Breakdown of Ha un che di sgradevole quando inizia a imprecare.
un
a / an (masculine)
avere
to have
quando
when
che
what
iniziare
to start
di
(linking an indefinite pronoun to an adjective)
a
(linking a verb to a following infinitive)
sgradevole
unpleasant
imprecare
to swear (curse)
Questions & Answers about Ha un che di sgradevole quando inizia a imprecare.
Could I just say qualcosa di sgradevole instead of un che di sgradevole?
Yes, qualcosa di sgradevole means 'something unpleasant' and is perfectly correct. However, un che di is a great B2-level idiom that translates more closely to 'a certain something' or 'a hint of'. It adds a slight sense of mystery, intuition, or vagueness to whatever you are describing. Notice that just like with qualcosa, you must use the preposition di before the adjective.
Why is there an a between inizia and imprecare?
The verb iniziare (to start or begin) requires the preposition a when it is followed by an infinitive verb. While English lets you simply say 'starts swearing' or 'starts to swear', Italian strictly requires this connecting preposition for this verb: inizia a imprecare.
Does imprecare mean using general bad words, or something more specific?
Imprecare means to swear, curse, or use profanity, usually out of anger or frustration. It's a great single-word alternative to the common phrase dire parolacce (to say bad words). Note that it is different from bestemmiare, which specifically means to blaspheme.
Learn Ha un che di sgradevole quando inizia a imprecare 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