Non ci siamo preoccupati per l'esame.

Questions & Answers about Non ci siamo preoccupati per l'esame.

Why do we use siamo instead of abbiamo here?
The verb is preoccuparsi (to worry), which is a reflexive verb. In Italian, all reflexive verbs must use essere (to be) as their helping verb in the past tense, rather than avere (to have). So, we use siamo to go with the "we" pronoun ci.
Why does preoccupati end in an -i?
Whenever you use essere as a helping verb in the past tense, the past participle (the main action verb) must match the gender and number of the subject. Since ci means "we" (plural), the ending changes to the masculine/mixed plural -i. If the "we" referred to a group of only women, it would be preoccupate.
What is the correct word order when making a reflexive past tense sentence negative?
The word non always goes at the very beginning of the verb phrase. It comes right before the reflexive pronoun (ci), which is then followed by the helping verb (siamo), and finally the past participle (preoccupati).
Why does the sentence use per for "about"? Doesn't it usually mean "for"?
Yes, per most commonly means "for". However, prepositions rarely match up perfectly between languages. In Italian, the set phrase is preoccuparsi per (literally "to worry for" something), while in English we say we worry "about" it.

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