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Mia madre preferisce stirare i vestiti la sera, quando ha più tempo.

Mia madre preferisce stirare i vestiti la sera, quando ha più tempo.
My mother prefers ironing clothes in the evening, when she has more time.
FromLesson 17inHardcore Italian
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Breakdown of Mia madre preferisce stirare i vestiti la sera, quando ha più tempo.

avere
to have
la sera
the evening
quando
when
mia
my
la madre
the mother
il tempo
the time
più
more
preferire
to prefer
stirare
to iron
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Questions & Answers about Mia madre preferisce stirare i vestiti la sera, quando ha più tempo.

What is the overall meaning of the sentence "Mia madre preferisce stirare i vestiti la sera, quando ha più tempo"?
It means "My mother prefers to iron clothes in the evening, when she has more time." The sentence expresses a habitual preference—she chooses to do the ironing later in the day when she is less busy.
How is the sentence structured grammatically?
The sentence is divided into a main clause and a subordinate clause. The main clause is "Mia madre preferisce stirare i vestiti la sera", where "mia madre" is the subject, "preferisce" is the verb, and "stirare i vestiti" is the action she prefers to do, with "la sera" indicating the time. The subordinate clause "quando ha più tempo" starts with the conjunction "quando" (when) and specifies the condition under which she prefers to carry out the action.
Why is the verb "preferisce" in the third person singular form?
Because the subject of the sentence is "mia madre" (my mother), which is singular. In Italian, verbs must agree in number and person with their subjects, so the third person singular form "preferisce" is correctly used here.
What role does the infinitive "stirare" play in this sentence?
"Stirare" is the infinitive form of "to iron" and follows the verb "preferisce" to indicate the action that is being preferred. This construction (verb of preference + infinitive) is common in Italian when expressing likes, dislikes, or choices.
What does the phrase "la sera" mean, and what is its function?
"La sera" translates to "in the evening" or "at night." It functions as an adverbial phrase modifying the action, specifying the time when the ironing is preferred.
How does the subordinate clause "quando ha più tempo" contribute to the sentence?
The clause "quando ha più tempo" (when she has more time) provides additional context by explaining the circumstance that favors the action. It tells us that my mother chooses the evening for ironing because that is the time when she has more free time available.
Why is the definite article "i" used in "i vestiti"?
In Italian, "i" is the masculine plural definite article that agrees with the noun "vestiti" (clothes). Its use implies a specific set of clothes—those that are routinely ironed.