Question 1

How does the placement of non solo ... ma anche work in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

In this sentence, the pair of expressions is placed directly before the two nouns being connected: il termostato and il forno. This structure highlights that the addition applies specifically to the objects we are programming, rather than to the action itself.

Question 2

Could I put non solo at the very beginning of the sentence, like Non solo programmiamo...?

Accepted Answer

You can, but it changes what you are connecting. If you put it before the verb, you are usually setting up the addition of a second action. For example: Non solo programmiamo il termostato, ma lo ripariamo anche (We not only program the thermostat, but we also repair it).

Question 3

Why is there a comma before ma anche? Is it required?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is generally required. Just like in English, it is standard Italian punctuation to place a comma before the conjunction ma (but) when it introduces the second half of this pairing, separating the two ideas clearly.

Question 4

I often use stiamo programmando for actions in progress. Why use the simple present programmiamo here?

Accepted Answer

Italian uses the simple present (programmiamo) much more broadly than English. It works perfectly here to describe a routine or a general capability, like explaining what you do with your smart home system. You would only use stiamo programmando if you needed to emphasize that your hands are on the dials exactly at this moment.

Programmiamo non solo il termostato, ma anche il forno.

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