Dammi subito quel libro, voglio leggerlo!

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Breakdown of Dammi subito quel libro, voglio leggerlo!

• il libro: the book
• volere: to want
• leggere: to read

Questions & Answers about Dammi subito quel libro, voglio leggerlo!

What is dammi and how is it formed?

dammi is the second-person singular (informal) imperative of dare (to give), combined with the enclitic pronoun mi (to me). The base imperative is da' (sometimes written dà), and adding mi (indirect object pronoun) creates dammi, meaning “give me.”

Why is mi an indirect object pronoun here, not a direct object pronoun?

In Italian, mi serves as both a direct and indirect object pronoun. In dammi, it means “to me,” indicating the recipient of the action. The thing being given (quel libro) is the direct object.

Why is subito placed immediately after dammi rather than at the beginning?

Italian adverbs like subito (immediately/right away) are flexible in position. Putting it right after the verb—dammi subito—sounds natural and emphasizes urgency. You could say subito dammi quel libro, but that ordering is more marked or poetic.

How does the demonstrative quel work in quel libro?