ELONIO
Log inSign up

Non si è filata la paglia, ma la lana.

Non si è filata la paglia, ma la lana.
People did not spin straw, but wool.
From Lesson 263:Impersonal compound tenses (si è)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Non si è filata la paglia, ma la lana.

Why do we use è instead of ha? Doesn't the verb "to spin" normally take avere?
Yes! The verb filare (to spin) is transitive and normally takes avere in compound tenses (for example, ho filato, meaning "I spun"). However, when you use the impersonal si construction, the auxiliary verb automatically shifts to essere.
Why does the past participle end in -a (filata)?
It is agreeing with la paglia (the straw), which is a feminine singular noun. When an impersonal si is used with an explicit object, the sentence basically becomes passive (often called the passive si or si passivante). The object acts as the grammatical subject, so the past participle must agree with its gender and number.
How would the sentence change if we were talking about spinning plural things, like clothes (i vestiti)?
Because of the passive si rule mentioned above, the verb and past participle would both have to agree with the plural noun. You would say Non si sono filati i vestiti. The auxiliary shifts to the plural sono, and the participle ends in -i.
Could we put la paglia before the verb instead?
Yes, you could say La paglia non si è filata, but putting the noun after the verb is very common in Italian with the passive si. It sounds completely natural and helps set up the strong contrast at the end of the sentence between the straw and the wool (la lana).

Learn Non si è filata la paglia, ma la lana and more in Italian

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Italian →