Breakdown of Leggo il tabellone alla fermata per controllare gli orari degli autobus.
io
I
di
of
leggere
to read
l'autobus
the bus
la fermata
the stop
controllare
to check
l'orario
the schedule
per
to
alla
at
il tabellone
the board
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Questions & Answers about Leggo il tabellone alla fermata per controllare gli orari degli autobus.
What person and tense is leggo in?
Leggo is the present indicative, first-person singular of leggere, meaning “I read” or “I am reading.” In Italian, the simple present covers both English present simple and present continuous.
Why use il tabellone instead of un tabellone?
Italian often uses the definite article where English doesn’t. Here, il tabellone refers to the specific display board at that stop. Using un tabellone would sound like “a board,” i.e. any board, not the one you know.
What does tabellone mean?
A tabellone is a large board or electronic display showing schedules, scores, or announcements. At a bus stop, it lists departure times and line numbers.
Why is it alla fermata and not al fermata?
Alla is the contraction of a (to/at) + la (feminine singular article). Since fermata is feminine, you must say alla fermata (“at the stop”). Al would be a + il (masculine).
Why doesn’t the sentence say alla fermata dell’autobus?
Simply saying alla fermata implies “at the bus stop.” Adding dell’autobus (“of the bus”) is correct—alla fermata dell’autobus—but often redundant when context makes it obvious.
What does per controllare mean?
Per + infinitive expresses purpose, like “to” or “in order to” in English. Hence per controllare means “to check.”
Could you drop per and say alla fermata controllare gli orari?
No. In Italian, you need per before an infinitive to express purpose. Omitting it here would be ungrammatical.
Why is it gli orari instead of i orari?
Italian has two plural masculine definite articles: i before consonants and gli before vowels (and some consonant clusters). Since orari begins with a vowel, it takes gli.
Why is it degli autobus and not dei autobus?
Degli is the contraction of di + gli, used before masculine plural nouns starting with a vowel. Dei (di + i) is used before consonants.
Could you say orari di autobus without the definite article?
You could say orari di autobus for “bus schedules” in general, but here the speaker refers to the specific schedules on that board, so they use gli orari degli autobus (“the schedules of the buses”).
Why use leggo with a board? Could you say guardo il tabellone?
Leggere means “to read,” so leggo il tabellone emphasizes reading the times. Guardare il tabellone means “to look at the board,” a more neutral “to look/watch” action. Both are grammatical but convey slightly different focuses.