Si sieda e provi pure il volante.

Questions & Answers about Si sieda e provi pure il volante.

What does pure mean in this sentence?
In this context, pure doesn't mean 'also' or 'even'. When placed right after a command, it adds a tone of polite permission or encouragement, translating to 'feel free to' or 'go ahead and'.
Could I just say provi il volante without pure?
You could, but it changes the tone. Without pure, provi il volante is a direct instruction ('try the steering wheel'). Adding pure softens it into a welcoming invitation ('feel free to try the steering wheel').
Why does the pronoun si come before sieda? Don't pronouns usually attach to the end of a command?
With informal commands (for 'tu', 'noi', and 'voi'), pronouns do attach to the end of the verb (like the informal 'tu' form siediti). However, for formal commands using Lei, the pronoun must always go before the verb. That is why 'have a seat' formally is si sieda.
Why do the verbs here end in -a (sieda) and -i (provi)?
These are formal commands for Lei. To make a formal command, Italian swaps the usual present tense vowel endings. The '-ere' verb sedere (here reflexive, sedersi) takes an '-a' ending for sieda, and the '-are' verb provare takes an '-i' ending for provi.

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