Question 1

Why do we say mi piace instead of using io (I)?

Accepted Answer

The verb piacere literally means "to be pleasing to". So, instead of saying "I like history", you are actually saying "History is pleasing to me". The word mi means "to me", and piace is the "it is pleasing" part that matches the singular thing you are talking about, la storia (history).

Question 2

Why is there a la before storia? In English we just say "I like history".

Accepted Answer

In Italian, when you talk about liking a broad category, subject, or concept (like history, sports, or music), you almost always must use a definite article (il, la, etc.). Because storia is a feminine singular noun, it takes la.

Question 3

Why does leggo not have a subject pronoun like io in front of it?

Accepted Answer

In Italian, the ending of the verb usually tells you who is doing the action. The -o ending on leggo (from the verb leggere, to read) already means "I read". You only need to add io if you really want to emphasize that you are the one reading it, rather than someone else.

Question 4

How do I know to use questo instead of another form of "this"?

Accepted Answer

Words for "this" have to agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe. Since libro (book) is masculine and singular, you use the masculine singular form questo. If the noun were feminine, you would use questa.

Question 5

What is the purpose of the accent mark on perché?

Accepted Answer

The accent mark shows you where to put the stress when pronouncing the word. Instead of stressing the first syllable, you stress the last one: per-CHÉ. Also, keep in mind that perché is a very handy double-duty word that means both "because" (as used in this sentence) and "why".

Leggo questo libro perché mi piace la storia.

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