Learn Italian: Siamo talmente stremati da non volere nemmeno cenare. - We are so exhausted that we don't even want to eat dinner.

Siamo talmente stremati da non volere nemmeno cenare.

We are so exhausted that we don't even want to eat dinner.

Breakdown of Siamo talmente stremati da non volere nemmeno cenare.

Questions & Answers about Siamo talmente stremati da non volere nemmeno cenare.

Why does this sentence use the infinitive "da non volere" instead of a conjugated verb like "che non vogliamo"?

Because the subject ("we") is exactly the same for both the main action and the consequence. When the subject doesn't change, Italian prefers the implicit structure: talmente + [adjective] + da + [infinitive]. If the subjects were different (e.g., "The hike was so tiring that we don't want to eat"), you would use the explicit structure with che + [conjugated verb].

Could I use "così" instead of "talmente" in this structure?

Absolutely! You can say Siamo così stremati da... without changing the meaning. In these consecutive clauses, così and talmente are perfectly interchangeable to mean "so" or "so much".

What is the rule for making the consequence negative in this structure?

To make an infinitive negative, the word non must be placed immediately before the infinitive verb. You cannot separate them, which is why it becomes da non volere.

Why does "stremati" end in "-i"?

Stremato is an adjective meaning "exhausted" or "worn out". Because it describes the subject of Siamo ("we"), it must agree in number and gender. The -i ending is used for a masculine or mixed-gender plural subject. If "we" referred exclusively to women, it would be stremate.