Log inSign up

Non ascoltare quel passo spaventoso e non tremare!

Non ascoltare quel passo spaventoso e non tremare!
Do not listen to that scary footstep and do not tremble!
From Lesson 121:Negative commands (non...)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Non ascoltare quel passo spaventoso e non tremare!

Why are ascoltare and tremare in the infinitive form here instead of being conjugated?
This is the negative informal imperative (giving a command not to do something). In Italian, to tell a single person you address as tu not to do an action, you simply use non plus the full infinitive of the verb. That is why we use non ascoltare (don't listen) and non tremare (don't tremble).
Why is the word for "that" written as quel instead of quello?
When the word quello is used as an adjective directly in front of a noun, its ending changes to match the definite article (the word for "the") that the noun would normally use. Because you would say il passo, quello drops its ending to match il, becoming quel.
Is passo related to walking?
Yes! Il passo means the step, pace, or footstep. You might also recognize its root from the verb passeggiare (to take a walk) and the noun la passeggiata (a walk or stroll).
How is the word spaventoso (scary) formed?
It is built from the noun lo spavento, which means fright or fear. Adding the suffix -oso turns a noun into an adjective describing a quality, just like adding "-ous" or "-y" does in English. So, spaventoso literally means full of fright, or "scary".

Learn Non ascoltare quel passo spaventoso e non tremare and more in Italian

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Italian →