Breakdown of Voglio che ti sintonizzi su questo podcast perché vi si ascolta un'ottima satira.
una
a / an (feminine)
questo
this (masculine)
ottimo
excellent
perché
because, why
ascoltare
to listen / to listen to
su
on, about
volere
to want
si
one (impersonal)
che
that (conjunction introducing a clause)
il podcast
podcast
sintonizzarsi
to tune in
vi
there (formal)
la satira
the satire
Questions & Answers about Voglio che ti sintonizzi su questo podcast perché vi si ascolta un'ottima satira.
Why do we use vi si instead of ci si for "there one listens"?
Normally, ci translates to "there" and si is the impersonal "one". However, ci si is already the standard combination used for the impersonal form of reflexive verbs (meaning "one [verbs] oneself"). To avoid ambiguity and make the sentence sound better (euphony), Italian prefers to use the slightly more formal locative pronoun vi (there) instead of ci when it comes right before the impersonal si.
Why is sintonizzi in the subjunctive mood here?
The sentence begins with voglio (I want). Verbs expressing will, desire, or command require the following che clause to be in the subjunctive mood, provided the subject changes (from "I" to "you"). Therefore, we use ti sintonizzi, the present subjunctive form of the reflexive verb sintonizzarsi.
Is su the required preposition for "tuning into" something?
Yes. While in English you tune into a broadcast, in Italian you literally tune on it: sintonizzarsi su. You use this exact same preposition whether you are tuning into a podcast, a radio station, or a TV channel.
The English translation uses the passive "is heard", but isn't si ascolta the impersonal "one hears"?
It is both! In Italian, when the impersonal si is followed by an explicitly stated direct object (in this case, un'ottima satira), it acts as the si passivante (passive si). Because of this, it can be perfectly translated into English as a passive voice ("an excellent satire is heard there"), which usually sounds much more natural than the literal impersonal translation ("there one hears an excellent satire").
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