Breakdown of Brindiamo anche con acqua, va benissimo.
l'acqua
the water
con
with
noi
we
anche
also
brindare
to toast
andare benissimo
to be perfectly fine
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Questions & Answers about Brindiamo anche con acqua, va benissimo.
In Italian, does Brindiamo here mean “let’s toast” or “we toast”?
Both are possible, but in context like this it functions as the inclusive imperative: Brindiamo! = “Let’s toast.” Italian uses the present tense of noi as the “let’s …” form. A neutral alternative is Facciamo un brindisi (“Let’s make a toast”).
What’s the difference between brindare con and brindare a?
- Brindare con + beverage/object = the instrument you toast with: Brindiamo con acqua/con vino.
- Brindare a + person/occasion/idea = the thing you toast to: Brindiamo a Maria/al nuovo anno/alla salute. You can combine them: Brindiamo con acqua alla tua promozione.
Why is there no article in con acqua? Could I say con l’acqua or con dell’acqua?
- con acqua (no article) is normal when speaking generically about a substance, especially after con/senza.
- con l’acqua points to specific water already known (e.g., the water on the table) or sounds a bit more definite.
- con dell’acqua is the partitive (“with some water”). All are correct; the nuance is specificity.
Where should anche go, and what exactly does it modify here?
Anche usually comes right before the element it modifies.
- Brindiamo anche con acqua = We’ll also toast with water (in addition to other drinks). Other placements change focus:
- Anche noi brindiamo con acqua = We, too, toast with water.
- Anche con acqua va benissimo = Even with water, it’s perfectly fine.
Could anche mean “even” here?
Yes, context and intonation can give anche the meaning “even.” If the intent is explicitly emphatic, perfino/persino are clearer: Brindiamo perfino con acqua.
What does va benissimo literally mean, and why use andare (“to go”)?
Va benissimo = “It goes very well” → idiomatically “That’s perfectly fine.” Italian uses andare bene to mean “to be OK/suitable/acceptable.” It’s an impersonal judgment about the situation.
How is va benissimo different from va bene or va molto bene?
- va bene = it’s OK/fine.
- va molto bene = it’s very OK.
- va benissimo (superlative of bene) = it’s perfectly/absolutely fine, strongest of the three.
Why not say è benissimo or è buonissimo?
- È benissimo is not used to mean “it’s fine”; use va bene/va benissimo.
- buonissimo is the adjective related to buono (good/tasty/kind). Here you need the adverb bene → benissimo, not the adjective.
Is the comma before va benissimo necessary?
It’s stylistically helpful because va benissimo is a separate comment on the previous clause. A colon or dash also works: Brindiamo anche con acqua — va benissimo.
How do you pronounce the key words?
- Brindiamo: breen-DYAH-moh (stress on -DIA-)
- anche: AHN-keh (the ch gives a hard k sound before e/i)
- acqua: AHK-kwah (the cq is like k + kw)
- va benissimo: vah beh-NEES-see-moh (double s is crisp)
Could I use pure instead of anche?
Often, yes. Brindiamo pure con acqua means roughly “let’s go ahead and toast with water” and can sound like permission/encouragement. Anche is the neutral “also/too.”
Isn’t toasting with water considered bad luck?
There’s a common superstition in various places (including parts of Italy) that toasting with water is inauspicious. The line va benissimo explicitly reassures: “it’s perfectly fine.” In real life, practices vary; many people do toast with water, especially for non-drinkers.