Breakdown of Non andiamo nel corridoio, restiamo qui!
qui
here
non
not
andare
to go / to be fine / to work out
restare
to stay, to remain
Questions & Answers about Non andiamo nel corridoio, restiamo qui!
Why doesn't this sentence use the infinitive for the negative command, like "non andare"?
The infinitive rule only applies when you are giving a negative command to one person (tu). For commands involving "us" (noi) or "you all" (voi), you simply put non in front of the regular present tense verb. Since "let's not go" is a noi command, we use the regular form andiamo.
Is restiamo an imperative (command) form too?
Yes! For the noi (we) form, the imperative is exactly the same as the regular present tense. Depending on the context, restiamo can mean "we stay" or "let's stay". The exclamation mark and the sentence's tone make it clear that it's a suggestion or command here.
Why is it nel corridoio instead of al corridoio?
When entering or being inside rooms, buildings, and enclosed spaces like a hallway (il corridoio), Italian generally uses the preposition in. Because we are talking about a specific hallway, we need "in the", which combines the preposition in with the masculine article il to create nel.
Could I say qua instead of qui at the end?