Breakdown of Nessun gonfiore si può ignorare.
potere
can, to be able to
si
one (impersonal)
ignorare
to ignore
nessuno
no / not any (+ noun)
il gonfiore
swelling
Questions & Answers about Nessun gonfiore si può ignorare.
Why is there no non before the verb?
How does si può ignorare translate to "can be ignored"?
This uses the si passivante (passive si). When you pair si with a transitive verb and a subject (here, nessun gonfiore), it gives the verb a passive meaning. It literally reads as "No swelling can ignore itself," which translates naturally to "No swelling can be ignored."
If I wanted to say "These swellings cannot be ignored," would the modal verb change?
Yes! In a si passivante construction, the verb must agree with the subject. If you introduce a plural subject like questi gonfiori, the modal verb potere must become plural too: Questi gonfiori non si possono ignorare.
How could we apply this lesson's structure (andare + gerund) to say "No swelling is gradually being ignored"?
You would replace the modal verb with andare and make the main verb a gerund: Nessun gonfiore si va ignorando. However, this sounds quite odd in Italian! The andare + gerund structure highlights a gradual, unfolding process, which works beautifully with verbs of change like peggiorare (to worsen) but doesn't make much logical sense with an action like ignorare.
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