Breakdown of Attento a non rovesciare la zuppa quando porti il piatto in tavola.
tu
you
in
in
quando
when
non
not
portare
to bring
attento
careful
a
to
la tavola
the table
la zuppa
the soup
il piatto
the plate
rovesciare
to spill
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Questions & Answers about Attento a non rovesciare la zuppa quando porti il piatto in tavola.
What does Attento a mean in this sentence?
Attento is an imperative form that means "be careful". The phrase Attento a warns the listener to take caution regarding the action that follows—in this case, not spilling the soup.
Why is the verb rovesciare in the infinitive form after Attento a non?
In Italian, after expressions like Attento a that signal caution, the verb is used in the infinitive. The structure a non rovesciare literally means "to not spill", clearly indicating the action to be avoided.
What is the role of non in the phrase non rovesciare la zuppa?
Non serves as the negation marker, indicating that the action should not be performed. Thus, non rovesciare means "do not spill". It’s essential for conveying what the listener must avoid doing.
How is the subordinate clause quando porti il piatto in tavola structured, and why is the subject omitted?
The clause quando porti il piatto in tavola functions as an adverbial clause specifying the time or circumstance of the caution (i.e., "when you bring the plate to the table"). In Italian, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb form (here, porti) already indicates that the subject is tu (you).
What does in tavola mean in this context, and how is it used?
In tavola literally means "at/in the table." In this sentence, it indicates the destination of the plate—the action occurs as the plate is being brought to the table. It functions as a prepositional phrase specifying location.
How does the sentence structure compare to a similar English warning?
Italian warnings like this one typically begin with a cautionary command (Attento a non...) using an infinitive to express the action to avoid, followed by an adverbial clause (quando porti il piatto in tavola) that provides context. In English, we’d say "Be careful not to spill the soup when you bring the plate to the table," which uses a similar warning format but with explicit subject pronouns and a different verb form after be careful.