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Breakdown of Non ci credo, prometti davvero di pagare?
io
I
tu
you
di
of
non
not
credere
to believe
pagare
to pay
davvero
really
ci
it
promettere
to promise
Questions & Answers about Non ci credo, prometti davvero di pagare?
What does the ci in Non ci credo do?
It’s the adverbial pronoun that stands for the idea/statement you’re reacting to (roughly “in it/that”). With credere, when you mean “believe it,” Italian uses crederci:
- Ci credo. = I believe it.
- Non ci credo! = I can’t believe it!
- Ci ho creduto. = I believed it.
Can I say Non lo credo instead of Non ci credo?
You’ll sometimes hear or read Non lo credo, but in everyday Italian Non ci credo is the natural choice for “I don’t believe it.” Lo is more literary/formal here and is typically used when it clearly stands for a whole clause: Lo credo (che sia vero). In spontaneous speech, prefer (Non) ci credo.
What’s the difference between Non ci credo and Non credo?
- Non ci credo targets a specific claim/event: “I can’t believe this/that.”
- Non credo is more neutral and usually expects what follows: Non credo (che sia vero). Alone, it’s closer to “I don’t think so,” not necessarily incredulous.
Why is it prometti di pagare and not prometti a pagare?
Because promettere governs di + infinitive for what you promise to do: promettere di + infinito. You can also say promettere che + indicativo/futuro:
- Prometti di pagare?
- Prometti che pagherai?
Do I need an object with pagare? Why not pagare per?
- To pay a bill/thing: use a direct object (no preposition): pagare il conto, pagare la cena.
- Pagare per is used for “pay for (consequences)” or “pay on behalf of”: pagare per i propri errori; pagare per qualcuno (on someone’s behalf). So prometti di pagare? is fine if context supplies the object; otherwise specify: prometti di pagare il conto?
Is prometti informal? What’s the formal or plural form?
- Prometti = 2nd person singular, informal (tu).
- Formal singular (Lei): Promette davvero di pagare?
- Plural informal/formal (voi): Promettete davvero di pagare?
Where can davvero go, and does its position change the meaning?
It’s flexible; position affects emphasis more than meaning:
- Prometti davvero di pagare? (neutral emphasis on “really”)
- Davvero prometti di pagare? (surprised: “Do you really promise…?”)
- Prometti di pagare davvero? (emphasis on actually following through)
Can I use veramente or sul serio instead of davvero?
Yes:
- veramente ≈ “really, truly,” very common.
- sul serio ≈ “for real/seriously,” slightly more colloquial/emphatic. Examples: Prometti veramente di pagare? / Prometti sul serio di pagare?
Why is there a comma before the question?
It separates an exclamation/statement from a follow-up question: Non ci credo, …? You could also use a period or a dash:
- Non ci credo. Prometti davvero di pagare?
- Non ci credo — prometti davvero di pagare?
How do I attach pronouns to pagare or to promettere here?
- With pagare (infinitive), object pronouns can be enclitic: prometti di pagarmi? (pay me), …di pagarla? (pay it), …di pagarglielo? (pay it to him/her).
- With promettere, to refer to the promise itself: Me lo prometti? = “Do you promise me that?” Combine both if needed: Me lo prometti: pagarmi il conto?
How do I use crederci in other forms (imperative, past, etc.)?
- Present: Non ci credo. / Ci credi?
- Past: Ci ho creduto, Non ci avevo creduto (clitic before the auxiliary).
- Future: Non ci crederò.
- Imperative: Credici! (Believe it!), Non crederci! (Don’t believe it!)
What’s the difference between credere a and credere in?
- credere a + person/thing said: Credo a lui (I believe him).
- credere in + entity/values: Credo in Dio / in me stesso / nella scienza.
- For “believe it/that,” use crederci: Non ci credo.
Is Non ci credo rude? Softer alternatives?
It can sound blunt or strongly incredulous, depending on tone. Softer:
- Fatico a crederci.
- Mi sembra incredibile.
- Davvero? / Sul serio? (just querying) Stronger/informal: Non ci posso credere!; with a softener or denial particle: Non ci credo mica.
Why is there a double t in prometti?
It’s the regular 2nd person singular of promettere: prometto, prometti, promette, promettiamo, promettete, promettono. Past participle: promesso.
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