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È ora di svuotare il cassetto pieno di vecchi appunti e buttare ciò che è inutile.

È ora di svuotare il cassetto pieno di vecchi appunti e buttare ciò che è inutile.
It’s time to empty the drawer full of old notes and throw out what’s useless.
FromLesson 17inHardcore Italian

Questions & Answers about È ora di svuotare il cassetto pieno di vecchi appunti e buttare ciò che è inutile.

What is the meaning of È ora di in this sentence?
È ora di literally translates to "It's time to" in English. It indicates that the moment has arrived to perform the subsequent action.
Why are the verbs svuotare and buttare in their infinitive forms after È ora di?
In Italian, expressions like "È ora di" are followed by verbs in the infinitive form. This structure implies that the action is general and not tied to a specific subject, which is typical in commands or suggestions.
How should I understand the structure "il cassetto pieno di vecchi appunti"?
This phrase combines the noun "il cassetto" (meaning "the drawer") with the descriptive phrase "pieno di vecchi appunti". Here, "pieno di" means "full of", and "vecchi appunti" translates to "old notes." Together, they describe a drawer that is filled with outdated or unused notes.
What does "buttare ciò che è inutile" mean, and what role does "ciò che" play?
Buttare ciò che è inutile means "to throw away what is useless." The segment "ciò che" acts as a relative pronoun, similar to "what" or "that which," linking the verb "buttare" (to throw away) with the items deemed unnecessary.
Why does the sentence not include an explicit subject?
Italian often employs impersonal constructions. With phrases like "È ora di", the subject is understood implicitly, so there is no need to state it explicitly. The focus is on the timing of the action rather than on who should execute it.
Why are the two actions—emptying the drawer and throwing away useless items—joined by "e" in a single sentence?
Both actions are part of the overall instruction. The conjunction "e" (meaning "and") connects "svuotare" (to empty) and "buttare" (to throw away) under the umbrella of "È ora di," indicating that both tasks should be carried out as part of the same process.
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