Learn Hardcore Italian: Controlliamo il telaio perché il cantiere ha molta polvere. - Let’s check the frame because the construction site has a lot of dust.

Controlliamo is the first-person plural present indicative of controllare, meaning “we check” or “we are checking.” In Italian the verb ending -iamo already tells you the subject is noi (“we”), so you usually omit the pronoun.

Why isn’t there a preposition before il telaio?

Controllare is a transitive verb, so it takes a direct object without a preposition. You simply say controlliamo il telaio (“we check the frame”), not controlliamo a or di.

What does telaio mean, and why is it il telaio?

Telaio means “frame” or “chassis.” It’s a masculine singular noun, so it takes the definite article il.

Why do we use perché here, and does it always have an accent?

Here perché means “because.” In Italian perché (both “why?” and “because”) always carries an acute accent on the final é.

Could I say c’è molta polvere nel cantiere instead of il cantiere ha molta polvere?

Yes. Il cantiere ha molta polvere uses avere (“to have”) literally: “the site has a lot of dust.” C’è molta polvere nel cantiere uses c’è (“there is”) plus nel (“in the”), and it’s equally correct and common.

Why is it molta polvere and not molti polvere?

Polvere is a feminine, uncountable noun. The adjective molto must agree, so it becomes molta (singular feminine).

What does cantiere mean, and why il cantiere?

Cantiere means “construction site” or “worksite.” It’s a masculine singular noun, so you use the article il.

How do you pronounce the “ch” in perché and the “ti” in cantiere?

In perché, ch is pronounced /k/, so it sounds like per-KEH. In cantiere, ti before e is pronounced /tj/ (sometimes close to /t͡ʃ/), roughly like “tee-yeh”: [kan-TYÉ-re].