Answers
Feb 16, 2014 - 08:14 AM
Bravo! Excellent use of direct and indirect objects. Well done! Just one change so far…."lui e pazzo", rather than pazza.
I enjoy your stories.
I enjoy your stories.
Feb 16, 2014 - 08:51 PM
Thanks Kristin, I was wondering if you're still lurking. :)
I agree, it should have been pazzo. (I fixed it.)
Now I'm wondering if in the first sentence it should say, "…sono buffi." ?
I've also added the word "allora" to the 7th sentence. (Se il Re si accorda …) Just to fill out the grammar a little more.
I agree, it should have been pazzo. (I fixed it.)
Now I'm wondering if in the first sentence it should say, "…sono buffi." ?
I've also added the word "allora" to the 7th sentence. (Se il Re si accorda …) Just to fill out the grammar a little more.
Feb 17, 2014 - 07:35 AM
I wondered the same thing (about "buffi")….although I have yet to encounter it, I would expect you to need the plural form.
and sure, still lurking! Trying my darndest to stay on top of this Italian. I'm adding Spanish now, and don't want to lose the Italian!
and sure, still lurking! Trying my darndest to stay on top of this Italian. I'm adding Spanish now, and don't want to lose the Italian!
May 27, 2014 - 06:39 AM
Ciao everyone,
That's a really lovely story!! Just a few notes:
I miei amici sono buffi: "buffo" is an adjective, so it has to agree in gender and number with the noun it's referring to. Here you're referring to "I miei amici", masculine plural, so the adjective must be in its masculine plural form as well: "buffi". If you were talking about girlfriends, then you'd need to use the feminine plural form: Le mie amiche sono buffe.
The same happens in this sentence: So solo che voglio rimanere a casa e mangiare le mie arance rotonde. As "arance" is feminine plural, the adjective must be in the same gender: "rotonde".
Please, note that the plural of "arancia" is "arance".
Take a look at this rule for the plural form of the feminine nouns ending with -cia and -gia:
Keep the "i" when there's a vowel before -cia and -gia: camicia, ciliegia > camicie, ciliegie
Take off the "i" when there's a consonant before -cia and -gia: arancia, spiaggia > arance, spiagge
Ma ho un amico che dice che il mondo è rotondo: to introduce the object of the verb "dire" you need to use "che" (He says that...). When the object of the verb "dire" is Yes or No, you need to use "di": Se il Re dice di no, lui andrà in Spagna. The same happens for the verb "pensare". So, your sentence should be: Pensano che il è mondo piano.
Keep it up!!
That's a really lovely story!! Just a few notes:
I miei amici sono buffi: "buffo" is an adjective, so it has to agree in gender and number with the noun it's referring to. Here you're referring to "I miei amici", masculine plural, so the adjective must be in its masculine plural form as well: "buffi". If you were talking about girlfriends, then you'd need to use the feminine plural form: Le mie amiche sono buffe.
The same happens in this sentence: So solo che voglio rimanere a casa e mangiare le mie arance rotonde. As "arance" is feminine plural, the adjective must be in the same gender: "rotonde".
Please, note that the plural of "arancia" is "arance".
Take a look at this rule for the plural form of the feminine nouns ending with -cia and -gia:
Keep the "i" when there's a vowel before -cia and -gia: camicia, ciliegia > camicie, ciliegie
Take off the "i" when there's a consonant before -cia and -gia: arancia, spiaggia > arance, spiagge
Ma ho un amico che dice che il mondo è rotondo: to introduce the object of the verb "dire" you need to use "che" (He says that...). When the object of the verb "dire" is Yes or No, you need to use "di": Se il Re dice di no, lui andrà in Spagna. The same happens for the verb "pensare". So, your sentence should be: Pensano che il è mondo piano.
Keep it up!!
May 27, 2014 - 07:47 PM
Thanks for the input! Especially with the clarification of "di"….one of those tiny words that causes me a lot of headache sometimes! So with "dire", this sounds like the construct we are taught in Fluenz…."credo di non" or "spero di si". Giusto?
Jun 02, 2014 - 08:48 AM
Hi Fluenz Lab,
Thanks for responding and for the corrections. (I’ve been out of town for a while, so I just saw your post.)
I find that writing these short vignettes helps to establish grammar structures and vocabulary in my mind as taught by Fluenz. Usually, writing the first sentence leads to other ideas, which in turn prompts a dictionary search for new vocabulary. I have several more of these stories but I’m reluctant to post them because I sense that I’m simply translating English phrases into Italian, word for word. In other words, I don’t think an Italian would actually phrase things the same way. Here’s an example:
— I would like to catch a fish.
— Vorrei afferrare un pesce.
Luckily, my dictionary (and google translate) tells me I should actually say:
Vorrei prendere un pesce. — I’d like to take a fish.
I’m not sure if it’s possible for Fluenz to address this topic, since there are so many different ways to phrase any single thought. But if you’re up for an occasional challenge, I’ve got a “Big Fish Story” I’ve been working on. :)
Thanks for responding and for the corrections. (I’ve been out of town for a while, so I just saw your post.)
I find that writing these short vignettes helps to establish grammar structures and vocabulary in my mind as taught by Fluenz. Usually, writing the first sentence leads to other ideas, which in turn prompts a dictionary search for new vocabulary. I have several more of these stories but I’m reluctant to post them because I sense that I’m simply translating English phrases into Italian, word for word. In other words, I don’t think an Italian would actually phrase things the same way. Here’s an example:
— I would like to catch a fish.
— Vorrei afferrare un pesce.
Luckily, my dictionary (and google translate) tells me I should actually say:
Vorrei prendere un pesce. — I’d like to take a fish.
I’m not sure if it’s possible for Fluenz to address this topic, since there are so many different ways to phrase any single thought. But if you’re up for an occasional challenge, I’ve got a “Big Fish Story” I’ve been working on. :)