Learn Hardcore Italian: La pasticceria chiude alle sette, quindi vado presto. - The pastry shop closes at seven, so I go early.

In Italian, when you refer to a specific place or business, you almost always use the definite article. Saying la pasticceria specifies “the pastry shop.” Dropping la sounds unnatural in standard Italian (unless you’re using very colloquial or headline-style language).

What gender is pasticceria, and how do I recognize it?

Pasticceria ends in -a, which is a strong clue that it’s feminine. You also see this in the article la, which marks feminine singular nouns.

What does chiude mean, and why is it in the third person singular?

Chiude is the present tense of chiudere (“to close”). The subject is la pasticceria (it), so we use the third person singular form chiude (“it closes”).

Why do we say alle sette instead of a sette?

When telling time in Italian, you use a + definite article le for hours: a + le = alle. So “at seven” is alle sette, never just a sette.

Is it okay to write alle 7 instead of alle sette?

Yes. In informal notes or messages you can use numerals: alle 7. In formal writing, spelling out numbers (alle sette) is preferred.

What role does quindi play in the sentence?

Quindi is a conjunction meaning “so” or “therefore.” It connects the reason (the shop closes at seven) with the result (I go early).

Does vado presto mean I leave my house early or that I arrive at the pastry shop early?

It generally means “I go early” relative to the shop’s closing time—i.e. you plan to arrive before it closes. Context can also imply you’re leaving home early, but here it’s about getting to the shop in time.

Could I say prima instead of presto?

Not by itself. Prima means “before” and needs a reference point (e.g. prima delle sette = “before seven”). Presto is an adverb meaning “early” on its own, so vado presto means “I go early.”