"She enters the restaurant."

Translation: Lei entra nel ristorante.

[dmmaus]

Hmm. Why does this need "in" or "nel", rather than just "Lei entra il ristorante"? The latter is more literal word for word - does the Italian require the equivalent of "She enters INTO the restaurant"?

[marziotta]

"entrare" needs a preposition.

Entrare in un posto = Enter in a place

Entrare da qualche parte = Enter somewhere

Entrare a casa = Enter home

The most common preposition is IN, but as you can see there are some exceptions.

Here a useful list but, there is not the verb "entrare" and for movement verbs you can have "in" that replaces "a" in the most of the cases. If there will be some questions regarding the issue, I will find a way to explain it in a second moment.
http://italian.about.com/od/verbs/a/aa031908a.htm

[IanShukis]

I did not even know that this was a thing! I am giving you a Lingot, thank you so much!

[Naseem200170]

Yikes, one more layer to the mystery. I hope I have it in me to keep climbing through this!

[LisaKropp]

O.K so because this is a movement verb when you are entering somewhere, you are not just entering "the" restaurant, or il ristorante, but for Italian grammar, you are entering "in" the restaurant, or nel ristorante, yes? Oh boy, as someone already said, yet another layer. Thank you for this explanation. Where would all of us be without our community?

[RobLeGrand]

Is "Entra al ristorante" incorrect? Or acceptable but awkward?

[AlonBrand]

DL tells me that "lei entra al ristorante" is correct.

[Bernadette241924]

Me too

[milanista1982]

Thanks marziotta. I had the same question.

[SoBroithe]

Thanks marziotta - that's very helpful to me also.

[Robert423232]

Great explanation. Thank you

[Kklobbes]

So are you saying that the nel goes with the entra, not with restaurant? That it is really a postposition?

[JuergenZirak]

Sounds like entrare has lost a bit of the implicit "in/into" meaning over history - if it ever had it to begin with, just guessing because of the similarity of "en(trare)" and "in" actually.

[RobertBridgman]

Very useful link. Thank you!

[Jack386237]

Marziotta. Excellent, and you also helped clarify one set of uses for in and a.

[danielbyron]

I feel like "Entra nel ristorante" could just as well be "He enters the restaurant"? So I didnt mark it. thoughts?

[sueheiser]

I thought the exact same thing.

[Dementu]

I failed here also...something is wrong

[AndyJamesM]

At least she didn't enter the waiter!!

[SchubertNo21]

You are correct, of course, but the verb 'entrare' requires a preposition. here 'nel' i.e' in the. But entrare can also be translated as 'to go in', which messes the definition up a little. viz - Entriamo! - let's go in!

[Catia9]

I see what you mean...

[trendaci]

It would be helpful to have a spot for rules. Is there one? Am I missing it? The discovery learning method is not always efficient.

[KennethBor1]

"Entra nel ristorante" could also mean "He enters the restaurant". There should only be one correct answer to this one.

[CesarS3]

Why not lei entra al ristorante?

[RaviOnline]

That would mean "she enters to the restaurant" and hence not correct. You go to or enter in (to) the restaurant.

[Naseem200170]

But DuoLingo says 'Lei entra al ristorante' is correct!

I had put Lei entra il ristorante and they corrected it to this:
'You used the wrong word.
Lei entra al ristorante.'

So now I am really confused.
Why al not il?

[IanG.1]

I got this wrong and was told by DL the correct translation is Lei entra al ristorante.

[RaviOnline]

The correct translation, or the best one if many, is displayed on the comments page too. It's "nel ristorante" above.

[maria711988]

Keeps marking wrong!

[Naseem200170]

Why al not il?

[BrendaHens3]

Would have been nice if SOMEWHERE in these lessons we were taught what needs a preposition. So VERY tired of getting things wrong when we've never been told these things!!!!!! Seriously thinking about quitting Duolingo for this reason.

[Don.Mc]

Thanks for the explanation Marziotta.

[GiadaSan]

I think the answer could be both....

[et-bim]

And why not: lei entra in ristorante? Please advise. (I think that "al ristorante" expresses the fact one is actually "in" the restaurant, with no movement.)

[Bec629667]

For the answer the correct English translation should have been she enters in the restaurant

[PATRICKPIZ1]

there is no one-to-one correspondence between italian and english. the correct english translation is, "she enters the restaurant."

[jvazquez76]

Lei ingressa il ristorante... No bueno? Isn't ingresso to enter when used as a verb?

[cello_girl_123]

From what I can see, 'ingressa' is the word for 'entrance', so you wouldn't use this as the verb.

[Sofie870036]

Why not in or nel? Aren't these prepositions too?

[MrsMixMusic]

If I said this "Lei entra il ristorante" they would understand. Sheesh.

[Sus545606]

When do you use "Lei entra" vs. just "Entra"?

[Cee383860]

Thank you Marziotta. I don't believe that we were taught that through the game.

[CarlaCulve]

Aren't all verbs movement?

[1sail3]

"Entra nel ristorante" can be for Lei or for Lui
it's not right..