Breakdown of Io presto attenzione al traffico quando corro in città.
io
I
correre
to run
in
in
la città
the city
quando
when
il traffico
the traffic
al
to
prestare attenzione
to pay attention
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Italian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Io presto attenzione al traffico quando corro in città.
What is the overall meaning of the sentence "Io presto attenzione al traffico quando corro in città." in English?
The sentence means "I pay attention to traffic when I run in the city." It tells us that the speaker is careful about traffic situations while running in an urban environment.
How is the expression "prestare attenzione" constructed, and what does it mean?
"Prestare attenzione" is an idiomatic expression in Italian that literally means "to lend attention" but is used in the same way as the English "to pay attention." It is structured as a verb (prestare) followed by the noun (attenzione) and requires the preposition "a" before the object.
Why is the object introduced as "al traffico" instead of simply "traffico"?
The phrase "al traffico" comes from combining the preposition "a" (to) with the definite article "il" (the), forming "al." This contraction is standard in Italian when using fixed expressions like "prestare attenzione a." It specifies that the attention is directed toward "the traffic."
Why is "quando" used in the sentence, and could it be replaced by another conjunction?
"Quando" means "when" and introduces the time clause "quando corro in città." It indicates that the action of running in the city is the condition under which the speaker pays attention to traffic. In some cases, you might encounter "mentre" (meaning "while") if the focus were on simultaneous actions, but "quando" works well here to set the condition.
What is the rationale for using "in città" without a definite article?
In Italian, "in città" is an idiomatic way to refer to being "in the city" or "in town." Unlike phrases that specify a particular city (where you might use an article), "in città" is used generally and thus does not require one.
Is it necessary to include the subject pronoun "io" in this sentence?
No, it isn’t strictly necessary because Italian verb conjugations generally indicate the subject. However, including "io" can add emphasis or clarity. In everyday conversation, you might often omit it, saying simply "Presto attenzione al traffico quando corro in città."