40 Comments
"Ci abboniamo a un giornale." or "Facciamo l'abbonamento a un giornale."
(The abuse of the verb "fare"... ;) )
I think "obtain" is a good way to think of this verb, as suggested by KSOO, even though the most common translation is "take." I looked it up in my Oxford_Beginner's_Italian_Dictionary, and it gave these examples of how "prendere" is used:
chi ha presso la mia borsa? = who took my bag?
vai a prendere le posate = go get the cutlery
prendere la palla = to catch the ball
prendi un caffè? = would you like a coffee? [I think of the Beatles' line "would you be free to take some tea with me?"]
I note, also, that speakers of other languages often use "take" in situations where we would use "get". A woman approached me in an airport once asking where one could "take the boarding pass." After some questions, I figured out that what she meant was where does one get a boarding pass.
It is part of the richness of languages that they do not always divide up meanings the same way. To the speaker's delight and the learner's vexation.
I've been asked, when abroad, if I could "make" a picture of someone with their camera.
I am also confused. Earlier we learned that "prende" meant "take" as in "She takes my sugar". I infer, based off of this sentence, that "prendiamo" (we take) refers to OBTAINING the newspaper and does not necessarily carry an implication of theft like in "She takes my sugar". I guess "prende", etc means more like "Take one, pass it around" (a stack of papers)? Which is why "take" and "get" both work?
Thanks KSOO and Punkmom! We obtain a newspaper. You know what this is perfect for describing? Free newspapers and magazines on little racks. You don't buy them, you don't steal them... you get them! Sometimes there is a sign imploring you to "TAKE ONE"!
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Unfortunately get and got are often and frequently misused in American English and DL is incorrectly reinforcing their use. As you go through the comments you will find complaints about DL's use of "get" and the bad example sentences. These words have become more slang in everyday use and there are more precise words to convey meanings. We have words which can give a better explaination of how we "get" something. In this case I would use the meaning of prendere (take) rather than "get".
- 168
I english take a newspaper means you have a subscription to ,or get ,a particular newspaper every day
I said grab as well. It was one of the suggestions, and it sounds fine to me
- 1088
"Grab" implies that you are in a hurry and take (the newspaper) quickly (from a vendor or machine). I don't know the Italian nuance, but Google Translate shows 'Prendiamo il gionale" as a possible translation of "We grab the newspaper." But if you are just subscribing, "grab" would not be a good translation.
i have so much problems with this one as a native spanish speaker cos i keep thinking of a newspaper on fire.
We -get- a newspaper almost implies that someone gives it to you, while this verb would be an activity, so the taking /obtaining/fetching meaning of get. (Which is part of the reason that english is not the best language to learn another from, to much ambiguities in words and meanings.)
I can clearly hear the woman saying prendiamo il giornale and not prendiamo un giornale. Does anybody hear as I do?
No because we bring would be "Noi portiamo un giornale." VS. "Noi prendiamo un giornale"
- 1088
"Fetch the newspaper" is a phrase usually reserved for dogs. "Fido, go fetch the newspaper!"
If given a choice of different reading materials, could this mean "We'll take a newspaper," as in immediate future? I know it would mean that in Spanish, but Italian is not my forte!
Prendiamo according to duo, is (we) take, get, grab. Why is it when i use grab im wrong but get is right???
- 1088
"Take a newspaper" often means to subscribe to a newspaper. For example, "We take the local newspaper" usually means that it is delivered regularly to our home. "We grab a newspaper" means that we take a newspaper (at a newsstand, on a table, etc.) quickly or hurriedly with our hand.
How do we change this sentence to the past tense? (We already have the newspaper) Noi abbiamo il giornale?
When I lived in Italy, I would hear and say, "prendo un X" for "I'll take a [cup of coffee, whatever]".
Useful idiom to know, even if Duolingo doesn't teach it.
In the states, we take a newspaper often implies that we have a subscription to receive a newspaper. We get a newspaper could mean the same thing or that we pick one up for ourselves instead of having it delivered.
