Breakdown of Dopo mesi di silenzio, hanno finalmente deciso di riconciliarsi.
il mese
the month
finalmente
finally
decidere
to decide
di
to (linking a verb to a following infinitive)
il silenzio
the silence
dopo
after
riconciliarsi
to reconcile
Questions & Answers about Dopo mesi di silenzio, hanno finalmente deciso di riconciliarsi.
Why is finalmente placed between hanno and deciso?
In compound tenses, it is very common to place certain adverbs (like finalmente, sempre, già, or mai) right between the auxiliary verb (hanno) and the past participle (deciso). Placing it at the beginning or end of the clause is also correct, but this 'sandwich' structure sounds very natural in Italian.
Why do we need the preposition di after deciso?
The verb decidere requires the preposition di when it connects to another verb in the infinitive. It is part of a fixed pattern you simply need to memorize: decidere di fare qualcosa (to decide to do something).
Is riconciliarsi acting as a reflexive verb here?
Structurally yes, as it uses the reflexive pronoun si, but meaning-wise it is a reciprocal verb. The si attached to the end of the infinitive translates to 'each other', showing that the reconciliation is a mutual action between two or more people.
Could the pronoun si be moved before the conjugated verb, like si hanno deciso di riconciliare?
No. You can generally only move the pronoun to the front of the conjugated verb if that verb is a modal verb (like dovere, potere, or volere). Because decidere is not a modal verb, the si must remain attached to the infinitive (dropping the final -e of riconciliare).
How could we use the lesson's verb avercela to describe their relationship before this reconciliation?
Learn Dopo mesi di silenzio, hanno finalmente deciso di riconciliarsi and more in Italian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free