Connecting Adjectives with "Per"
In English, we say someone is "ready for the game" or "known for winning." Italian works the same way: a specific group of adjectives requires the preposition per to connect to the rest of the sentence.
When per connects an adjective to a verb, that verb must always be in its infinitive (unconjugated) form.
| The scout is known for discovering promising youths. | L'osservatore è noto per scoprire giovani promettenti. |
When connecting the adjective to a noun, just use per followed by the noun (and its definite article, if required).
| This boy is very gifted for football. | Questo ragazzo è molto portato per il calcio. |
| The boy is known for his agility. | Il ragazzo è noto per la sua agilità. |
Suitability and Readiness
When sports scouts evaluate a promising youth, they frequently use adjectives that express suitability or readiness. Words like adatto (suited/suitable), pronto (ready), and idoneo (eligible/fit) all pair with per.
They follow the exact same rule, linking seamlessly to infinitives to describe an action...
| Is he suited for playing in this team? | È adatto per giocare in questa squadra? |
| The boy is not eligible to participate in the competition. | Il ragazzo non è idoneo per partecipare alla gara. |
...or directly to a noun to describe a thing or a situation.
| No scout is ready for this talent. | Nessun osservatore è pronto per questo talento. |