Io respiro lentamente quando sono in giardino.

I breathe slowly when I am in the garden.

Breakdown of Io respiro lentamente quando sono in giardino.

• io: I
• essere: to be
• in: in
• il giardino: the garden

Questions & Answers about Io respiro lentamente quando sono in giardino.

Do I have to include io in Italian sentences, or can I just say “Respiro lentamente quando sono in giardino”?

In Italian the verb ending already tells you the subject, so you can safely drop io except for emphasis or contrast. Saying Respiro lentamente quando sono in giardino is perfectly natural and means the same thing.

Why is respiro used here? How do I conjugate respirare in the present tense?

Respirare is a regular –are verb. You form the present indicative by removing –are and adding:
• io respiro
• tu respiri
• lui/lei respira
• noi respiriamo
• voi respirate
• loro respirano
So respiro means “I breathe.”

Why is lentamente placed after the verb? Can I put it before?

Adverbs like lentamente usually follow the verb in Italian, but you can move them for emphasis:
• Respiro lentamente. (neutral)
• Lentamente respiro. (more poetic or emphatic)
Most speakers will stick with verb + adverb order.

Why do we say in giardino instead of a giardino or nel giardino?