Breakdown of Ci sono voluti due minuti per montarlo, non ho strapagato e sono arcicontento!
essere
to be
e
and
non
not
due
two
Questions & Answers about Ci sono voluti due minuti per montarlo, non ho strapagato e sono arcicontento!
What does the prefix stra- do to the verb pagare in strapagato?
The prefix stra- adds the meaning of excess or doing something beyond the normal limit. Here, attached to pagare (to pay), it creates strapagare (to overpay). While stra- is often used with adjectives (like strabello for extremely beautiful), it is also very common with verbs to indicate overdoing an action.
Why use arcicontento instead of just saying molto contento?
Could I have said iperpagato or sovracontento instead?
Not really, because these prefixes pair naturally with specific words by convention. strapagare is the standard, everyday verb for to overpay, whereas sovrapagare exists but sounds much more formal or economic. For adjectives like contento, arci- or stra- (arcicontento, stracontento) are the idiomatic choices. The prefix iper- often sounds more technical, though it is sometimes used for humorous exaggeration.
Why does the sentence use sono voluti instead of ha voluto?