Learn Hardcore Italian: È importante mescolare la zuppa nella pentola grande con un mestolo prima di servire. - It is important to stir the soup in the big pot with a ladle before serving.

The accent distinguishes è (third-person singular present of essere, “to be”) from e (the conjunction “and”). Without the accent it would mean “and,” not “is.”

Why is mescolare in the infinitive form after È importante instead of a conjugated verb?

Italian uses the infinitive after impersonal expressions like È importante, È necessario, Èutile, etc. In English we often use a gerund (“stirring”), but in Italian you stick with the bare infinitive.

Why can't I say È importante che mescolare la zuppa? I learned che introduces clauses.

When you use che after importante, you need a conjugated (subjunctive) verb and usually an explicit or impersonal subject. You would say È importante che si mescoli la zuppa or specify È importante che voi mescoliate la zuppa. You cannot follow che with the infinitive.

Why is nella used instead of in la or just in?

Nella is the contraction of in + la, required before the feminine singular noun pentola. Italian prepositions often merge with definite articles (il → nel, lo → nello, la → nella, etc.). Without the article the phrase would be grammatically incomplete.

Why does grande come after pentola? Could it go before the noun?

Adjectives in Italian can go before or after a noun with slight nuance. La pentola grande is a neutral, descriptive order (“the pot is big”). La grande pentola can sound more emphatic (“the big pot” as opposed to a small one). Both are correct.

Why is it un mestolo and not uno mestolo?

Un is the form of the indefinite article used before masculine nouns beginning with a consonant or vowel. Uno is used before masculine nouns beginning with s- + consonant (lo studente → uno studente), z, ps, gn, pn, x, y. Since mestolo starts with m, you use un.

How would I say “stir it” instead of repeating “la zuppa”?

Attach the direct-object pronoun la (for la zuppa) to the end of the infinitive: mescolarla. Italian places object pronouns on infinitives, gerunds, and imperatives (e.g., mescolandola in gerund form).

What does prima di do in prima di servire?

Prima di means “before” when followed by an infinitive. It functions like “before serving.” The structure in Italian is prima di + [infinitive] whenever you want to say “before” plus a verb.

If I want to specify who should stir the soup, how would I change the sentence?

Convert the impersonal infinitive structure into a personal one by choosing the appropriate subject pronoun and verb form. For example, for “We need to stir the soup,” say Dobbiamo mescolare la zuppa nella pentola grande con un mestolo prima di servire. Or simply Noi dobbiamo... for emphasis.