Learn Italian: Non sono mica sordo, sento bene. - I am not deaf at all, I hear well.

Non sono mica sordo, sento bene.

I am not deaf at all, I hear well.

Breakdown of Non sono mica sordo, sento bene.

Questions & Answers about Non sono mica sordo, sento bene.

What exactly does mica add to this sentence?

Mica is used to emphasize a negative statement, often to contradict an assumption. While non sono sordo just means "I am not deaf", adding mica translates roughly to "I'm not deaf, you know!" or "I am not deaf at all!". It frequently carries a tone of slight irritation or defensive emphasis.

Why is mica placed right after the verb sono?

In typical emphatic negation, mica goes immediately after the conjugated verb (here, sono), and you must keep the negative word non before the verb.

Could I drop the word non in this sentence?

Yes, but only if you move mica to the front. If mica comes before the verb, it completely replaces non. You could say Mica sono sordo, sento bene and it would mean the exact same thing.

I learned that sentire means "to feel". Why is it translated as "to hear" here?

The verb sentire covers multiple physical senses. While it often means "to feel" an emotion or physical sensation, it is also the standard verb for "to hear" (as opposed to "to listen", which is ascoltare). The context of being deaf (sordo) makes it perfectly clear that sento bene means "I hear well".