Learn Italian: L'attore dimentica spesso di accendere il microfono. - The actor often forgets to turn on the microphone.

L'attore dimentica spesso di accendere il microfono.

The actor often forgets to turn on the microphone.

Breakdown of L'attore dimentica spesso di accendere il microfono.

Questions & Answers about L'attore dimentica spesso di accendere il microfono.

Why do we need the word di before accendere?

The verb dimenticare (to forget) is one of several Italian verbs that require the preposition di before a following infinitive. Whenever you say you "forget to do" something, you must use dimenticare di + the action.

Why is spesso placed after the verb here?

In English, we usually put adverbs of frequency before the verb ("often forgets"). In Italian, these adverbs—like spesso (often), sempre (always), or mai (never)—almost always go directly after the conjugated verb. That is why it is dimentica spesso.

I have seen "to forget" written as dimenticarsi. Could I use that in this sentence?

Yes, absolutely. Dimenticare and the reflexive version dimenticarsi are completely interchangeable in everyday Italian. You could say L'attore si dimentica spesso di accendere il microfono and it would mean exactly the same thing. Both versions use di before the next verb.

Does accendere only apply to electronics like a microphone?

Accendere literally means "to ignite" or "to light." You use it to turn on electronics, screens, and lights, but also to light a match or start a car engine. If you need to turn the microphone back off, you would use its opposite, spegnere.