Question 1

What does del resto add to this sentence, and why is it paired with ma?

Accepted Answer

Del resto translates to "after all", "besides", or "moreover". It introduces a justification or an additional perspective that balances the first part of the sentence. Using ma del resto ("but after all") softens the contrast: it acknowledges the desire to spoil him, while bringing in the undeniable reality that he needs to be scolded.

Question 2

Could I use d'altronde instead of del resto here?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely. Ma d'altronde would mean exactly the same thing in this context. Both del resto and d'altronde are interchangeable when adding a concluding thought or a justification that is somewhat expected or logical.

Question 3

In viziarlo and rimproverarlo, the pronoun lo ("him") is attached to the end. Could I put it before the verb instead?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because these verbs follow modals (vuoi and devi). You can just as easily say lo vuoi viziare and lo devi rimproverare. Attaching the pronoun to the infinitive (by dropping the final -e) is very common and flows nicely, but both structures are perfectly correct and widely used by native speakers.

Question 4

The English translation says "when he makes a mistake", but the Italian uses just one word, sbaglia. Is it wrong to say quando fa un errore?

Accepted Answer

It is not grammatically wrong to say quando fa un errore, but Italians heavily prefer using the verb sbagliare (to make a mistake / to be wrong). It sounds much more natural and direct in everyday conversation than using a noun phrase.

Vuoi viziarlo, ma del resto devi rimproverarlo quando sbaglia.

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