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Attraversiamo il confine a piedi per godere del paesaggio.

Attraversiamo il confine a piedi per godere del paesaggio.
We cross the border on foot to enjoy the landscape.
FromLesson 42inHardcore Italian

Questions & Answers about Attraversiamo il confine a piedi per godere del paesaggio.

What tense and person is attraversiamo, and how does it differ from an imperative?
Attraversiamo is the present indicative, first person plural (noi). Literally it means “we cross” or “we are crossing.” Because Italian has no true “let’s” imperative, the present indicative is used to make suggestions too: with a rising intonation Attraversiamo il confine! can mean “Let’s cross the border!”
Why do we say il confine? Can we drop the article as in English “cross border”?
In Italian, countable singular nouns almost always take a definite article. So confine needs il. Unlike English, you can’t normally say just Attraversiamo confine – you need il confine.
What does a piedi mean, and why is it plural?
A piedi is the idiomatic way to say “on foot.” It’s plural because you literally use both feet when you walk. You don’t say a piede or con i piedi, even though con i piedi could technically mean “with your feet” (instrumental), only a piedi conveys the mode “on foot.”
What is the function of per before godere, and why is godere in the infinitive?
Here per expresses purpose (“in order to”). When you want to say “in order to do something,” you use per + infinitive: per godere = “to enjoy.”
Why do we say del paesaggio instead of di paesaggio?
Del is the contraction of di + il. Since paesaggio is masculine singular, you need il, so di + il paesaggio becomes del paesaggio.
Is godere reflexive? Why not godersi del paesaggio?
Godere is not inherently reflexive. You say godere di qualcosa (“to enjoy something”). You could use the reflexive form godersi to mean “to enjoy for oneself” with a direct object pronoun (e.g. me la godo), but in neutral style you simply say godere del paesaggio.
Could we replace a piedi with a gerund like camminando?
Yes. You can say Attraversiamo il confine camminando per godere del paesaggio, which emphasizes the manner of crossing (“by walking”). Both forms are correct; a piedi is more idiomatic and concise.
Could we use frontiera instead of confine, and would the sentence change?
Yes. Frontiera and confine can both mean “border” (especially between countries). You could say Attraversiamo la frontiera a piedi per godere del paesaggio with no change in meaning, just a slight nuance: frontiera often refers specifically to an international boundary.
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