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Il tecnico testa la stampante.

Il tecnico testa la stampante.
The technician tests the printer.
FromLesson 30inHardcore Italian

Breakdown of Il tecnico testa la stampante.

la stampante
the printer
il tecnico
the technician
testare
to test

Questions & Answers about Il tecnico testa la stampante.

Why is there a definite article il before tecnico?
In Italian you generally use the definite article before nouns—even job titles—when making statements. So tecnico becomes il tecnico. Omitting it sounds incomplete or like a headline.
What does testa mean in this sentence? Why doesn’t it mean head?
Here testa is the third-person singular present tense of the verb testare, meaning he or she tests. Although it’s spelled like the noun testa (meaning head), context and pronunciation tell you it’s a verb.
What is the infinitive of this verb and how do I conjugate it in the present tense?

The infinitive is testare (to test). Present-tense conjugation: • io testo
• tu testi
• lui/lei testa
• noi testiamo
• voi testate
• loro testano

How is the verb testa pronounced, and how do I distinguish it from the noun testa?
As a verb (testa, he or she tests) the stress is on the second syllable: te-STA. As the noun (tèsta, head) the stress is on the first syllable: TES-ta. Written form is identical, so use stress and context to differentiate.
Why is stampante feminine, and why do we say la stampante?
Many Italian nouns ending in -ante (especially device names) are feminine, so you use la. Also, Italian normally requires a definite article before singular countable nouns.
How can I replace la stampante with a direct object pronoun in this sentence?

Use the pronoun la before the verb:
Il tecnico la testa.
This means the technician tests it (referring to the printer).

What’s the difference between testare and provare?
testare is more formal or technical, implying a systematic evaluation (e.g. testing equipment or software). provare is more general, meaning to try or to test in everyday contexts (e.g. provare un vestito).
How do I turn this sentence into the passive voice?

You have two common options:
1) Using essere:
La stampante è testata dal tecnico.
2) Using venire:
La stampante viene testata dal tecnico.
Both mean the printer is tested by the technician.

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