Learn Hardcore Italian: Se non prepari bene il progetto, può andare storto. - If you do not prepare the project well, it can go wrong.

In Italian, conditional sentences that express future possibilities use the present indicative in the if‑clause. Although in English you might say, “If you don’t prepare well, it will go wrong,” Italian uses “prepari” (present tense) to indicate a future condition. This is a normal and standard way to construct conditional sentences in Italian.

What does the phrase “può andare storto” literally mean, and how is it used idiomatically?

The phrase literally translates to “it can go wrong.” Here, “può” is the third-person singular form of “potere” (to be able to/can), and “andare storto” is an idiomatic expression meaning “to go wrong.” Together, they express the possibility that something may turn out badly if the condition isn’t met.

Why is there a comma after “Se non prepari bene il progetto”?

In Italian, when a conditional clause (introduced by “se”) comes at the beginning of a sentence, it is common practice to separate it from the main clause with a comma. This punctuation helps signal the structure of the sentence by clearly distinguishing the condition from the result.

What is the role of the adverb “bene” in this sentence, and is its placement typical?

The adverb “bene” modifies the verb “prepari” by describing how the project is prepared—it means “well.” In Italian, adverbs often follow the verb they modify, so placing it right after “prepari” is both natural and typical.

Why isn’t the subject explicitly stated in the sentence, and how does that work in Italian?

Italian often omits subject pronouns because verb endings clearly indicate who is performing the action. In this sentence, “prepari” is the second-person singular form, so it is understood that the sentence is addressing “you” without needing to state it explicitly.