Learn Italian: Avvicinati a questa macchina.

Avvicinati a questa macchina.

Come closer to this car.

Breakdown of Avvicinati a questa macchina.

Questions & Answers about Avvicinati a questa macchina.

Why is ti attached to the end of avvicina to make avvicinati?

In Italian, when you give an affirmative command to someone informally (using the tu form), pronouns must be attached directly to the end of the verb. Since the verb is avvicinarsi, the command form is avvicina and the reflexive pronoun ti attaches to it, creating avvicinati.

Why does "come closer" use a reflexive verb (avvicinarsi) here?

The base verb avvicinare means "to bring something closer". If you want someone to bring themselves closer (to approach), you have to use the reflexive form avvicinarsi. Literally, this command means "Bring yourself closer to this car."

Why do we use the preposition a after avvicinati?

The verb avvicinarsi (to approach or to get closer) is followed by the preposition a when you mention the specific thing or person you are getting closer to. It translates perfectly to "closer to" in English!

Does macchina always mean "car"?

While macchina literally translates to "machine", it is the most common everyday word for "car" in Italy. You will also see automobile or auto, but macchina is what you will hear most often in casual conversation.