Italian · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 14
Che cosa? Dove? Quando?What? Where? When?
The question toolkit, complete: dove, chi, che cosa, quando, come, quanto, perché. There is a single golden rule: the question word stands first and the verb follows IMMEDIATELY — Dov'è il museo?, not «Dove il museo è?». Mike asks Giulia three questions in a row. At the end, the most important sounds lesson of the course: double consonants — nono is not nonno, and the whole difference is how long you hold the consonant.
Dialogue
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Dov'è il museo?— Where's the museum?
- MikeGiulia, dov'è il museo?Giulia, where's the museum?
- GiuliaIl museo non è qui vicino!The museum isn't nearby!
- MikeE chi è con te? E che cosa c'è qui vicino?And who's with you? And what is there nearby?
- GiuliaC'è Marco con me — e qui vicino c'è un bar. Perché? … Perché ho sete!Marco is with me — and nearby there's a bar. Why? … Because I'm thirsty!
Dialogue
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Il gioco delle domande— The question game
- GiuliaMarco, il gioco delle domande! Che cosa c'è nella tua strada?Marco, the question game! What is there on your street?
- MarcoC'è un bar e ci sono due negozi. Quando c'è il mercato?There's a bar and there are two shops. When is the market on?
- GiuliaDomani! E come si chiama la via del bar?Tomorrow! And what is the bar's street called?
- MarcoVia Bologna! E quanto è un cappuccino? … Due euro. Perfetto, no?Via Bologna! And how much is a cappuccino? … Two euros. Perfect, right?
Vocabulary
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- chi
pronounwho (hard c — the chapter-4 h-shield: «ki»)
- che cosa
pronounwhat (in speech often just cosa: Cosa c'è?)
- quando
adverbwhen
- come
adverbhow (you have used it since come stai — now it stands alone)
- perché
adverbwhy AND because — one word, both directions (accent on the é)
- la strada
n.f.the street, the road
- la via
n.f.the street (in addresses: Via Bologna 12)
- il mercato
n.m.the market
- con me / con te
pronounwith me / with you
- il gioco
n.m.the game
- perfetto / perfetta
adjectiveperfect
Grammar
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Questions: question word + verb, immediately
Explanation
Italian asks questions in two ways, both easy. Way one, without a question word: the sentence stays IDENTICAL and only the voice rises — Sei di Napoli? C'è un bar? No inversion, no extra word. Way two, with a question word: dove, chi, che cosa, quando, come, quanto, perché stand at the START, and the verb arrives right after — Dov'è il museo? Chi è? Quando c'è il mercato? The trap is putting the subject in between («Dove il museo è?»): the question word and the verb do not separate — the subject, if needed, goes AFTER the verb. Note the traveling companions: quanto and quanti agree (Quanto è? Quanti anni hai?); perché does double duty — question AND answer: Perché sei qui? — Perché ho un amico qui. And come si chiama…? turns chapter 3's formula into a question for everything: people, streets, dishes.
Examples
- Sei di Napoli? C'è un bar?Are you from Naples? Is there a bar?
- Dov'è il museo? Chi è? Quando c'è il mercato?Where is the museum? Who is it? When is the market on?
- Perché sei qui? Perché ho un amico qui!Why are you here? Because I have a friend here!
- Come si chiama la via? Si chiama Via Bologna.What's the street called? It's called Via Bologna.
Grammar
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Double consonants: nono is not nonno
Explanation
In Italian a written double consonant is HELD longer — and the length changes the meaning. Nono («9th») and nonno («your mother's father») are two different words; so are casa and cassa, pala and palla, sete and sette. If consonant length does not distinguish words in your language, your ear will not hear it at first: that is normal, and it trains. The physical trick: stop ON the consonant. For nonno, close your mouth on the n and count a beat before opening: non-no. For cassa, hold the s: cas-sa. It is a tiny pause inside the word. Doubles you already use without knowing: cappuccino (pp and cc!), pizza, otto, sette, mamma, anno. A useful pair: sono («I am») and sonno («sleepiness»: ho sonno, I'm sleepy). From today, when you learn a new word, check whether it has a double: it is as much part of the word as its vowels.
Examples
- nono ≠ nonno · casa ≠ cassa · sete ≠ setteninth ≠ grandpa · house ≠ till · thirst ≠ seven
- non-no · cas-sa · set-tegrandpa · till · seven, said in two halves
- cappuccino, pizza, otto, mammacappuccino, pizza, eight, Mom
- sono / sonnoI am / sleepiness
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