Breakdown of Dopo la nuotata indosso un braccialetto che conta i battiti del polso.
di
of
dopo
after
che
that
indossare
to wear
il polso
the wrist
contare
to count
la nuotata
the swim
il braccialetto
the bracelet
il battito
the beat
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Questions & Answers about Dopo la nuotata indosso un braccialetto che conta i battiti del polso.
Why is it dopo la nuotata and not dopo nuotare?
In Italian, dopo is usually followed by a noun or by the past infinitive, not the present infinitive. You have two correct options:
- Dopo la nuotata (after the swim) – noun form
- Dopo aver nuotato (after having swum) – past infinitive
But dopo nuotare is ungrammatical.
Why use nuotata instead of nuoto?
Nuotata is a noun derived from the past participle, emphasizing one specific session of swimming. Nuoto, also a noun, tends to refer to the discipline or sport of swimming in general. After you finish a swim session, you say la nuotata, not il nuoto.
What does indosso mean, and why isn’t it reflexive?
Indosso is the first person singular present of indossare, meaning to wear or to put on. It is a transitive verb, not reflexive, so you simply say io indosso un braccialetto (“I wear a bracelet”) without any reflexive pronoun.
What role does che play in un braccialetto che conta i battiti del polso?
Here che is a relative pronoun meaning that (or which). It links un braccialetto to its function:
“un braccialetto che conta i battiti” = “a bracelet that counts the beats.”
Could I use misura instead of conta? What’s the difference?
Yes. Both are possible:
- che conta i battiti – focuses on counting individual beats
- che misura i battiti – focuses on measuring your heart rate
Fitness devices often do both, so you’ll hear each verb.
Why are i battiti plural rather than singular?
Your heart produces multiple beats per minute, so you refer to i battiti (the beats). Il battito singular would denote just one single beat.
What does del polso mean? Why not sul polso?
- del polso = of the wrist, indicating the source of the pulse beats
- sul polso = on the wrist, indicating location
Here we want the pulse of the wrist (battiti del polso), not merely a bracelet worn on the wrist.
Can I say Dopo aver nuotato instead of Dopo la nuotata? Are they equivalent?
Yes. Both expressions mean “after I swam.”
- Dopo la nuotata uses a noun
- Dopo aver nuotato uses the past infinitive
They’re interchangeable in this context.