Breakdown of La segui stasera, la diretta?
seguire
to follow
stasera
tonight / this evening
la
her/it (direct object)
la diretta
the live broadcast
Questions & Answers about La segui stasera, la diretta?
Why is La at the beginning if la diretta is already at the end? Isn't it redundant?
This is a classic example of "Right Dislocation", which you are learning in this lesson! In spoken Italian, people often state the action and a pronoun first (La segui stasera - Are you following it tonight) and then add the actual noun at the end (la diretta) to clarify what "it" is. It is grammatically redundant, but it makes the sentence sound much more natural, conversational, and focused on the verb.
Are both instances of la doing the same job in this sentence?
No, they have two completely different roles! The first La is a direct object pronoun meaning "it" (anticipating the broadcast). The second la in la diretta is the feminine singular definite article meaning "the". They look identical, but the first replaces a noun, while the second introduces one.
Can I just ask Segui la diretta stasera? instead?
Yes, you absolutely can! Segui la diretta stasera? is standard, perfectly correct grammar. However, using the right dislocation (La segui stasera, la diretta?) makes your Italian sound much more colloquial and native, which is exactly how people speak in everyday life.
Why is there a comma before la diretta?
The comma marks the "break" where the right dislocation happens. When speaking this sentence aloud, you will hear a slight pause and a drop in pitch right at this comma. It sounds almost like an afterthought: "Are you watching it tonight... the live broadcast?"