Breakdown of Prendi la spazzola e il pettine, poi sistema i tuoi capelli prima di uscire di casa.
prendere
to take
di
of
la casa
the house
e
and
poi
then
prima
before
il tuo
your
sistemare
to fix
la spazzola
the hairbrush
il pettine
the comb
uscire
to leave
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Questions & Answers about Prendi la spazzola e il pettine, poi sistema i tuoi capelli prima di uscire di casa.
What does prendi mean and why is it in the imperative form?
Prendi comes from the verb prendere, meaning "to take." It is used in the imperative mood (informal singular form) to give a direct command—in this case, instructing you to take the brush and comb.
What does sistema mean in this sentence and how should I interpret it?
Sistema derives from sistemare, which means "to tidy up," "arrange," or "fix." Here, it directs you to put your hair in order. Positioned after poi ("then"), it indicates that after taking the brush and comb, your next step is to arrange your hair.
Why are the definite articles la and il used before spazzola and pettine?
Italian frequently uses definite articles with common objects in imperative instructions. La spazzola and il pettine imply that you are referring to specific, familiar items (likely those you normally use), even if they haven’t been explicitly mentioned before.
What is the function of the possessive adjective tuoi in i tuoi capelli?
The possessive adjective tuoi means "your" and modifies capelli (hair) to indicate ownership. In Italian, possessives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify—here, capelli is masculine plural, so tuoi is used in its corresponding plural form.
What role does the conjunction poi play in this sentence?
Poi translates as "then" or "afterwards." It connects the two commands by indicating a sequence: first, you take the brush and comb, and then you arrange your hair. This helps outline the order in which you should perform the tasks.
What does the phrase prima di uscire di casa mean, and why is it positioned at the end of the sentence?
The phrase prima di uscire di casa means "before leaving the house." It’s an adverbial time clause specifying when the action of arranging your hair should occur. Its placement at the end of the sentence emphasizes that all the preceding actions must be completed prior to stepping outside.