Question 1

Since we are learning about combined words like nel and nell', why do we just use separate words (in un) here?

Accepted Answer

The combined words in this lesson happen when in merges with a definite article (words for "the", like il or l'). For example, "in the apartment" would be nell'appartamento. However, here we are saying "in a new apartment." Because un is an indefinite article ("a" or "an"), it doesn't merge with the preposition. They simply stay separate as in un.

Question 2

Why is the word for "we" (noi) missing from the beginning of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

In Italian, the ending of the verb almost always tells you who is doing the action. The -iamo ending on abitiamo specifically means "we live." You could say noi abitiamo if you wanted to add emphasis, but it's completely natural and very common to drop the subject pronoun altogether!

Question 3

Why is it appartamento nuovo instead of nuovo appartamento?

Accepted Answer

In English, descriptive adjectives come before the noun ("new apartment"). In Italian, most descriptive adjectives are placed after the noun they describe. So, the structure is literally "apartment new" (appartamento nuovo).

Question 4

I've seen the preposition a used for locations. Why do we use in for this apartment?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the type of location. While a is used for cities (like a Roma), in is generally used for countries, regions, and being physically inside rooms or types of buildings (like an office, a bank, or an apartment). When talking about living inside a type of housing, in is the correct choice.

Abitiamo in un appartamento nuovo.

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