Breakdown of Scrivo tutto nel mio diario affinché i ricordi non svaniscano con il tempo.
io
I
in
in
con
with
non
not
il mio
my
il tempo
the time
tutto
everything
scrivere
to write
il diario
the diary
il ricordo
the memory
affinché
so that
svanire
to fade
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Questions & Answers about Scrivo tutto nel mio diario affinché i ricordi non svaniscano con il tempo.
Why do we say nel mio diario instead of in mio diario?
In Italian, the preposition in usually combines with the definite article. Here in + il → nel. Plus, when indicating possession, the article is required: nel mio diario means “in my diary.” Omitting the article (in mio diario) is ungrammatical.
What does affinché mean and why is it used here?
Affinché means “so that” or “in order that” and introduces a purpose clause expressing intention. It’s more formal than perché in this sense but functions to show why you write everything down—to prevent memories from fading.
Why is svaniscano in the subjunctive mood?
Because affinché always requires the subjunctive in its subordinate clause. Purpose clauses introduced by affinché, or by perché when it means “so that,” need the subjunctive. Hence svaniscano is the present subjunctive of svanire for “they” (i ricordi).
Could I replace affinché i ricordi non svaniscano with perché i ricordi non svaniscano?
Yes. You can say perché i ricordi non svaniscano to express the same purpose, but remember to keep the subjunctive. Perché is more common in spoken Italian; affinché feels a bit more formal or literary.
Why is tutto used here instead of tutti?
Tutto is the neuter pronoun meaning “everything.” It refers to the whole content you write down. Tutti is masculine plural (“all [the] things/people”). Since you mean “everything in my diary,” the neuter tutto is correct.
Can I say scrivo tutto nel diario without mio?
Grammatically yes—scrivo tutto nel diario means “I write everything in the diary.” But without mio, it sounds like you’re talking about some generic diary. Nel mio diario clarifies that it’s your personal diary.
Why is con il tempo used instead of a col tempo or something else?
Con il tempo means “with time,” i.e. “as time goes by.” The contraction col tempo (con + il) is equally correct. There’s no construction a col tempo in this context. So both con il tempo and col tempo work.
What tense is scrivo, and why is it used here?
Scrivo is the present indicative of scrivere (“I write” or “I am writing”). Italian uses the simple present both for habitual actions and for actions happening now. Here it suggests a regular or current habit: “I write everything in my diary (so that…).”