Learn Italian: Dice di essere intraprendente e di eccellere nel suo settore. - He says he is proactive and excels in his sector.

When a verb of saying or knowing (like dire) introduces a secondary clause, and both verbs share the same subject (he says, and he is the one who is proactive), Italian uses the implicit form. This means using di followed by the infinitive (essere) rather than che plus a conjugated verb.

Why is di repeated before eccellere? Could we just say e eccellere?

When you connect two implicit clauses with e (and), it is standard in Italian to repeat the preposition di before the second infinitive. This keeps the structure balanced and makes it clear that eccellere is also dependent on the main verb dice.

Does intraprendente translate exactly to 'proactive'?

While proactive is a great fit for modern contexts, intraprendente carries a broader meaning of being enterprising, resourceful, or full of initiative. It comes from the verb intraprendere, meaning to undertake.

Why does in become nel before suo settore?