Breakdown of Metto due fette di pane nel tostapane ogni mattina.
io
I
mettere
to put
di
of
ogni
every
la mattina
the morning
nel
in
due
two
il pane
the bread
la fetta
the slice
il tostapane
the toaster
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Italian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Metto due fette di pane nel tostapane ogni mattina.
Why is the verb mettere in the present tense here? Wouldn't Italian use a continuous form?
The Italian presente indicativo covers both simple present and present continuous in English. Italians use it for habitual or repeated actions. So Metto due fette di pane nel tostapane ogni mattina literally means “I put two slices of bread in the toaster every morning.” You wouldn’t use sto mettendo for a routine—presente is enough.
Why do we say due fette di pane rather than due pani?
Pane is a mass noun (uncountable) in Italian, just like “bread” in English. You can’t count “bread” directly—you need a unit or portion word. A fetta is one slice. Therefore you say due fette di pane (“two slices of bread”), never due pani unless you mean two whole loaves and specify due pagnotte or due chili di pane.
What is the role of di in due fette di pane?
This di is the partitive/genitive link meaning “of.” It connects the part (slice) to the substance or whole (bread). You’ll see it after quantities or measures:
• due bicchieri di acqua
• tre chili di mele
• una fetta di torta
Why is it nel tostapane and not al tostapane?
Nel = in + il (“in the”). When you place something inside an appliance or container, you use in + article. Al = a + il (“to the”) expresses movement toward a destination but not necessarily placement inside. Common collocations are:
• nel forno
• nella borsa
• nel cassetto
Why isn't there an article before ogni mattina?
Ogni (“every”) is a determiner that always pairs with a singular noun and excludes any article. You say ogni mattina, ogni giorno, ogni anno, never la ogni mattina or ogni le mattine.
Could you say tutte le mattine instead of ogni mattina?
Yes. Tutte le mattine (“all the mornings”) and ogni mattina (“every morning”) are interchangeable here. Both perfectly convey the idea of a daily routine.
Can I change the word order? For example, start with ogni mattina?
Absolutely. Italian word order is flexible. You can say Ogni mattina metto due fette di pane nel tostapane to emphasize the frequency. The meaning stays the same.
What is tostapane? It looks like a compound.
It is. Tostapane combines the verb/root tosta- (“to toast/roast”) with pane (“bread”). Italian often forms appliance names this way, e.g.:
• asciuga + mano = asciugamano (towel)
• porta + penne = portapenne (pencil case)