Breakdown of A giudicare dall'apparenza, sembra perfetto.
da
from, at (someone's place) / by (oneself), on one's own
sembrare
to seem
giudicare
to judge
perfetto
perfect
a
if/when one does (+ infinitive)
l'apparenza
the appearance (f)
Questions & Answers about A giudicare dall'apparenza, sembra perfetto.
How does a giudicare act as a conditional clause here?
In Italian, you can form an "implicit" (subjectless) conditional clause using the preposition a + an infinitive verb. Even though it translates as "To judge..." or "Judging...", it actually carries the meaning of an "if" statement: "If one were to judge by the appearance..." This structure is very commonly used for making hypotheses or deductions.
Why do we use the preposition da in dall'apparenza?
The verb giudicare (to judge) specifically pairs with the preposition da when you want to express the basis of your judgment. While English typically says "to judge by", Italian constructs it as "to judge from" (giudicare da).
Could I use the gerund giudicando instead of a giudicare?
Absolutely. Giudicando dall'apparenza is grammatically correct and means the exact same thing. However, the a + infinitive structure is a very common, idiomatic alternative for this type of conditional phrase that you will hear native speakers use frequently.
In implicit clauses, doesn't the subject usually have to match the main clause?
Normally, yes. But this specific construction is a common exception. The subject of sembra (it seems) is the object or person being looked at, while the implied subject of a giudicare is an impersonal "we" or "one" (If one were to judge). With a + infinitive conditionals, the infinitive can take an impersonal subject even when the main clause has a specific subject.
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