Log inSign up

La signora aspetta suo marito.

La signora aspetta suo marito.
The lady is waiting for her husband.
From Lesson 30:Present tense of -are verbs (-o, -i, -a)·Italian

Questions & Answers about La signora aspetta suo marito.

Why isn't there a word for "for" after aspetta?
The verb aspettare has the "for" built right into its meaning. English says "to wait for someone," but Italian just says "to wait someone." Adding a word like per (for) after the verb would be incorrect here.
Does aspetta mean "waits" or "is waiting"?
It means both! In Italian, the regular present tense covers both general habits ("she waits") and actions happening right now ("she is waiting").
Since it is "her" husband, why is it the masculine suo instead of the feminine sua?
In Italian, the possessive word always matches the gender of the person or thing being owned, not the owner. Since marito (husband) is masculine, you must use the masculine suo, even though the owner (la signora) is a woman.
Why is it just suo marito and not il suo marito?
You normally need a "the" (definite article) before a possessive, like in la sua macchina (her car). However, you drop the article when talking about singular family members. Since marito is a singular family member, it is simply suo marito.

Learn La signora aspetta suo marito and more in Italian

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Italian →