Breakdown of Preleviamo contanti prima di entrare in città.
entrare
to enter
in
in
la città
the city
noi
we
prima di
before
prelevare
to withdraw
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Questions & Answers about Preleviamo contanti prima di entrare in città.
What does preleviamo mean in this sentence, and how is it used?
preleviamo is the first-person plural present tense of prelevare (“to withdraw”). In Italian, the noi form of the present indicative can double as the equivalent of English “let’s.” So Preleviamo contanti… can mean either “We withdraw cash…” or “Let’s withdraw cash…” depending on the context.
Why is there no article before contanti?
When talking about something in a general or non-specific sense, Italian often omits the article. Contanti here is used generically (“cash” in general). You could say Preleviamo dei contanti (“Let’s withdraw some cash”) or Preleviamo i contanti (referring to specific cash), but dropping the article is most natural for a general instruction.
What’s the difference between contanti and soldi?
Both words translate as “money,” but contanti specifically refers to physical cash (coins and banknotes). Soldi is more general and can include any form of money (cash, electronic transfers, etc.). Here you’re emphasizing the need for physical cash.
Why do we say prima di entrare instead of just prima entrare?
To express “before doing something,” Italian requires prima di + infinitive. The preposition di is mandatory; omitting it (i.e., prima entrare) would be ungrammatical. So prima di entrare correctly means “before entering.”
Why use in città instead of nella città or dentro la città?
In città is a set phrase meaning “into town” or “into the city area” and commonly omits the article. Nella città (in + la città) would feel more specific or formal, as if talking about one particular city’s interior. Dentro la città (“inside the city”) is grammatically correct but less idiomatic for simply saying “enter the city.”
Can I use a different verb instead of prelevare?
Yes. Ritirare is a common synonym at ATMs or banks. You can say Ritiriamo contanti prima di entrare in città with no change in meaning.
How would I say the same idea in the future tense?
Use the future of prelevare:
Preleveremo contanti prima di entrare in città.
Here preleveremo = “we will withdraw,” and entrare stays in the infinitive after prima di.
Can I replace prima di entrare with prima che entriamo in città?
Not if the subject remains the same (“we”). When the subject is the same in both clauses, standard Italian uses prima di + infinitive. Prima che requires a different subject plus the subjunctive, e.g.:
Preleviamo contanti prima che lui entri in città.