Learn Hardcore Italian: La tempesta si avvicina, quindi chiudo le finestre per sicurezza. - The storm is approaching, so I close the windows for safety.

In Italian avvicinarsi is a pronominal (reflexive) verb meaning “to get closer” or “to approach.” The si is the reflexive pronoun referring back to the subject (la tempesta). You conjugate it as follows in the present tense:

io mi avvicino
tu ti avvicini
lui/lei si avvicina

So la tempesta si avvicina literally means “the storm is approaching itself,” i.e., “the storm is getting closer.”

Why do we use the article la before tempesta?

Tempesta is a feminine singular noun. Italian requires a definite article before most nouns in such a descriptive statement. Because tempesta is feminine, singular, and begins with a consonant, we use la. If the noun were masculine (e.g., il vento) or started with a vowel (e.g., l’acqua), the article would change accordingly.

Why is the present tense used here if the storm is still coming in the future?

Italian often uses the present tense to describe actions that are imminent or ongoing, even if they haven’t fully occurred yet. In English we might say “the storm is coming,” using the present continuous. In Italian, the simple present si avvicina covers both “is approaching” and “will approach soon.”

What is the difference between quindi, dunque, and perciò?

All three can mean “therefore” or “so,” but with slight nuances:

quindi is neutral and very common in both spoken and written Italian.
dunque has a slightly more formal or rhetorical feel, often used in speeches or literature.
perciò is also fairly formal and stresses causality (“for that reason”).

In this sentence, quindi simply links cause and effect in everyday speech: “the storm is coming, so I close the windows.”

Why is the subject pronoun io omitted in chiudo? Shouldn’t we say io chiudo?

In Italian, subject pronouns (io, tu, lui, etc.) are often dropped because the verb ending already indicates the subject. Chiudo is first person singular (“I close”), so adding io is redundant unless you want to emphasize “I” specifically.

What does per sicurezza mean exactly, and why is per used?

Per sicurezza literally means “for safety” or “to be safe.” The preposition per expresses purpose or reason here, similar to English “for.” You aren’t saying “because of safety,” but “in order to ensure safety.”

Why is there no article before sicurezza? Could you say per la sicurezza?

When referring to safety in a general, abstract sense, you drop the article: per sicurezza = “for safety’s sake.” If you say per la sicurezza, you’re treating the safety as a specific concept or system (e.g., “for the safety [of the building]”). Both are correct, but per sicurezza is more idiomatic when you mean “just to be on the safe side.”

Why is finestre plural? Does Italian always use plural when closing windows?

You use the plural finestre if you intend to close more than one window. If you only had one window open, you would say chiudo la finestra per sicurezza. Plural simply matches the actual context: if there are multiple windows, you close all of them.