Learn Hardcore Italian: Non mangiare troppe frittelle prima di cena, altrimenti non avrai più fame. - Don’t eat too many fritters before dinner, otherwise you won’t be hungry anymore.

"Non" is used to negate the verb in the imperative. In this context, "Non mangiare" translates to "Don't eat," forming a negative command. Italian typically places "non" before the imperative verb to indicate that the action should not be done.

Why is the adjective "troppe" used with "frittelle" instead of "troppi"?

"Frittelle" is a feminine plural noun, so the adjective must agree in gender and number. "Troppe" is the feminine plural form of "too many." If the noun were masculine (for example, "panini"), you would use "troppi."

What does "prima di cena" mean, and how does its placement affect the sentence?

"Prima di cena" means "before dinner." It is a prepositional phrase indicating the time when the eating should not occur. While Italian word order can be flexible, placing it after the object ("troppe frittelle") clarifies that the restriction applies specifically to eating too many fritters prior to dinner.

What is the function of "altrimenti" in this sentence?

"Altrimenti" means "otherwise." It introduces the consequence of not following the initial command. In this sentence, it connects the warning ("Don't eat too many fritters before dinner") with the result ("you won't be hungry anymore"), emphasizing that overindulgence now will lead to a lack of appetite later.

Why is the future tense used in "non avrai più fame" instead of a present tense?

The future tense "avrai" (you will have) is employed to stress the direct consequence of the action. It clearly communicates that if you eat too many fritters before dinner, the result—in the near future at dinner time—will be that you won't have an appetite. Using the future in this context is a common way in Italian to denote a cause-and-effect relationship.