40 Comments
122
Sui (su + i) translates as "on the" for plural nouns. No matter which direction you are translating this exercise, there is no "the" in either the English nor Italian sentence. Sul and sui do not work to translate the English sentence, and adding a "the" is not a proper translation for the Italian exercise (because there is no 'l' nor 'i").
Why? Well, the only definite article in English is "the", and when used it refers to a specific thing/noun. I can only guess that the intention of the exercise is to:
1) Point out that "sheets of white paper" could be considered a general and non specific thing, thus no "the". (See Justinnnnnn's and others comments below).
2) Focus on understanding the definite article
3) The exercise is pointing out that there are multiple ways to create a meaning in both languages. Sometimes we use "the" and sometimes we don't.
My best advice is to not add words that may mirror how you are used to saying something when translating but to focus on the parts of speech/grammar and translate from there.
- 172
Thank you for taking the time to tell us that. I love that this international community of language learners is so helpful to each other! :)
And English English but you can say sheets of paper and surely fogli means sheets even though English speakers are more likely to talk of writing on paper than sheets of paper.
I agree, context here means blank in English, but still not fixed. If referring to actual white sheets of paper the word 'draw' would be more likely used, but that would a completely different sentence.
"Sul" would be the singular contraction; "su" + "il" = "sul" The object in this is plural ("su" + "i" = "sui"), though that doesn't seem to be accepted either. Why it's not accepted is beyond me.
- 118
Thats not right, if it were to add, it should be sui. Fyi, i add "the" to the sentence and got it wrong. I think when it states su only, we will have to remove the "the". Anybody got this the same just like me?
I wrote "I write on the white sheets" and it was not accepted because of "the".
Yes, I made the same mistake. Of course in English 'the' makes the sheets of paper more specific but when you use articles in Italian is very difficult to grasp. However I find it very annoying, as an English speaker, when my English is marked wrong. Sometimes the 'mistake' is simply bad typing!
Once again- would someone please explain what is wrong with sui (instead of su) in this sentence?
To clarify the question. I realise that the voice says 'su' but would sui also be correct here?
On the verge of giving up here... plural/singular... aaaaaaaargh! Just kidding ( ;
White papers was not accepted. Strange, because DL is usually so pedantic about singular and plural
- 121
In US English, I think I would say, "I write on sheets of white paper." Italian speakers: how does this change the translation?
- 15
So, we have to deduce that according to DL, 'foglio' means 'sheet or paper' and hence 'foglii' must mean 'sheets of paper', not 'white papers'. SIgh.
- 2081
"I write on the white papers". Wrong. Next time I wrote, "I write on the white paper" it was also wrong!
Damned if I do...
- 415
"I write on white papers" wasn't accepted. I would never say sheets of paper, it takes too long to say!
Su = on. Sui = on the (masculine plural). 'Su' is used in this lesson's sentence because it reads "on white sheets of paper" and not "on the white sheets of paper."
