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Breakdown of Controllo sempre la scadenza dei prodotti alimentari prima di acquistarli.
io
I
di
of
sempre
always
controllare
to check
prima di
before
li
them
la scadenza
the expiration date
il prodotto
the product
acquistare
to buy
Questions & Answers about Controllo sempre la scadenza dei prodotti alimentari prima di acquistarli.
What does “Controllo” mean in this sentence?
“Controllo” is the first-person singular present form of controllare, which means “to check” or “to inspect”. In this sentence, it translates to “I check”, indicating a habitual action performed by the speaker.
What does the word “sempre” mean and how does it affect the sentence?
Sempre means “always”. It emphasizes that the action of checking the expiration dates is a regular, ongoing habit. The inclusion of sempre tells us that the speaker consistently checks the dates every time.
How is the phrase “la scadenza dei prodotti alimentari” constructed, and what does it signify?
La scadenza means “the expiration date”, and dei prodotti alimentari means “of food products”. The word dei is a contraction of “di + i”, linking the expiration date to the food products. This structure specifies exactly what expiration date is being checked.
What is the purpose of the phrase “prima di acquistarli” in the sentence?
Prima di acquistarli translates to “before buying them.” It sets the sequence of events: the speaker always checks the expiration date before making a purchase. The verb acquistare means “to buy,” and the attached pronoun li refers back to the food products being discussed.
Why is the object pronoun “li” attached to the infinitive “acquistare”?
In Italian, object pronouns like li (meaning “them”) are commonly attached to an infinitive. In this sentence, li clearly refers to the prodotti alimentari mentioned earlier, following standard Italian rules for pronoun placement with compound verb forms.
Is the placement of the adjective “alimentari” typical in Italian, and what role does it play?
Yes, the placement is typical. In Italian, adjectives usually follow the noun they modify. Here, “alimentari” comes after “prodotti” to describe the type of products—specifically, food products. This post-nominal position is standard in Italian, even though English generally places adjectives before the noun.
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