Breakdown of Non seguiamo le tendenze, bensì creiamo il nostro stile.
non
not
nostro
our
seguire
to follow
la
her/it (direct object)
creare
to create
la tendenza
the trend
lo stile
the style
bensì
but rather
Questions & Answers about Non seguiamo le tendenze, bensì creiamo il nostro stile.
What exactly does bensì mean here, and could I just use ma?
Bensì is a strong contrast connector meaning "but rather" or "on the contrary." You could use ma, but bensì is much more specific: it is used exclusively when the first clause is negative (Non seguiamo...) and the second clause offers a direct substitution or correction. It makes the contrast far stronger and more deliberate than a simple ma.
Is a comma always required before bensì?
Why is the definite article used in il nostro stile? I sometimes see possessives without articles.
In Italian, possessive adjectives normally require a definite article (here, il). The main exception—which learners often mix up—is with singular, direct family members (like mia madre or tuo fratello). Since stile (style) is not a family member, the article is strictly required.
I've seen tendenza translated as "tendency." How do I know when it means "trend"?
Tendenza can indeed mean a personal "tendency" or "inclination" to do something, but it is also the standard Italian word for a fashion, cultural, or market "trend." Context is key: since this sentence contrasts following the crowd with creating a unique stile (style), "trends" is the natural translation here.
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