Breakdown of Siamo sul punto di scoppiare a ridere.
essere
to be
su
on, about
di
to (linking a verb to a following infinitive)
ridere
to laugh
il punto
the point
a
(linking a verb to a following infinitive)
scoppiare
to burst / to break out
Questions & Answers about Siamo sul punto di scoppiare a ridere.
How is essere sul punto di different from stare per?
Why do we need the preposition di before scoppiare?
The construction involves the noun phrase il punto (the point). Just like in English where you are on the point 'of' doing something, essere sul punto di requires the preposition di to link it to the following infinitive verb scoppiare.
Why is the preposition a used in scoppiare a ridere?
In Italian, verbs that express a sudden beginning of an action require the preposition a before the following infinitive. Scoppiare (to burst) is a classic example. You will also see this pattern with verbs like mettersi (to start or set about), as in mettersi a lavorare.
Can scoppiare a be used with other verbs besides ridere?
Yes, but it is mostly restricted to sudden, uncontrollable emotional reactions. The other extremely common pairing you will hear is scoppiare a piangere, which means 'to burst into tears'.
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