Question 1

Why does this sentence use the noun il conteggio ('the count') instead of the verb 'counting'?

Accepted Answer

In Italian, you can often use a noun for the action, like il conteggio (the counting or tally). However, you could also use a verb! If you wanted to say 'When do you finish counting', you would use finire di + infinitive: Quando finisci di contare questo lotto? Both are very natural.

Question 2

How is the word conteggio formed?

Accepted Answer

It comes from the verb contare (to count). The suffix -ggio is often added to a verb's root to create a masculine noun that represents the action or the result of that action. Other common examples are lavare (to wash) becoming il lavaggio (the wash) and passare (to pass) becoming il passaggio (the passage or ride).

Question 3

I always forget: why is the 'isc' added in finisci?

Accepted Answer

Finire is one of the many -ire verbs that require the -isc- insert in the present tense for the io, tu, lui/lei, and loro forms. There is no strict rule for which -ire verbs need this, but finire, capire (to understand), and preferire (to prefer) are some of the most common ones you will use.

Question 4

This lesson is about ce ne. Since it isn't in this sentence, how could I use it to answer this question and say 'There are ten of them in there'?

Accepted Answer

You would say Ce ne sono dieci. Here, ce acts as 'in there' (referring to questo lotto or this batch), and ne acts as 'of them' (referring to the items being counted). The cluster ce ne always goes before the conjugated verb!

Quando finisci il conteggio di questo lotto?

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