Learn Italian: Abbiamo un problema grave. Lo risolva subito. - We have a serious problem. Resolve it immediately.

Abbiamo un problema grave. Lo risolva subito.

We have a serious problem. Resolve it immediately.

Breakdown of Abbiamo un problema grave. Lo risolva subito.

immediately / right away

Questions & Answers about Abbiamo un problema grave. Lo risolva subito.

Why is it Lo risolva instead of attaching lo to the end of the verb?

Because this is a formal command directed at someone you address as Lei. With informal commands (tu, noi, voi), pronouns attach to the end of the verb (like risolvilo). But with formal commands, object pronouns like lo must always go before the verb.

Why does risolva end in -a when the verb is risolvere?

To give a formal command, Italian uses the present subjunctive form. For -ere verbs like risolvere, the formal Lei command ends in -a. If you were commanding a friend, you would use the informal imperative which ends in -i, making it risolvilo.

Since problema ends in -a, why do we use the masculine pronoun lo to refer to it?

Problema is a famous exception! It is a masculine noun despite ending in -a (a trait shared with several other words of Greek origin like programma and tema). Because it is masculine, it takes the masculine article un and the masculine pronoun lo.

Does subito mean suddenly?