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Preferisci l'autunno o l'inverno?

Preferisci l'autunno o l'inverno?
Do you prefer autumn or winter?
From Lesson 75:The four seasons·Italian

Breakdown of Preferisci l'autunno o l'inverno?

o
or
preferire
to prefer
l'autunno
the autumn (m)
l'inverno
the winter (m)

Questions & Answers about Preferisci l'autunno o l'inverno?

Why do we use l' before the seasons here when English just says "autumn or winter"?
In Italian, you generally use the definite article (the "the" word) before seasons when talking about them in a general sense, like stating a preference. Since autunno and inverno are both masculine words that start with a vowel, the article becomes l'.
Is autunno the only word for this season, or is there a different word for "fall"?
Italian just has the one word: autunno. You can translate it to either "autumn" or "fall" in English depending on what you normally say.
Why does the verb end in -isci (preferisci)? Shouldn't it just be "preferi"?
The dictionary form is preferire (to prefer). It belongs to a special group of -ire verbs that add -isc- before the ending for I, you, he/she, and they. So for "you" (tu), instead of "preferi", it becomes preferisci. You will also see this in common verbs like capire (to understand) and finire (to finish).
How do I pronounce l'autunno and l'inverno? Do I pause after the apostrophe?
No pause! When a word combines with an article using an apostrophe, you blend them together smoothly as one single word. Pronounce them as if they were spelled "lautunno" and "linverno".

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