Question 1

Since this lesson is about pur + gerund, why isn't pur used here? Could we rewrite the sentence to use it?

Accepted Answer

Pur followed by a gerund (like pur lottando) is used to express "even though doing something." It requires an action, meaning a verb. In this sentence, we just have a noun: la fatica (the fatigue). To say "despite a noun," you use nonostante. To use pur, you would have to change the noun phrase into an action, for example: Pur essendo molto stanca, la squadra continua a lottare (Even though being very tired, the team continues to fight).

Question 2

Why is there an a between continua and lottare?

Accepted Answer

In Italian, certain verbs require a specific preposition to connect them to a following infinitive verb. Continuare is one of these; it must always be followed by a when linking to another action. It is helpful to memorize the whole chunk: continuare a fare qualcosa (to continue to do something).

Question 3

Can I use malgrado instead of nonostante in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely! When placed directly before a noun, nonostante and malgrado both mean "despite" or "in spite of" and are completely interchangeable. You could easily say Malgrado la fatica... without changing the tone or meaning of the sentence.

Question 4

Does fatica mean exactly the same thing as the English word "fatigue"?

Accepted Answer

It translates well to "fatigue" or "exhaustion" here, but fatica actually has a slightly broader meaning. In everyday Italian, it very often translates to "effort" or "hard work." For example, the very common expression fare fatica means "to struggle" or "to have a hard time" doing something, rather than just feeling sleepy.

Nonostante la fatica, la squadra continua a lottare.

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