Breakdown of Dividiamo il montepremi, basta che tu non dica niente.
tu
you (singular)
non
not
niente
nothing
dire
to say, to tell
dividere
to divide / to share
basta che
provided that / as long as
il montepremi
the prize money
Questions & Answers about Dividiamo il montepremi, basta che tu non dica niente.
Why is the verb dire conjugated in the subjunctive as dica?
The phrase basta che (provided that / as long as) establishes a condition for the main action to happen. Like many conditional conjunctions in Italian, it always triggers the subjunctive in the dependent clause.
Why is the pronoun tu explicitly used here? Doesn't Italian usually drop subject pronouns?
For most verbs in the present subjunctive, the forms for io, tu, and lui/lei are identical (they all become dica here). While context often helps, adding the pronoun tu removes any ambiguity, making it crystal clear that you are the one who must keep quiet.
Why is the present tense dividiamo used if this sounds like a promise or agreement about the future?
In conversational Italian, the present indicative is very commonly used for immediate agreements, solid plans, or proposals. Here, it carries the practical meaning of "We'll divide" or "Let's divide" rather than just a simple factual "We are dividing."
What kind of word is montepremi, and how would you make it plural?
Learn Dividiamo il montepremi, basta che tu non dica niente 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