Controllo la scadenza del passaporto.

I check the passport's expiration date.

Breakdown of Controllo la scadenza del passaporto.

• io: I
• di: of
• controllare: to check
• la scadenza: the expiration date

Questions & Answers about Controllo la scadenza del passaporto.

What does the verb controllo mean in this sentence?

Controllo is the first-person singular present form of the verb controllare, which means “to check” or “to verify.” In this context, it translates as “I check.”

Why isn’t the subject Io (meaning “I”) explicitly mentioned in the sentence?

In Italian, the subject pronoun is often dropped because the verb’s conjugation already clearly indicates the subject. Since controllo implies “I,” adding Io is unnecessary unless you want to place extra emphasis on who is performing the action.

What is the meaning and role of the noun scadenza?

Scadenza is a feminine noun meaning “expiration” or “expiry date.” In this sentence, it refers specifically to the expiration date of the passport.

Why is it written as del passaporto instead of di passaporto?

Del passaporto is a contraction of di + il passaporto. In Italian, when the preposition di (of) precedes the masculine singular article il, they merge to form del. This contraction helps indicate that the expiration date belongs to or is associated with the passport.

In English, we might say “I check my passport’s expiration date.” Why is there no possessive pronoun like “my” used in the Italian sentence?