Breakdown of Se l'accordo è difficile, possiamo negoziarlo insieme.
essere
to be
difficile
difficult
insieme
together / together with
l'accordo
the agreement
potere
can, to be able to
se
if
lo
him/it (direct object)
negoziare
to negotiate
Questions & Answers about Se l'accordo è difficile, possiamo negoziarlo insieme.
Since this sentence is about something that might happen, why doesn't it use the future tense?
In Italian, the first conditional (talking about real possibilities) can use the present tense in both parts of the sentence. Se l'accordo è difficile (If the agreement is difficult) is the condition, and possiamo negoziarlo (we can negotiate it) is the result. You can also use the future tense for the result, but using the present tense for both parts is very common and completely correct here!
Why is the word lo attached to the end of negoziare to make negoziarlo?
Because of the verb possiamo (we can). Possiamo is a helper verb (a modal verb) followed by an infinitive (a verb in its dictionary form). When you have a direct object pronoun like lo (it) with an infinitive, you drop the final -e of the infinitive and attach the pronoun directly to the end: negoziare + lo becomes negoziarlo.
What exactly does the -lo in negoziarlo refer to?
Could I put the lo somewhere else in the sentence?
Yes! When using a modal verb like possiamo, you have two choices for pronouns. You can attach it to the end of the infinitive as shown here (possiamo negoziarlo), or you can place it before the conjugated verb (lo possiamo negoziare). Both mean exactly the same thing and are widely used.
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