Log inSign up

Non presumono mica di conoscere la verità?

Non presumono mica di conoscere la verità?
They don't assume to know the truth, do they?
From Lesson 334:Emphatic questions (mica)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Non presumono mica di conoscere la verità?

How does mica change the tone of this question compared to a standard negative question?
In an interrogative clause, mica is used to seek reassurance or express doubt, often acting like a tag question in English (such as 'do they?'). Without it, Non presumono... is just a flat negative question. Adding mica shows the speaker strongly suspects or hopes that the answer is 'no'.
Could I put mica at the beginning of the sentence instead?
Yes, you can move it to the front, but if you do, you must drop the non. The sentence would become Mica presumono di conoscere la verità? This is a very common alternative that keeps the exact same meaning and tone of doubt.
Why do we need the preposition di before conoscere?
The verb presumere requires the preposition di when it is followed by an infinitive verb, provided the subject of both verbs is the same. Since the people doing the assuming are the same people who claim to know the truth, we connect the two verbs with di.
Why use conoscere here instead of sapere for the verb 'to know'?
While sapere la verità is very common and focuses on knowing the factual details of a specific event, using conoscere treats la verità as a broader concept or a deeper reality to be acquainted with. This elevates the register slightly and perfectly matches the arrogant tone of presumono.

Learn Non presumono mica di conoscere la verità and more in Italian

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Italian →