Breakdown of Io cerco la carta nella tasca della giacca.
io
I
di
of
in
in
cercare
to look for
la giacca
the jacket
la tasca
the pocket
la carta
the card
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Questions & Answers about Io cerco la carta nella tasca della giacca.
Why do we say cerco la carta instead of just cerco carta?
In Italian, when you’re looking for something specific, you almost always use the definite article with cercare. Saying cerco carta sounds generic or incomplete. Cerco la carta makes it clear you want that particular card (or piece of paper).
What’s happening with nella tasca and della giacca? Why aren’t they separate words?
Italian uses preposizioni articolate (contracted prepositions + articles).
- in + la tasca → nella tasca
- di + la giacca → della giacca
This contraction is mandatory whenever in or di meets a definite article.
Could I say sto cercando la carta nella tasca della giacca instead?
Yes.
- Cerco is the simple present (“I look for/I search”).
- Sto cercando is the present continuous (“I am looking for”).
Both are correct; the continuous form just stresses the ongoing action.
Why isn’t there a preposition like per before la carta?
Because cercare is a transitive verb in Italian: it takes a direct object without any preposition. You simply say cerco qualcosa, not cerco per qualcosa.
Can I drop the subject pronoun io and just say Cerco la carta…?
Absolutely. Italian verb endings already show who the subject is. Omitting io is more natural and common in everyday speech.
What does carta mean here—paper or card?
Carta can mean either “paper” or “card.” Context decides. If you’re fishing for a business card or credit card from your jacket pocket, it’s “card.” If you’re pulling out a sheet of paper, it’s “paper.”
Why specify tasca della giacca instead of just tasca?
Tasca alone means “pocket,” but doesn’t tell you whose or which pocket. Adding della giacca (“of the jacket”) clarifies you mean the jacket’s pocket, not pants or bag.