Breakdown of Sono molto portati per la ginnastica.
essere
to be
molto
very
per
for / in order to / because of
la ginnastica
the gymnastics; the workout
portato
gifted, inclined
Questions & Answers about Sono molto portati per la ginnastica.
Doesn't portare usually mean 'to carry'? How does portati mean 'gifted'?
You're right! The verb portare means 'to carry' or 'to bring'. However, when its past participle is used as an adjective followed by the preposition per, portato per takes on the figurative meaning of being 'inclined towards', 'suited for', or 'naturally gifted at' something.
Since this lesson is about adjectives taking per, could I use a verb after portati per instead of a noun?
Absolutely. You can follow portato per with an infinitive verb to express what someone has a talent for doing. For example, Sono molto portati per insegnare means 'They are naturally gifted at teaching'.
Why do we need the article la in per la ginnastica? In English we just say 'for gymnastics'.
In Italian, you generally need a definite article when referring to broad categories, sports, or abstract concepts. Because ginnastica refers to the sport as a whole category, it requires the definite article la, even after the preposition per.
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