Breakdown of Non perdere di vista il tuo scopo mentre studi.
non
not
mentre
while
studiare
to study
il tuo
your
perdere di vista
to lose sight of
lo scopo
the goal
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Italian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Non perdere di vista il tuo scopo mentre studi.
What is the literal and idiomatic meaning of Non perdere di vista?
Literally, perdere di vista breaks down as “to lose from sight.” Idiomatically, it means “to lose sight of” something—so Non perdere di vista is a negative imperative meaning “Don’t lose sight of…”
Why is there a di in perdere di vista? Could I say perdere vista?
In Italian, perdere di vista is a fixed expression that requires the preposition di. Dropping it (perdere vista) is ungrammatical. Always say perdere di vista to convey “lose sight of.”
What kind of imperative is Non perdere, and how is it formed?
For tu (you), the negative imperative of -are verbs uses non + the infinitive. So instead of perdi (“lose!”), you say Non perdere (“don’t lose!”). Affirmative is Perdi, negative is Non perdere.
Why don’t we see tu before studi?
Italian usually omits subject pronouns because the verb ending already tells you the person. The -i ending of studi clearly marks it as second-person singular, so tu is not needed.
What tense and mood is studi, and why is it used after mentre?
Studi is the present indicative, second-person singular. After the conjunction mentre (“while”), Italian typically uses a full conjugated verb. Although you could say studiando (“studying” as a gerund), mentre studi is more common for “while you study.”
How does mentre differ from durante?
- Mentre is a conjunction meaning “while” and must be followed by a conjugated verb (e.g. mentre studi).
- Durante is a preposition meaning “during” and must be followed by a noun (e.g. durante lo studio).
Why is it il tuo scopo instead of just scopo or tuo scopo?
In Italian, most possessive adjectives require a definite article: il mio libro, la tua casa, il tuo scopo. Without the article it sounds incomplete, except in certain fixed phrases or with close family members (e.g. mia madre, no article).
Can I replace il tuo scopo with a clitic pronoun?
Yes. You can attach lo to the infinitive in the negative imperative: Non perderlo di vista mentre studi. You may also hear Non lo perdere di vista, placing lo before the verb.
Are there synonyms for scopo, and do they carry different nuances?
Common synonyms include obiettivo (objective), meta (goal/end point), fine (end), and finalità (purpose).
- Scopo and obiettivo are very close,
- meta emphasizes the destination,
- finalità is more formal/abstract.