Breakdown of Prendere una piccola dose prima di dormire.
una
a / an (feminine)
piccolo
small
prendere
to take
dormire
to sleep
Questions & Answers about Prendere una piccola dose prima di dormire.
Why does this sentence use the infinitive prendere instead of an imperative like prendi or prenda?
Using the infinitive for a command is called the jussive infinitive. You will see it constantly on medicine bottles, recipes, and instruction manuals in Italy. It is used when an instruction is general and directed at anyone reading it, rather than a specific person.
Does this jussive infinitive work the same way as the negative imperative, which also uses the infinitive?
They look similar but have different rules. A negative imperative uses non plus the infinitive (like non prendere for 'don't take') but only applies to the informal tu. The jussive infinitive here applies to positive commands too and is directed generally to the public, not a specific person.
Why is it prima di dormire and not prima che dormire?
In Italian, when the subject of the main action and the dependent action is the same, 'before doing something' is always expressed with prima di followed directly by an infinitive. You only use prima che (usually followed by the subjunctive) when a different subject is introduced.
Could I use assumere instead of prendere for taking medicine here?