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Breakdown of Chiudi la finestra, per cortesia.
la finestra
the window
chiudere
to close
per cortesia
please
Questions & Answers about Chiudi la finestra, per cortesia.
What grammatical mood and person is chiudi, and how is it used here?
Chiudi is the second-person singular imperative of the verb chiudere (to close). In Italian, the imperative mood is used to give direct orders or requests to someone you address as tu.
Why is there no subject pronoun like tu in chiudi la finestra?
Italian often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who is acting. In the imperative, you especially omit tu, since chiudi (with its -i ending) clearly means “you close.”
Why is the article la used before finestra? In English we just say “close window.”
In Italian you normally put a definite article before nouns, even when speaking of a specific, nearby object. So you say la finestra (“the window”), not simply finestra.
Can I omit la and say Chiudi finestra?
No. Leaving out the article sounds odd or ungrammatical in Italian. Always include la with finestra here.
Why is there a comma before per cortesia?
Per cortesia is a parenthetical courtesy phrase (equivalent to “please”). The comma separates the main command from this polite addition. While the comma isn’t strictly mandatory, it clarifies that per cortesia is an aside.
What’s the difference between per cortesia and per favore?
Both mean “please.” Per favore is more common in everyday, casual speech, whereas per cortesia has a slightly more formal or polite tone.
Could I put per cortesia at the beginning instead?
Yes. You can front-load the courtesy: Per cortesia, chiudi la finestra or Per favore, chiudi la finestra are both perfectly natural.
How would I make this request formal (to a stranger or superior)?
Use the formal (Lei) imperative: Chiuda la finestra, per favore (or per cortesia). Notice the verb ending changes from -i to -a for formal commands.
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