Aggiungo aceto all’insalata.

I add vinegar to the salad.

Breakdown of Aggiungo aceto all’insalata.

• io: I
• aggiungere: to add
• a: to
• l'insalata: the salad
• l'aceto: the vinegar

Questions & Answers about Aggiungo aceto all’insalata.

Why is there no subject pronoun (like “io”) before aggiungo?

Italian usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the subject. The ending -o in aggiungo already tells you it’s “I.” So (Io) aggiungo… = “I add…”, and the “io” is normally omitted.

Is aggiungere irregular? What forms should I know?

Yes. Key forms:

• Present: io aggiungo, tu aggiungi, lui/lei aggiunge, noi aggiungiamo, voi aggiungete, loro aggiungono
• Past participle: aggiunto (with auxiliary avere: ho aggiunto)
• Gerund: aggiungendo
• Imperative: (tu) aggiungi!, (lei) aggiunga!, (voi) aggiungete!

Why is there no article before aceto? Could I say dell’aceto or l’aceto?

• With mass/uncountable nouns (like vinegar), Italian often uses no article for an indefinite amount: Aggiungo aceto…
• You can also use the partitive: Aggiungo dell’aceto… (“I add some vinegar”). It’s equally correct and common.
• Use the definite when you mean a specific vinegar already known in context: Aggiungo l’aceto… (“I add the vinegar [we mentioned/see]”).
• Avoid un aceto unless you mean “a variety/kind of vinegar.”

What exactly is all’insalata? Why the apostrophe?

All’ is a contraction of the preposition and article: a + l’ = all’.
Because insalata starts with a vowel, the definite article la becomes l’ (elision). So:

• “to the salad” = a + l’insalata → all’insalata

Is alla insalata ever acceptable?

No. Before a vowel, la elides to l’, so you must say all’insalata, not “alla insalata.”
However, with a word starting with a consonant you do use alla: for example, alla mia insalata (“to my salad”).

Could I use nell’insalata, sull’insalata, or con instead of all’insalata?

• all’insalata: neutral “to/onto the salad” and very common in this context.
• nell’insalata: literally “into/in the salad,” emphasizing mixing it in.
• sull’insalata: “on the salad/on top of the salad.”
• Another very idiomatic option is to change the structure: Condisco l’insalata con (dell’)aceto (“I dress the salad with (some) vinegar”).

What’s the direct object and what’s the indirect complement here?

• Direct object: aceto (what you add)
• Indirect complement with preposition: all’insalata (to what you add it)

How would I replace parts with pronouns? For example, “I add it to the salad” or “I add some (of it).”

• “I add it (the vinegar) to the salad”: Lo aggiungo all’insalata.
  (lo replaces previously mentioned l’aceto)
• “I add it to it (to the salad)”: Ce lo aggiungo.
  (ci → ce before lo; replaces all’insalata)
• “I add some (of it) to the salad”: Ne aggiungo un po’ all’insalata.
  (ne = “of it”)

Is the word order fixed? Can I say Aggiungo all’insalata aceto?

The neutral order is direct object first, then the prepositional phrase: Aggiungo aceto all’insalata.
Aggiungo all’insalata aceto is possible but less natural unless you’re emphasizing the destination (“to the salad”) for contrast.

How do I pronounce the tricky bits?

• aggiungo: ad-DJUN-go (the ggi is like the “j” in “judge”; stress on -GIUN-). The “ng” before “g” gives an “ngg” sound.
• aceto: a-CHE-to (the c before e is like English “ch”).
• all’: the double ll is a longer “l.”
• insalata: in-sa-LA-ta (stress on -la-). The apostrophe in all’ isn’t pronounced; it just marks elision.

What are the genders of aceto and insalata, and do they affect anything here?

• aceto is masculine singular; when definite: l’aceto; with adjective: aceto balsamico.
• insalata is feminine singular; definite: l’insalata; with adjective: insalata mista. The genders determine article/adjective agreement but don’t change the structure of this sentence.

How do I make it negative or ask a question?

• Negative: place non before the verb: Non aggiungo aceto all’insalata.
• Questions: usually just intonation and/or a question mark: Aggiungi aceto all’insalata?
  No inversion is required.

How do I say it in other common tenses/aspects?

• Ongoing action: Sto aggiungendo aceto all’insalata.
• Completed past: Ho aggiunto aceto all’insalata.
• Habitual past: Aggiungevo aceto all’insalata.

Is aggiungere always the best verb here? What about mettere, versare, or condire?

• aggiungere = “to add” (neutral, often used in recipes).
• mettere = “to put” (very common and colloquial): Metto aceto all’insalata.
• versare = “to pour” (focus on the action of pouring).
• condire = “to dress/season” (very idiomatic for salads): Condisco l’insalata con (dell’)aceto.