Log inSign up

Chi non mangia la pietanza è Luca.

Chi non mangia la pietanza è Luca.
The one who is not eating the dish is Luca.
From Lesson 421:Emphasizing topics (chi / quello che)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Chi non mangia la pietanza è Luca.

Why does this sentence use Chi instead of Quello che?
Both are used to build pseudo-cleft sentences, but chi is used specifically for people (meaning "the one who" or "the person who"). If you wanted to focus on an object or a concept, like "What he is not eating is the dish", you would use quello che or ciò che.
How does this sentence's meaning differ from simply saying Luca non mangia la pietanza?
This structure changes the emphasis. By using a pseudo-cleft sentence, you are setting up "someone not eating" as known background information (the topic), and you are putting the spotlight on Luca as the new, important information (the focus). It translates perfectly to the English distinction between "Luca isn't eating" and "The one who isn't eating is Luca."
Could I use il piatto instead of la pietanza here?
Yes, but there is a slight nuance. Piatto can mean the physical plate or the meal on it. Pietanza specifically refers to the prepared food or course itself, never the physical dishware.
If both Luca and Marco weren't eating, how would this sentence change?
The pronoun chi always takes a third-person singular verb, even when referring to multiple people. So the first half stays the same: Chi non mangia la pietanza... but the copula (the verb "to be") changes to match the plural subjects at the end: ...sono Luca e Marco.

Learn Chi non mangia la pietanza è Luca 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
Start learning Italian →