Io ascolto attentamente la lezione.

I listen to the lesson carefully.

Breakdown of Io ascolto attentamente la lezione.

• io: I
• ascoltare: to listen
• la lezione: the lesson
• attentamente: carefully

Questions & Answers about Io ascolto attentamente la lezione.

Why is the subject pronoun Io explicitly included even though the verb already shows the subject?

In Italian, subject pronouns are often dropped because the verb ending indicates the subject. However, Io is included here to emphasize the subject, provide clarity for learners, or add stylistic focus.

How is the verb ascolto formed, and what does it tell us about the action?

Ascolto is the first-person singular present tense of the verb ascoltare (to listen). The conjugation is achieved by removing the -are ending from the infinitive and adding -o, which clearly indicates that the speaker (io) is performing the action.

What role does the adverb attentamente play in the sentence, and is its placement typical in Italian?

Attentamente means "attentively" and acts as an adverb modifying the verb ascolto. Its placement immediately after the verb is common in Italian, where adverbs usually follow the verb they modify, although flexible placement can occur for emphasis or stylistic reasons.

Why is the definite article la used before lezione, and what does it reveal about the noun?

The article la is a feminine singular definite article meaning "the." Its use before lezione specifies that the speaker is referring to a particular lesson, and it also indicates that lezione is a feminine noun.

How would you change this sentence to express the same idea in the past tense?

To express "I listened attentively to the lesson" in the past tense, you can use the present perfect tense: Io ho ascoltato attentamente la lezione. Here, ho ascoltato is formed with the auxiliary ho (from avere) and the past participle ascoltato.