Breakdown of Vogliamo allestire i tavoli prima che arrivi l'invitato.
il tavolo
the table
arrivare
to arrive
volere
to want
allestire
to set up / to prepare (an exhibition, event)
prima che
before
l'invitato
the guest (m)
Questions & Answers about Vogliamo allestire i tavoli prima che arrivi l'invitato.
Why do we use arrivi instead of the normal present tense arriva?
The phrase prima che (before) is a trigger that always requires the subjunctive mood. For regular -are verbs like arrivare, the "he/she/it" form in the present subjunctive ends in -i, giving us arrivi.
Why can't we just say prima di arrivare?
You use prima di + infinitive only when the person doing both actions is the same (e.g., "We want to set up before we arrive"). Here, the subjects are different: we are setting up, but the guest is arriving. When the subjects change, you must use prima che + a conjugated subjunctive verb.
Why is the guest (l'invitato) placed at the very end of the sentence, after the verb?
In Italian subordinate clauses, especially those starting with prima che, it's very common to invert the subject and verb. Saying ...prima che l'invitato arrivi is also grammatically correct, but putting the subject at the end flows very naturally and gives slight emphasis to exactly who is arriving.
Could I use preparare instead of allestire?
Yes, preparare i tavoli would be perfectly understood as "to prepare the tables." However, allestire is a great intermediate word that specifically means "to set up," "to arrange," or "to deck out" a space for an event, making it the perfect descriptive choice for organizing a party or banquet.
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