Breakdown of Ho intenzione di partire domani.
partire
to leave
domani
tomorrow
avere intenzione di
to intend to
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Italian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Ho intenzione di partire domani.
Why do we use di partire here instead of che and the subjunctive?
You use di + infinitive because the subject of both actions is the same person. You have the intention (I intend), and you are the one leaving (I leave). If the subjects were different, like if you intended for a friend to leave, you would have to use che followed by the subjunctive.
Is di always the preposition used to link a verb to avere?
It is specifically used with fixed expressions made of avere + noun. Just like avere bisogno di (to need to) and avere paura di (to be afraid to), the phrase avere intenzione requires the preposition di before the infinitive verb that follows it.
Why is there no article before intenzione? Shouldn't it be Ho l'intenzione?
In Italian, many common idiomatic expressions with avere drop the article entirely. You just say avere intenzione di, similar to avere fame (to be hungry) or avere fretta (to be in a hurry). Adding the article sounds unnatural here unless you are referring back to a specific intention you just discussed.
Could I just use the verb intendere instead of the phrase avere intenzione di?