Devo finire il compito prima di dormire.

I have to finish the assignment before going to sleep.

Breakdown of Devo finire il compito prima di dormire.

• io: I
• dormire: to sleep
• di: of
• prima: before

Questions & Answers about Devo finire il compito prima di dormire.

Why is devo used here?

Devo is the first-person singular present tense of the verb dovere, which means “to have to” or “must.” Here it expresses the speaker’s obligation: “I have to” or “I must.”

Why do we say devo finire instead of just finisco?

When you use a modal verb like dovere, it must be followed by an infinitive (finire). So devo finire literally means “I have to finish.” Finisco on its own would simply mean “I finish” (present simple) without implying obligation.

What’s the role of il before compito?

In Italian, singular countable nouns typically need a definite article when they refer to a specific item. Il compito means “the assignment” or “the homework.” Omitting il would make the noun sound incomplete or generic.

Can I use the plural i compiti instead?

Yes. If you have multiple assignments, you say i compiti. For example: Devo finire i compiti prima di dormire means “I have to finish the assignments before going to sleep.”

Why is there di before the infinitive dormire?