Question 1

Why is the dictionary form applicare used here instead of an imperative like applica or applichi?

Accepted Answer

This is the jussive infinitive. It is commonly used for impersonal, general instructions where you are not addressing a specific person, such as on product labels, in recipes, or in manuals.

Question 2

If I wanted to add a pronoun and say 'Apply it on clean skin,' where does the pronoun go?

Accepted Answer

Object pronouns attach directly to the end of the infinitive, and the infinitive drops its final -e. For example, if you are referring to a lotion (la lozione), you would say Applicarla sulla pelle pulita.

Question 3

How do you make a jussive infinitive instruction negative?

Accepted Answer

Just place non directly before the verb, exactly like you do for the informal negative imperative. For example: Non applicare sulla pelle sporca (Do not apply on dirty skin).

Question 4

Why do we use the combined preposition sulla instead of just su?

Accepted Answer

In Italian, you almost always need the definite article before body parts or surfaces, even in quick instructions where English drops it. Sulla combines su (on) and la (the, agreeing with the feminine noun pelle).

Applicare sulla pelle pulita.

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