Breakdown of Mi offende di più chi sceglie di mentire, piuttosto che chi commette un semplice errore.
mi
me
chi
who
semplice
simple
scegliere
to choose
mentire
to lie
offendere
to offend
di più
more
piuttosto che
rather than
commettere
to commit
l'errore
the error
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Questions & Answers about Mi offende di più chi sceglie di mentire, piuttosto che chi commette un semplice errore.
Why is the verb “offende” in the third person singular even though “chi” seems like it refers to a group?
In Italian, the indefinite pronoun “chi” (meaning “those who” or “anyone who”) is treated as singular. Even though it refers to people in general, the verb “offende” agrees with “chi” in the singular form. This construction is common when a general statement is made about a type of person or action.
What does the phrase “piuttosto che” mean, and how does it function in this sentence?
“Piuttosto che” translates to “rather than” and is used to set up a contrast between two ideas. In the sentence, it contrasts “chi sceglie di mentire” (those who choose to lie) with “chi commette un semplice errore” (those who commit a simple error), showing that the deliberate act of lying offends the speaker more than an unintentional mistake.
How does “sceglie di mentire” differ in nuance from “commette un semplice errore”?
“Sceglie di mentire” emphasizes a conscious decision to lie, highlighting intentionality and moral responsibility. In contrast, “commette un semplice errore” suggests that a mistake was made unintentionally. The sentence, therefore, expresses that deliberate deceit is more offensive than an accidental error.
What role does the word “chi” play in this sentence?
“Chi” acts as an indefinite relative pronoun meaning “those who” in this context. It introduces the two relative clauses that describe groups of people based on their actions (choosing to lie versus making a mistake), thereby linking the subject implied in the initial part of the sentence to its descriptive clauses.
Is the sentence structure, starting with “Mi offende di più” and then introducing the subject with “chi...”, common in Italian?
Yes, this structure is quite typical in Italian. It starts with an expression of personal sentiment (“Mi offende di più”) and then specifies the subject responsible for that sentiment through a relative clause introduced by “chi”. This inversion emphasizes the speaker’s reaction before detailing the cause and is a common stylistic choice in Italian to express subjective judgments.