La spina, la rimetto dopo aver finito.

The plug, I put it back in after I finish.

Breakdown of La spina, la rimetto dopo aver finito.

• io: I
• dopo: after
• la: it
• finire: to finish
• la spina: the plug
• rimettere: to put back

Questions & Answers about La spina, la rimetto dopo aver finito.

Why is there a comma after La spina, and why is la repeated?

This is a left-dislocation (topicalization). La spina is moved to the front as the topic, and the direct-object clitic la “resumes” it: La spina, la rimetto… Literally: “The plug, I put it back…”. In this structure, the clitic is required. Without the clitic, it sounds wrong in standard Italian.

Can I drop the second la and say La spina, rimetto dopo aver finito?

No. With left-dislocation you must keep the resumptive clitic. If you don’t want the clitic, don’t dislocate: say Rimetto la spina dopo aver finito.

Is La spina rimetto dopo aver finito okay without the comma and clitic?

No. That word order without the clitic is unidiomatic in standard Italian. Use either:

• Rimetto la spina dopo aver finito (neutral order), or
• La spina, la rimetto dopo aver finito (with dislocation and clitic).

Why is it la rimetto and not rimetto la?

Object clitics like la normally go before a finite verb: la rimetto. You only attach them to the end of an infinitive/gerund/imperative: rimetterla, rimettendola, rimettila!

How does clitic placement work with modals or periphrases?

Both positions are fine:

• Before the modal: La devo rimettere dopo aver finito.
• Attached to the infinitive: Devo rimetterla dopo aver finito. With negatives: Non la rimetto / Non devo rimetterla.

Is la a direct or indirect object here?

Direct object. La stands for la spina (feminine singular). The verb rimettere takes a direct object: rimettere qualcosa.

What’s the difference between spina and presa?

• spina = the plug (the thing on the cable).
• presa (di corrente) = the socket/outlet (in the wall). Also note other meanings: spina = thorn; birra alla spina = draft beer.

Is rimettere the best verb, or would Italians say something else?

Rimettere (la spina) is understandable, but everyday Italian often uses:

• attaccare/riattaccare la spina = plug it in / plug it back in
• staccare la spina = unplug More formal/technical: inserire/collegare la spina. Any of these are fine depending on context.

Does rimettere have other meanings I should know?

Yes. Besides “put back,” it can mean:

• rimettersi = to recover, to get back to doing something (e.g., rimettersi a studiare)
• In some usage, rimettere can mean “to vomit” Context disambiguates.

What does dopo aver finito literally mean, and are there alternatives?

Literally “after having finished,” i.e., after I’m done. Common alternatives:

• Quando ho finito, (la) rimetto.
• Appena ho finito, (la) rimetto.
• Una volta finito, (la) rimetto.

Why is it aver and not avere?

Both dopo avere finito and dopo aver finito are correct. Dropping the final -e (apocope) in infinitives like avere/essere/andare is common and stylistically smooth before another word: aver finito, esser tornato, andar via.

Why use avere (aver finito) and not essere with finire?

• Ho finito = I finished (transitive-like, auxiliary avere).
• È finito = it is finished/over (intransitive, auxiliary essere). Here the speaker means “after I’ve finished,” so avere is correct: dopo aver finito. Note sono finito means “I’m done for/ruined,” which is different.

Can I say dopo finire, dopo finito, or dopo di finire?

No:

• Not dopo finire or dopo finito.
• dopo di + infinitive is not used; di only appears before a pronoun: dopo di me/te/lui… Correct patterns:
• dopo aver finito (di + infinitive): e.g., dopo aver finito di lavorare
• dopo che ho finito
• dopo la fine di… (noun phrase)

Is it okay that finire has no object here?

Yes. Ho finito is idiomatic for “I’m done.” If you want to specify, add it:

• dopo aver finito di mangiare
• dopo aver finito il lavoro

If I’m talking about the past, do I need agreement with la?

Yes, with a preceding direct-object clitic, the past participle agrees:

• La spina? L’ho rimessa. (feminine singular) Compare: Il cavo? L’ho rimesso. (masculine singular)

How can I include the idea of “back in there/into it”?

Use the locative clitic ci (which becomes ce before another clitic):

• If “there/into it” = the socket (nella presa): Ce la rimetto dopo aver finito = “I’ll put it back in there after I’m done.”