Breakdown of In generale preferisco il mare alla montagna.
la montagna
the mountain
preferire
to prefer
il mare
the sea
generale
general
Questions & Answers about In generale preferisco il mare alla montagna.
Why do we use alla instead of che or di for this comparison?
When comparing two nouns with the verb preferire (to prefer), Italian uses the preposition a. Because we need the definite article for la montagna, it combines into alla. You would use che if you were comparing two verbs, as in preferisco nuotare che sciare.
Why is montagna in the singular here when English usually says 'the mountains'?
How does in generale relate to the limitative clauses we are learning in this lesson?
While in generale is an adverbial phrase rather than a full subordinate clause (like per quanto ne so), it performs a similar function. It restricts the scope of your statement, clarifying that your preference applies to broad, standard situations but leaves room for exceptions.
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