Breakdown of Se sai accogliere un ospite con gentilezza, lui si sentirà subito a suo agio.
tu
you
con
with
lui
he
se
if
l'ospite
the guest
sentirsi
to feel
sapere
to know
subito
immediately
la gentilezza
the kindness
accogliere
to welcome
a suo agio
at ease
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Questions & Answers about Se sai accogliere un ospite con gentilezza, lui si sentirà subito a suo agio.
What function does the word se serve at the beginning of the sentence?
It acts as a conditional connector equivalent to “if” in English, introducing a condition that leads to a specific outcome.
Why is the verb sai used here, and what does it imply?
Sai is the second-person singular form of sapere. In this context, it implies “you know how to,” indicating that the person has the ability to perform the action that follows.
Why does sai get followed by the infinitive accogliere?
In Italian, verbs like sapere (to know how) are typically followed by an infinitive. So sai accogliere translates to “you know how to welcome,” with the infinitive accogliere completing the idea of what you know how to do.
What role does the prepositional phrase con gentilezza play in this sentence?
It describes the manner in which the guest should be welcomed—specifically, “with kindness.” This phrase adds a nuance regarding the style of hospitality expected.
Why is the main clause using the future tense in lui si sentirà subito a suo agio?
The future tense (si sentirà) is used to express the result of the condition. It indicates that if you welcome a guest with kindness, then as a consequence, he will feel at ease immediately.
Why is the subject pronoun for “you” omitted in the clause Se sai accogliere?
Italian often drops subject pronouns because the verb conjugations already make the subject clear. Here, sai unambiguously indicates “you,” so there is no need to explicitly include the pronoun.
What is the purpose of explicitly using lui in the second part of the sentence?
Including lui (meaning “he”) serves to clearly refer back to “an ospite” (a guest) and emphasizes that it is the guest who will experience the feeling of being at ease.