Learn Italian: A pagare la caparra subito, non si perde l'affare. - If you pay the deposit immediately, you don't lose the deal.

A pagare la caparra subito, non si perde l'affare.

If you pay the deposit immediately, you don't lose the deal.

Breakdown of A pagare la caparra subito, non si perde l'affare.

non

not

subito

immediately / right away

Questions & Answers about A pagare la caparra subito, non si perde l'affare.

Why does a pagare mean 'if you pay' here instead of 'to pay'?

This sentence uses the structure a + present infinitive to form an implicit conditional clause. It acts just like a se (if) clause, meaning 'if one pays'. It is a concise way to express a condition when the subject of both halves of the sentence is the same.

Who is the subject of both halves of this sentence?

The main clause uses non si perde, which relies on the impersonal si to mean 'one does not lose' or 'you do not lose' in a general sense. Because the implicit conditional clause (a pagare) does not have a conjugated verb, it automatically adopts this same impersonal subject.

Could I just use a standard se clause instead of a pagare?

Yes. You could explicitly say se si paga la caparra subito, non si perde l'affare. Using a + infinitive just makes the sentence shorter and makes it sound like a snappy piece of advice or a general rule of thumb.

Is caparra the only word for 'deposit' in Italian?

No, but it is the exact right word for a deal. A caparra is specifically a security deposit or earnest money (like when renting an apartment or making a bargain) that you might forfeit if you back out. An anticipo, on the other hand, is simply an advance payment on a total bill.