Breakdown of Devi aprire la bombola prima di tuffarti!
aprire
to open
dovere
must
prima di
before (doing something) / before (a noun / point in time)
la bombola
the tank
tuffarsi
to jump in
Questions & Answers about Devi aprire la bombola prima di tuffarti!
Why does the sentence use "prima di tuffarti" instead of translating the "-ing" in "jumping"?
How exactly is the word "tuffarti" formed?
It comes from the reflexive verb tuffarsi (to dive / to jump in). When attaching a reflexive pronoun to an infinitive, you drop the final -e of the verb and stick the pronoun onto the end. Because the sentence is talking to "you" (Devi), it uses the "you" pronoun ti. So, tuffare minus -e plus ti becomes tuffarti.
Why isn't there a preposition connecting "Devi" and "aprire"?
Devi is a form of dovere (must / to have to). This is a modal verb, often called a "helper" verb. A key rule to remember is that modal verbs connect directly to the main verb in its infinitive form (aprire) without needing any prepositions like a or di in between.
What kind of "tank" does "la bombola" refer to here?
The word bombola refers to a metal cylinder or canister used for pressurized gas. Given the context of jumping in (tuffarti), this is a scuba diving tank. You will also hear this word used for everyday items like a household gas cylinder (bombola del gas).
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