Breakdown of Scendo giù dalla collina con attenzione per non scivolare.
io
I
da
from
con
with
per
for
non
not
scendere
to go down
l'attenzione
the attention
scivolare
to slip
la collina
the hill
giù
down
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Questions & Answers about Scendo giù dalla collina con attenzione per non scivolare.
Do I need the word giù if I'm already using scendo?
While scendo already implies downward motion, adding giù emphasizes or clarifies the direction, making the sentence more colloquial or vivid. It's common in spoken Italian, though in formal writing you might simply say Scendo dalla collina.
Why is dalla used instead of da la?
Dalla is the contraction of da + la, needed before feminine singular nouns that start with a consonant like collina. Italians routinely contract prepositions (di, a, da, in, su) with articles for smoother speech.
What’s the difference between con attenzione and attentamente?
Both mean “carefully.” Con attenzione is a common, slightly more conversational way to say “with attention,” while attentamente is an adverb formed from attento and is more formal. You can use either: Scendo dalla collina con attenzione or Scendo dalla collina attentamente.
Why is per non scivolare used here? Couldn’t I say senza scivolare?
Per non scivolare expresses purpose (“in order not to slip”) and is very idiomatic. Senza scivolare literally means “without slipping,” which is also correct but less common in this context. Using per + infinitive focuses on the intention behind the action.
Do I need the subjunctive after per non?
No. After per non you use the infinitive, not the subjunctive. The subjunctive would only appear with conjunctions like affinché (non): Affinché non scivoli, though in everyday speech Italians often still use the infinitive even with affinché.
How do you pronounce scivolare and attenzione?
Scivolare is pronounced /shi-vo-LA-re/ (the sc before i is /ʃ/, like English “sh”). Attenzione is /at-ten-TSYO-ne/. The z in attenzione is /ts/ (as in “cats”). Stress falls on the capitalized syllable.