition per means "for" in this context, indicating the purpose or occasion (dinner). An alternative you might encounter is a, as in a cena; both can indicate “for dinner,” though the choice often depends on regional usage or stylistic preference.
How is the sentence structured, and is its order similar to English?
The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object order: Io (subject) + mangio (verb) + pollo (object), with the adverbial phrase per cena (for dinner) added at the end. This structure closely resembles standard English sentence order, making it easier to understand for English speakers learning Italian.
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