Breakdown of Attenta alla pozzanghera: potresti inciampare e bagnarti.
tu
you
e
and
potere
to be able
bagnarsi
to get wet
inciampare
to trip
la pozzanghera
the puddle
attento a
watch out for
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Questions & Answers about Attenta alla pozzanghera: potresti inciampare e bagnarti.
Why is it Attenta and not Attento?
Because the speaker is addressing a woman. The adjective attento/attenta agrees with the listener’s gender and number:
- to a man: Attento!
- to a woman: Attenta!
- to a mixed group or all men: Attenti!
- to an all-female group: Attente!
Is Attenta being used as an imperative? Is something “missing” like a verb?
Yes—it's an elliptical warning. Attenta! works as an interjection, but you can think of it as shorthand for Stai attenta! or Fai attenzione! All are natural.
Why is it alla pozzanghera and not just la pozzanghera?
With this warning, Italian uses the preposition pattern attento a + article + noun. So you get a + la = alla: Attenta alla pozzanghera (“Be careful of the puddle”). Saying just Attenta la pozzanghera is ungrammatical.
Can I make it gender‑neutral?
Yes. Use a noun instead of a gendered adjective: Attenzione alla pozzanghera or Occhio alla pozzanghera. Those address anyone.
What does potresti add here compared to puoi?
Potresti is the 2nd‑person singular conditional of potere and often softens a statement or expresses possibility: “you might.” Puoi means “you can/are able to,” which doesn’t signal risk. For warnings, potresti (or rischi di) is more idiomatic.
How would I say this formally to a stranger?
Use the formal imperative and 3rd‑person verbs: Stia attenta alla pozzanghera: potrebbe inciampare e bagnarsi. If addressing a man: Stia attento…
Why is it bagnarti and not bagnare?
Bagnarsi means “to get (oneself) wet.” Without the reflexive pronoun, bagnare means “to wet” something else. Here you’re warning she might get herself wet, hence bagnarti.
Where should the pronoun ti go—before or after?
Both are correct:
- Potresti bagnarti (enclitic pronoun attached to the infinitive)
- Ti potresti bagnare (proclitic pronoun before the modal) Attaching to the infinitive is very common and slightly smoother.
Why isn’t inciampare reflexive (e.g., inciamparti)?
Inciampare (“to trip, stumble”) is intransitive and not reflexive. You can use it alone or with in: inciampare in un sasso (“trip over a stone”). Inciamparti isn’t idiomatic.
Would scivolare be better than inciampare with a puddle?
Often yes. Scivolare = “to slip,” which is what puddles cause. Inciampare = “to trip (over an obstacle).” A very natural alternative is: Attenta alla pozzanghera: potresti scivolare e bagnarti.
How do you pronounce pozzanghera?
- Stress: po‑ZZÁN‑ghe‑ra (stress on “‑zan‑”).
- zz = a double “ts” sound.
- gh before e keeps a hard “g” (like in “get”). So roughly: potts‑ZAN‑geh‑rah.
Why is there a colon?
In Italian, a colon often introduces a consequence, explanation, or warning. The second clause explains why you should be careful. A period would also work: Attenta alla pozzanghera. Potresti…
Why alla pozzanghera and not nella pozzanghera?
The pattern is attento a + noun (“be careful of/with”). Nella (“in the”) would change the meaning to being inside the puddle. Here, you’re warning about the puddle as a hazard, hence alla.
Why the definite article (la pozzanghera) instead of “a puddle” (una pozzanghera)?
Warnings typically refer to a specific, visible hazard: “that puddle right there,” so Italian prefers the definite: la pozzanghera. If you meant some unspecified puddle, you’d normally rephrase: C’è una pozzanghera: stai attenta.
What’s the plural of pozzanghera, and how would the sentence change for a group?
Plural: pozzanghere. For a group:
- Mixed or all men: Attenti alle pozzanghere: potreste inciampare e bagnarvi.
- All women: Attente alle pozzanghere: potreste inciampare e bagnarvi.
When do I use ed instead of e?
Use ed instead of e mainly before words starting with a vowel (especially another e) for smoother sound: ed evitare. Here, bagnarti starts with b, so e bagnarti is correct; ed bagnarti is wrong.
Do I need to repeat potresti before both verbs?
No. One potresti governs both infinitives: Potresti inciampare e bagnarti. You can repeat it for emphasis—Potresti inciampare e potresti bagnarti—but it’s not necessary.
Can I use Attenta che… instead of Attenta a…?
Yes, in speech it’s common: Attenta che potresti scivolare.
- Attenta a + noun/infinitive: Attenta alla pozzanghera / Attenta a non scivolare.
- Attenta che + clause: more colloquial, introducing a full sentence.
Any other natural ways to say this?
- Occhio alla pozzanghera: potresti scivolare e bagnarti.
- Fai attenzione alla pozzanghera: potresti bagnarti.
- Guarda dove metti i piedi: c’è una pozzanghera.