Breakdown of Vogliamo aiutare, solo che il costo è alto e il pelo è ovunque.
essere
to be
e
and
alto
tall / high
volere
to want
aiutare
to help
ovunque
everywhere
solo che
except that / the only thing is
il costo
the cost
il pelo
the fur
Questions & Answers about Vogliamo aiutare, solo che il costo è alto e il pelo è ovunque.
Why doesn't solo che trigger the subjunctive in this sentence?
Solo che (meaning "except that" or "the only thing is") introduces a factual obstacle or a concrete afterthought, rather than a hypothetical condition, doubt, or subjective opinion. Because it states a reality, it is followed by the indicative mood (è), not the subjunctive (sia).
Is solo che interchangeable with tranne che here?
Not exactly. Tranne che is generally used to exclude a specific item or action from a broader statement (like "I eat everything except for..."). Solo che is a conversational connector used to introduce a "catch" or a problem with the previous statement, much like "but the only thing is..." in English.
Why does the sentence use pelo for "fur" instead of pelliccia?
Pelo refers to animal hair, including the loose hair that pets shed around the house. Pelliccia refers to a thick, whole pelt, or a fur coat worn as clothing. Since the speaker is complaining about hair shedding everywhere, pelo is the correct word.
Could I use dappertutto instead of ovunque at the end of the sentence?
Yes, ovunque and dappertutto both mean "everywhere" and are completely interchangeable here. Ovunque is just a bit more concise, but both are very common in spoken and written Italian.
Learn Vogliamo aiutare, solo che il costo è alto e il pelo è ovunque and more in Italian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free