Learn Hardcore Italian: Ho dovuto dichiarare il formaggio francese che portavo per mia nonna. - I had to declare the French cheese I was bringing for my grandmother.

Ho dovuto is the passato prossimo of dovere, which expresses a specific, completed obligation in the past. Dovevo is the imperfetto, used for ongoing or habitual obligations. Since the speaker had one definite duty (and actually declared the cheese), the passato prossimo form Ho dovuto is appropriate.

What does dichiarare mean in this context?

Here dichiarare means “to declare” in the sense of informing border/customs authorities about goods you’re carrying. It’s not about “declaring love” or “making a statement” in a figurative sense.

Why is it il formaggio francese and not un formaggio francese?

The definite article il indicates that the speaker is talking about a specific cheese they had with them. Using un would suggest any French cheese in general, whereas il formaggio francese points to that particular item.

Why is the verb in the relative clause portavo (imperfetto) instead of ho portato (passato prossimo)?

The imperfetto portavo describes the ongoing action of carrying the cheese at that moment. It sets the background. If you used ho portato, you’d shift focus to the completed action of bringing the cheese, not the context in which it needed declaring.

Why do we say per mia nonna and not a mia nonna?

The preposition per marks beneficiary or purpose (“for my grandmother”). A mia nonna would more literally mean “to my grandmother,” implying direction or giving, and would change the nuance.

Why is there no article before mia nonna?

In Italian, singular family-member nouns normally drop the definite article when paired with a possessive adjective (mia, tuo, sua, etc.). Hence mia nonna, not la mia nonna. The article returns if you modify the noun (e.g. la mia cara nonna) or use plural forms.

What function does che serve in che portavo per mia nonna?

Che is a relative pronoun meaning “that” or “which,” linking the noun formaggio francese to the clause portavo per mia nonna, which provides more information about the cheese.

Is the word order che portavo per mia nonna fixed, and why?

Yes. Italian typically places the verb immediately after the relative pronoun, followed by complements (like per mia nonna). This order keeps the clause clear and natural: che (relative pronoun) → portavo (verb) → per mia nonna (prepositional phrase).