ELONIO
Log inSign up

Anziché prendere l’auto, oggi vado in bici fino al lavoro.

Anziché prendere l’auto, oggi vado in bici fino al lavoro.
Instead of taking the car, today I’m cycling to work.
FromLesson 34inHardcore Italian

Questions & Answers about Anziché prendere l’auto, oggi vado in bici fino al lavoro.

Why is anziché used here instead of invece di?
anziché is a conjunction meaning instead of. It has the same basic function as invece di, but is slightly more formal or literary. In everyday speech you could also say invece di prendere l’auto, oggi vado in bici without changing the meaning.
Why does l’auto have an apostrophe? Why not la auto?
Because auto begins with a vowel. The feminine article la elides before a vowel, contracting to l’. So la auto correctly becomes l’auto.
What does prendere l’auto literally mean? Is it just “to take the car”?
Literally, prendere means to take, but in Italian it also covers getting into or using vehicles (e.g. prendere il treno, prendere un taxi). Thus prendere l’auto means to get in/drive the car.
Why is it in bici and not a bici?
When you talk about means of transportation in Italian, you generally use the preposition in (as in in macchina, in treno). For bicycle you can say in bicicletta (full form) or the colloquial in bici.
Can I use bicicletta instead of bici? Is there a difference?
Yes. bici is simply the shortened, more informal form of bicicletta. Both are feminine nouns meaning bicycle; choosing one over the other is just a matter of register (formal vs. casual).
What does fino al lavoro mean? Why is it al?
fino a means up to or as far as. Since lavoro is masculine singular, a + il contracts into al. So fino al lavoro means up to (the) work or as far as work.
Why is oggi placed after the comma? Can it be moved?

oggi is a temporal adverb and can appear almost anywhere:

  • At the very beginning: Oggi, anziché prendere l’auto, vado in bici…
  • After the comma (as in your sentence) for a smoother flow
  • Just before the verb: Anziché prendere l’auto, oggi vado in bici…
    Moving it changes emphasis slightly but not the core meaning.
Why do we use vado instead of vengo here?
andare (vado) means to go from the speaker’s current location to another. venire (vengo) means to come toward the speaker’s current location or a specified reference point. Since you’re going from home (or wherever you are now) to work, vado is the correct choice.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Italian grammar?”
Italian grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Italian

Master Italian — from Anziché prendere l’auto, oggi vado in bici fino al lavoro to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Open the Italiancourse →