Breakdown of Se il traffico sarà intenso, prenderemo la scorciatoia lungo la pista ciclabile.
essere
to be
prendere
to take
se
if
noi
we
Questions & Answers about Se il traffico sarà intenso, prenderemo la scorciatoia lungo la pista ciclabile.
Why is the future tense also used in the se-clause (sarà)?
Could I use the present tense è in the se-clause instead of sarà?
What does lungo mean in lungo la pista ciclabile?
Lungo means “along.” It indicates that the shortcut follows the entire length of the bike path, rather than just crossing it or being on top of it.
Could I use sulla or per instead of lungo here?
You could say sulla pista ciclabile (meaning on the bike path), but that suggests riding directly on the lane itself rather than following its course. You could also use per la pista ciclabile (meaning through/along the bike path), but lungo is preferred when you want to stress movement along the whole stretch.