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Questions & Answers about Chiedo un prestito alla banca.
Why is the verb chiedere used here and what does chiedo mean?
The Italian verb chiedere means “to ask” or “to request.” In Chiedo un prestito alla banca, chiedo is the first-person singular present tense (“I ask/request”). So the sentence literally means “I request a loan from the bank.”
Could I use domandare instead of chiedere?
Although domandare also means “to ask,” Italians almost always use chiedere when talking about requesting something (money, permission, information). Domandare is generally limited to “asking a question” (e.g. domandare un’informazione). For loans, stick with chiedere un prestito.
Why is there an indefinite article un before prestito?
In Italian, countable nouns nearly always need an article. Here un indicates “a single, unspecified loan.” Without it, Chiedo prestito would sound ungrammatical or at least very odd. You could say Chiedo un prestito (“I request a loan”) or Chiedo il prestito (“I request the loan,” referring to a specific one).
Can I say chiedo prestito without the article?
No. Italians generally do not drop the article with countable nouns. Always use un prestito (or il prestito, if you mean a particular loan).
Why is the preposition a combined with la to form alla?
In Italian, when a (“to”) meets a feminine singular definite article la, they contract to alla. So a + la banca becomes alla banca (“to the bank”).
Could I use al banco instead of alla banca?
No, because banco means “counter” (like the teller’s desk) and is masculine, so al banco would mean “to the counter.” Banca is the institution “bank,” feminine, so you need alla banca.
What’s the difference between saying alla banca and in banca?
Alla banca emphasizes the action “to the bank” as an entity (I apply to the bank). In banca focuses on location “inside the bank” (I’m inside the bank). You can hear chiedo un prestito in banca, but the most idiomatic way is chiedo un prestito alla banca because you’re addressing the institution.
Is there a more formal synonym for chiedere un prestito?
Yes. Richiedere un prestito is more formal/literary but means essentially the same: “to request a loan.” In everyday speech and in bank forms you’ll see both, though chiedere is very common.
Can I say prendere in prestito instead?
Prendere in prestito means “to borrow (something).” You could say Prendo in prestito dei soldi dalla banca, but that shifts the focus: “I borrow money from the bank.” It’s less direct for formal loan applications. Banks expect chiedere/prendere un prestito.
How would you change the tense, for example to future?
To say “I will request a loan from the bank,” use the future of chiedere: Chiederò un prestito alla banca. Simply replace chiedo (present) with chiederò (future).