Learn Italian: Di chi è questo tesserino? Dobbiamo identificarlo. - Whose badge is this? We must identify it.

Di chi è questo tesserino? Dobbiamo identificarlo.

Whose badge is this? We must identify it.

Breakdown of Di chi è questo tesserino? Dobbiamo identificarlo.

Questions & Answers about Di chi è questo tesserino? Dobbiamo identificarlo.

How does di chi translate to "whose" in this sentence?

In Italian, there is no single word for "whose". Instead, you use di chi, which literally means "of whom". It usually goes at the beginning of the question, followed by the verb essere (to be) and then the item you are asking about: Di chi è questo tesserino?

If we were asking about multiple badges, would di chi change?

No, di chi never changes because "of whom" doesn't change based on the quantity of objects. However, the verb and the subject must become plural to match. To ask "Whose badges are these?", you would say: Di chi sono questi tesserini?

Is tesserino related to another Italian word?

Yes, it comes from tessera, which means a membership card, pass, or ticket. By changing the ending to the diminutive suffix -ino, it becomes a "small card", which perfectly describes a wearable ID badge.

Why is the word for "it" (lo) attached to the end of identificarlo?

lo is a direct object pronoun referring back to il tesserino. Because dobbiamo (we must) is the conjugated verb here, the second verb (identificare) stays in its infinitive dictionary form. In Italian, you drop the final -e of an infinitive verb and attach the pronoun directly to the end, creating identificarlo.