Breakdown of Siamo lieti di offrire l'antipasto agli ospiti.
essere
to be
offrire
to offer
a
to / at
l'ospite
guest
di
to (linking a verb to a following infinitive)
lieto
glad
l'antipasto
appetizer
Questions & Answers about Siamo lieti di offrire l'antipasto agli ospiti.
Why do we use di before offrire here?
The adjective lieto (glad or pleased) requires the preposition di when it is followed by an infinitive verb like offrire. Adjectives that express a feeling or emotion about an action usually take di in Italian.
Could I use felici instead of lieti?
Yes, felici (happy) is very similar and also takes di before an infinitive verb. However, lieto is slightly more formal and polite, making it a very common choice in hospitality or formal situations.
Why does the adjective end in -i (lieti)?
Adjectives must match the subject in gender and number. Since siamo (we are) is plural, the adjective becomes lieti. This masculine plural form is used for a group of men or a mixed group. If the group speaking were entirely female, they would say Siamo liete.
Why is it agli ospiti instead of just a gli ospiti or ai ospiti?
In Italian, you must combine the preposition a (to) with the definite article that follows it. Because ospiti is a plural masculine noun starting with a vowel, its article is gli. Combining a and gli always merges into the single word agli.
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