Learn Italian: Speravo di fare una spuntatina veloce. - I was hoping to get a quick trim.

Speravo di fare una spuntatina veloce.

I was hoping to get a quick trim.

Breakdown of Speravo di fare una spuntatina veloce.

Questions & Answers about Speravo di fare una spuntatina veloce.

Why use the imperfect tense speravo if the speaker is at the salon asking for a haircut right now?

This is the mitigating imperfect (imperfetto attenuativo). Using the imperfect tense softens a present request so it doesn't sound too direct or demanding. It works exactly like the English polite past tense, where you say I was hoping instead of I hope or I want.

Why is there a di between speravo and fare?

The verb sperare (to hope) requires the preposition di when it is followed directly by an infinitive verb. As long as the subject of both verbs is the same, you must always use sperare di + [infinitive].

What is the base word of spuntatina and what does the ending do?

The base noun is spuntata, meaning a trim (from the verb spuntare, to trim the ends). The diminutive suffix -ina turns it into a little trim. Paired with the polite imperfect verb, this suffix helps make the request sound as low-maintenance and polite as possible.

Why does Italian use fare (to do/make) instead of a verb meaning to get?