Breakdown of Sai scrivere un curriculum?
un
a / an (masculine)
scrivere
to write
sapere
to know
il curriculum
resume / CV
Questions & Answers about Sai scrivere un curriculum?
Why do we use sai (sapere) here instead of a form of conoscere?
Because we are talking about a skill or knowing how to do something. When you pair sapere directly with an infinitive verb like scrivere (to write), it means "to know how to do something". You cannot use conoscere with a verb; it is only used for being familiar with nouns like people, places, or things.
In English we say "know how to". Why isn't there a word for "how" in this sentence?
In Italian, you don't need to translate the "how". To express "knowing how to do something", you simply put the conjugated form of sapere directly in front of the infinitive verb. Saying sai come scrivere would sound like "you know in what manner to write", which isn't the standard way Italians express having a skill.
Why does curriculum end in a consonant? I thought Italian words usually end in vowels.
Curriculum is originally a Latin word that Italians use every day to mean a resume or CV. Because it is treated as a borrowed word, it doesn't follow standard Italian noun rules. The spelling stays exactly the same even if you are talking about more than one (for example, due curriculum).
Is sai formal or informal? What if I need to ask this politely in a business setting?