Breakdown of Sai tagliare il compensato, vale a dire questo legno leggero?
questo
this (masculine)
leggero
light
il legno
wood
sapere
to know
tagliare
to cut
il compensato
plywood
vale a dire
that is to say
Questions & Answers about Sai tagliare il compensato, vale a dire questo legno leggero?
Why is 'Do you know how to cut' translated as Sai tagliare rather than using come (how) or the verb conoscere?
In Italian, when you are talking about knowing how to perform a skill, you just use sapere followed directly by an infinitive verb (here, tagliare). You do not add a word for 'how' (come), and you cannot use conoscere, which is only used for being acquainted with people, places, or nouns in general.
How exactly does vale a dire function here, and could I just use cioè?
Vale a dire literally translates to 'it is worth saying' but functions as an explanatory marker meaning 'that is to say' or 'namely'. It introduces a clarification of what il compensato is. You absolutely could use cioè here, but vale a dire is slightly more formal and precise, making it perfect for explaining a technical term.
The lesson also mentions ovvero. Would that work in this sentence instead of vale a dire?
Does the phrase vale a dire change if it refers to a plural or feminine noun?
Does compensato (plywood) have anything to do with the verb for 'to compensate'?
Yes! Compensato is literally the past participle of compensare (to compensate or balance out). Plywood is made by gluing thin layers of wood grain at right angles to 'balance out' or compensate for the wood's natural tendency to warp, which is exactly how the material got its Italian name.
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