Breakdown of Non andate in cantina senza la candela!
non
not
in
in / made of (material)
senza
without
andare
to go / to be fine / to work out
la cantina
the cellar
la candela
the candle
Questions & Answers about Non andate in cantina senza la candela!
Why is it non andate and not non andare?
Why do we say in cantina instead of nella cantina?
In Italian, many common rooms and areas of the house take the preposition in without a definite article (like il or la). Just as you would say in cucina (in the kitchen) or in bagno (in the bathroom), you say in cantina (in the cellar).
Could I use a instead of in with the verb andare here?
Not for a cellar. With the verb andare (to go), you use the preposition in for rooms of a house, buildings, countries, and regions. You generally use a for cities and a few specific places (like a casa or a scuola).
Does the preposition senza ever combine with the article la?
No. Unlike prepositions such as in or a, senza (without) never merges with definite articles. It always remains a separate word, which is why we see senza la candela.
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