Controlliamo l'avanzamento ogni settimana, altrimenti perdiamo tempo.

Questions & Answers about Controlliamo l'avanzamento ogni settimana, altrimenti perdiamo tempo.

Does altrimenti trigger the subjunctive mood in this sentence?
No, it takes the indicative mood. Altrimenti means "otherwise" and introduces what will happen if the first statement isn't followed. Even though it implies a condition, it acts as a coordinating conjunction and is followed by the normal present indicative verb perdiamo.
Could Controlliamo also be translated as a suggestion, like "Let's check"?
Absolutely. The "noi" (we) form of the present indicative is identical to the imperative form. Without further context, this sentence could just as easily be a command or suggestion: "Let's check the progress every week, otherwise we waste time."
Why use avanzamento here instead of progresso?
While both translate to "progress," avanzamento is typically used in business or project management to talk about the physical advancement or status of a specific task. Progresso is used for more abstract, general improvement, such as making progress in learning a language.
I learned that "to waste" is sprecare. Why does the sentence use perdiamo (we lose) for "we waste"?
In Italian, the standard way to say "waste time" is the fixed expression perdere tempo (literally, "to lose time"). While you could technically say sprecare tempo, perdere tempo is much more common and naturally translates to wasting time in English.

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