Learn Italian: Se non paghi entro oggi, ricevi una multa. - If you do not pay by today, you receive a fine.

Se non paghi entro oggi, ricevi una multa.

If you do not pay by today, you receive a fine.

Breakdown of Se non paghi entro oggi, ricevi una multa.

Questions & Answers about Se non paghi entro oggi, ricevi una multa.

Why do we use entro here instead of fino a?

Entro sets a strict deadline, meaning 'by' or 'no later than' a specific time. If you used fino a (until), it would imply the action of paying is happening continuously right up until today, which does not fit the context of making a single payment.

Can I use the future tense instead of the present tense for ricevi?

Yes, you can. For realistic 'if' conditions, Italian often uses the present tense in both parts of the sentence to show an immediate or certain consequence. However, saying riceverai (you will receive) is also completely correct and means the same thing.

Why is there an 'h' in paghi?

The dictionary form of the verb is pagare. To keep the hard 'g' sound (like in 'go') when adding the -i ending for the tu form, Italian adds an 'h'. Without the 'h', it would be pronounced with a soft 'g' (like the 'j' in 'jump').

Could I say per oggi instead of entro oggi?

They are similar, but entro is the best choice for a strict deadline. Per oggi translates closer to 'for today' and is usually used for scheduled tasks (like having homework for today), whereas entro oggi specifically warns of a cutoff time.