Breakdown of Segno l’esame in agenda per non dimenticarlo.
io
I
in
in
per
for
non
not
dimenticare
to forget
lo
it
l’esame
the exam
segnare
to note
l’agenda
the agenda
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Questions & Answers about Segno l’esame in agenda per non dimenticarlo.
What is the role and meaning of segno in this sentence?
Segno is the first person singular present indicative of the verb segnare (to note, to mark). Here it means “I note down” or “I put down.”
Why is there an apostrophe in l’esame?
Italian uses elision when a vowel-ending article meets a vowel-beginning noun. The masculine singular article il drops its i before esame, becoming l’. So il esame → l’esame.
Why do we say in agenda without an article? Can we say nella mia agenda instead?
Mettere (o segnare) qualcosa in agenda is an idiomatic expression meaning “to put something on one’s calendar.” It normally omits the article. If you want to be more specific, you can say nella mia agenda (“in my planner”), or sulla mia agenda, but the shorter in agenda is very common.
What exactly does in agenda convey here?
It indicates the medium or place where you note down the exam: “in your agenda/diary/calendar.”
Why is per used before non dimenticarlo?
Per + infinitive expresses purpose (“in order to…”). Therefore per non dimenticarlo means “so as not to forget it.”
Why is the pronoun lo attached to dimenticare (dimenticarlo) instead of placed before the verb?
In Italian, object pronouns attach to infinitives. With an -are infinitive you drop the final e and add the pronoun: dimenticare → dimenticarlo. You wouldn’t say lo dimenticare.
Could I rephrase this sentence with different verbs or structure?
Yes. For instance:
• Inserisco l’esame nella mia agenda per non dimenticarlo.
• Annoto l’esame in agenda così non lo dimentico.
Why isn’t the subject pronoun io included?
In Italian, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending (-o in segno) clearly indicates the subject is “I.”