Answers
Jan 25, 2014 - 03:28 PM
Portare is more accurately described as "to carry." For example, "Can you carry this bag for me/Can you take this bag for me." In English we can say it either way. I'm guessing that in Italian "portare" is the word of choice. I compare it to the word "transport" (portare). To bring something from one place to another.
Prendere seems more to imply travel, as in "I take the train home" or "I'm picking someone up at the airport" (in order to take them home). I'm sure there are exceptions to both cases but this seems to be the way Fluenz is teaching it.
Prendere seems more to imply travel, as in "I take the train home" or "I'm picking someone up at the airport" (in order to take them home). I'm sure there are exceptions to both cases but this seems to be the way Fluenz is teaching it.
Jan 25, 2014 - 04:17 PM
I have asked virtually the same question - see my post under Session by Session of 10 Jan. Still have not had any response from Fluenz, just from other users. I will repeat it here: The sentence in English is "(I) take some cream". You just finished telling me that "prendere" is "to take something" while "portare" is "to take someone". Then you require the translation for this sentence to be "Porto della crema". Which is it, please?
Not to mention that there are two words for "cream" - crema and panna - and they don't say which one we are talking about, do they?
Not to mention that there are two words for "cream" - crema and panna - and they don't say which one we are talking about, do they?
Mar 27, 2014 - 09:10 PM
I am only going from my knowledge of French, but portare` (sorry for the ', but the program won't let me write the Italian) is used in the sense of carrying something, whereas prendare is not used when you are carrying something (not just a person, but a thing as well). English uses "take" for both senses - So I take a cab, I take cream in my coffee, I take the car, - all of these undoubtedly use prendare in Italian, but I take the book to my friend, I take money, all use portare' - giving the sense of physically holding something in your hands (or arms). Capisce?
Mar 27, 2014 - 09:19 PM
Sorry - I just went further down in this post and see that I may have inappropriately used a grammar point for French. I guess I'll just have to wait until I get to that level to get further confused!
May 27, 2014 - 06:17 AM
Ciao ktlundstrom
Don't worry "portare" and "prendere" can be quite confusing because they have a lot of different meanings and can be used in different contexts not unlike the English "get". Here is a link to a fairly comprehensive list of meanings for portare and prendere:
http://sanniti.tripod.com/sitebuilder...
I hope this helps!
Don't worry "portare" and "prendere" can be quite confusing because they have a lot of different meanings and can be used in different contexts not unlike the English "get". Here is a link to a fairly comprehensive list of meanings for portare and prendere:
http://sanniti.tripod.com/sitebuilder...
I hope this helps!