Leggo l’elenco delle spese prima di uscire.

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Breakdown of Leggo l’elenco delle spese prima di uscire.

• di: of
• leggere: to read
• prima di: before

Questions & Answers about Leggo l’elenco delle spese prima di uscire.

Why is it l’elenco and not il elenco?

In Italian, when il is followed by a noun beginning with a vowel (like elenco), you drop the i and add an apostrophe: l’ + elenco = l’elenco. This elision makes pronunciation smoother.

What does delle spese mean here? Is delle a partitive article or something else?

In this sentence, delle is the combination of the preposition di + the definite article le (feminine plural). It literally means “of the.” So l’elenco delle spese = “the list of the expenses.” It isn’t partitive (“some expenses”) but the genitive/possessive form.

Could I say l’elenco spese instead of l’elenco delle spese?

Yes, in titles, headings or bullet points you often see Elenco spese as a shorthand. In a full sentence, however, Italians typically include delle for clarity: l’elenco delle spese.

Why is prima di uscire followed by an infinitive (uscire) and not a gerund?

After a preposition in Italian (like di), you use the infinitive form of the verb, never the gerund. So prima di uscire = “before (to) leave.” If you tried a gerund (uscendo), it would be ungrammatical here.