ELONIO
Log inSign up

Fermati qui, c'è un problema!

Fermati qui, c'è un problema!
Stop here, there is a problem!
From Lesson 125:Reflexive imperatives (alzati)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Fermati qui, c'è un problema!

Why is it Fermati as one word instead of Ti ferma?
Fermati is an imperative (a command). In Italian, when you give an informal command using the tu (you) form, pronouns attach directly to the end of the verb. So, the verb ferma (stop) plus the reflexive pronoun ti (yourself) combine to make fermati.
Why do we use the reflexive pronoun ti here? Can I just say Ferma qui?
You need the reflexive pronoun because of the verb's meaning. Fermare means to stop something else (like stopping a car or a person). To stop yourself, you must use the reflexive verb fermarsi. Therefore, fermati literally means "stop yourself."
Problema ends in -a, so why does it use the masculine article un instead of una?
Even though it ends in -a, problema is a masculine noun! Many Italian words ending in -ma that come from Greek are masculine. Other common examples you will see at this level are il sistema (the system) and il programma (the program).
How would I change this to say "there are problems" in the plural?
Because problema is a masculine noun, its plural form ends in -i. To say "there are problems," you would change c'è (there is) to ci sono (there are) and say ci sono problemi.

Learn Fermati qui, c'è un problema 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 →