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Prendo la metropolitana ogni mattina.

Prendo la metropolitana ogni mattina.
I take the subway every morning.
FromLesson 24inHardcore Italian

Breakdown of Prendo la metropolitana ogni mattina.

io
I
prendere
to take
ogni
every
la mattina
the morning
la metropolitana
the subway

Questions & Answers about Prendo la metropolitana ogni mattina.

Why is there a definite article before metropolitana when in English we say “I take the subway” without an article?
In Italian you normally use the definite article with modes of public transport: prendere la metropolitana, prendere l’autobus, prendere il treno. English also uses “the” here (“I take the subway”), but many learners don’t notice it. Just remember: in Italian you always include il/la/l’ before names of public transport when using prendere.
Why isn’t there a preposition like in before la metropolitana?
When you pair the verb prendere with a means of transport, you don’t add a preposition. You simply prendi l’autobus, prendi il treno, prendi la metropolitana. If you used another verb like andare, then you need a preposition: vado in metropolitana, vado con l’autobus.
Why is the present tense prendo used instead of something like “I am taking”?
Italian uses the simple present (presente indicativo) to express habits or repeated actions, just like English simple present. Prendo la metropolitana ogni mattina means “I take the subway every morning.” If you wanted to say “I am taking the subway right now,” you’d use the present progressive: Sto prendendo la metropolitana.
Can I include the subject pronoun io here, as in Io prendo la metropolitana ogni mattina?
Yes, you can, but it’s not necessary. Italian is a pro‑drop language, so subject pronouns are usually omitted when the verb ending makes the subject clear. Adding io is only for emphasis or contrast.
Is it possible to move ogni mattina to the beginning of the sentence?
Absolutely. You can say Ogni mattina prendo la metropolitana or Prendo la metropolitana ogni mattina. Both orders are correct; fronting ogni mattina simply puts a bit more focus on when you do it.
What’s the difference between ogni mattina and tutte le mattine?
They’re almost interchangeable in meaning (“every morning”). Grammatically, ogni is followed by a singular noun (ogni mattina), while tutti/e is followed by a plural noun (tutte le mattine). Style‑wise, ogni is a bit more common for simple habits.
Could I shorten metropolitana to metro? If so, what gender/article does it take?
Yes, in informal speech many say metro. Even though it ends in –o, it remains feminine because it’s a shortening of metropolitana. So you’d say la metro or prendo la metro.
Why is mattina singular after ogni, not plural?
The Italian word ogni always takes a singular noun: ogni anno, ogni giorno, ogni mattina. If you want a plural, you’d switch to tutti/e: tutte le mattine, tutti i giorni, tutti gli anni.
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