Learn Italian: Prendi la vite e fissala bene. - Take the screw and secure it well.

Prendi la vite e fissala bene.

Take the screw and secure it well.

Breakdown of Prendi la vite e fissala bene.

her/it (direct object)

Questions & Answers about Prendi la vite e fissala bene.

Why is the pronoun attached to the end of fissala?

In Italian, when you give an affirmative informal command (telling someone to do something), object pronouns must attach directly to the end of the verb. Here, the command is fissa (secure) and the pronoun is la (it). Put together, they make the single word fissala.

What does the la in fissala stand for?

It refers back to la vite (the screw). Because vite is a feminine singular noun, you use the feminine singular direct object pronoun la to say "it".

Both prendi and fissa are commands for "tu" (you). Why does one end in -i and the other in -a?

It depends on the verb family. For -are verbs like fissare, the affirmative "tu" command ends in -a (fissa). However, for -ere and -ire verbs like prendere, the affirmative "tu" command ends in -i (prendi).

How do I know that a word ending in -e, like vite, is feminine?