Learn Hardcore Italian: Apri il forno con attenzione e controlla se il pollo sta cuocendo bene. - Open the oven carefully and check if the chicken is cooking well.

They are commands directed at someone (using the informal singular "you"). In Italian, the imperative is used to give instructions, and the subject pronoun is omitted because the verb ending already indicates that it’s the second-person singular.

What does con attenzione mean in this sentence, and why is it used?

Con attenzione means "with care" or "carefully." It advises the listener to open the oven cautiously, likely to avoid accidents or mishandling.

How is the ongoing action of the chicken cooking expressed in Italian?

The phrase sta cuocendo uses the construction "stare" plus the gerund of cuocere. This structure is used to indicate an action in progress, similar to the English present continuous "is cooking."

Is there a difference between saying sta cuocendo and using the simple form cuoce?

Yes. Sta cuocendo emphasizes that the cooking is actively happening at the moment (the ongoing process), whereas cuoce simply states that the chicken cooks without stressing the process.

What role does the conjunction e play in this sentence?

E means "and" in Italian. It connects the two commands—first, to open the oven carefully, and second, to check whether the chicken is cooking well—indicating that both actions should be carried out sequentially.

Why are definite articles like il used before nouns such as forno and pollo?

In Italian, definite articles are commonly used to specify particular items. Il forno and il pollo indicate that the listener should refer to a specific oven and a specific chicken (for example, the one in question), a typical trait of Italian noun usage.