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here is an example of "in the" in English sentence being only "in" in the Italian sentence
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in italian, the rule to omit the definite article is valid for all places of the house (and others)
- the ladder is in the kitchen = la scala è in cucina
- the ladder is in the bathroom = la scala è in bagno
- the ladder is in the cellar = la scala è in cantina
- the ladder is in the yard = la scala è in cortile
- we go to the swimming pool = andiamo in piscina (not "...alla piscina")
- he works at the bank = Lui lavora in banca (not "...alla banca")
but if you put the possessive adjective or the owner of the room...
- the ladder is in my kitchen = la scala è nella mia cucina
- the ladder is in your bathroom = la scala è nel tuo bagno
- the ladder is in the John's cellar = la scala è nella cantina di John
- the ladder is in the neighbor's yard = la scala è nel cortile del vicino
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My dictionary says that "scala" means scale but I was marked wrong. It's far more logical to have a scale in the kitchen than a stair.
scala -> scale is in a particular context, meaning on a scale of 1-10, or to do with cartography (This map scale is 1cm:100km). Or possibly meaning on a grand scale. Or even music scales, but not for measuring weight. The scale used for weighing is bilancia (think 'balance')
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I would also say "to scale a mountain top or ladder", which gives me more understanding of why it's used for "ladder" in this context
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I often hear and read both "kitchen scale" and "scala" (di cucina) and almost never the kitchen balance or bilancia (I mean in cuisine context only). I am very positive that ladder is an oddity here, even if some kitchens have furniture that definitely need a ladder to get things from the top shelf.
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Interesting observation. In English there are two (or three) different ethymologies of the word "scale". The "gradation" meaning comes from Latin scala which means, well, "ladder". The "weight measuring" meaning comes from Old Norse skál which means "bowl". As you can see the two are completely unrelated, thus in Romance languages the "weight measuring" meaning is completely foreign. If you google "scala di cucina" you get mostly scales, but if you use the correct Italian phrase "scala da cucina" you get a lot of ladders too, although this is not a standard object in any way. I guess scales come from people not very familiar with the Italian language or this is a new trend under English influence, which is still not accepted by dictionaries.
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D'accordo! I was thinking also that the very famous opera house in Milan is La Scala...The Scale....makes sense, no?
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Why is it "in cucina" for this sentence, and not "nella cucina"?
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Look through the comments. The top comment answers your question perfectly. :)
I asked the same question in previous sentences and someone told me that there's an exception for kitchen.
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I entered "in our kitchen", but it was marked wrong. I thought it was implicit with the verb form that the kitchen is "ours". We've seen this sort of implicit possessive before, so I thought it should apply here.
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I haven't seen a rule for implicit-ness of a personal pronoun that is omitted, except for number two on this link, about personal articles of clothing or body parts.
http://www.arnix.it/free-italian/italian-grammar/possessive-adjectives-in-italian.php
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I more or less got the general atmosphere of a clueless traveller who is completely lost in some youth hostel constantly searching for the soap and the showers, but the ladder in the kitchen brings this lesson to new heights.
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Does "la scala" mean both "ladder" and "stairs"? Is there any way do distinguish in italian which one I mean (ladder or staris)?
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ladder = scala - - ladders = scale
rungs ladder = scala a pioli
extension ladder = scala allungabile
rope ladder = scala di corda
stair (step) = scalino - - stairs = scala/scale
a flight of stairs = una rampa di scale
two flights of stairs = due rampe di scale
emergency stairs = scala di emergenza
spiral staircase = scala a chiocciola
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Is there a difference between scala and scale? Or both mean ladder or stair?
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in Italian, the main meaning of "scala" is ladder/stairs.
"Scale" is the plural of scala
a previous question with the same structure accepted "in cucina" as my kitchen. now it is marked wrong. why?
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"in cucina" means in the kitchen, but if you want a possessive (my kitchen) then you need to add an article after the word "in", and that changes it to "nella":
- in + il = nel in + il mio = nel mio
- in + la = nella in + la mia = nella mia
Non ho una scala nella mia cucina (I do not have a ladder in my kitchen)
Non ho una scala in cucina (I do not have a ladder in the kitchen)
Does that help?
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Non abbiamo una scala in cucina. We don't have stairs in the kitchen Was marked correct for me.
I wrote " we do not have stairs in the kitchen" and I was marked wrong ...
Under the translations for abbiamo, it says "We own..." So I wrote "We do not own..." and it marked it wrong. Can someone enlighten me?
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It seems to me that the verb "to own" is independent place. So to say "I own a ladder in the kitchen" is not correct in english.
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sound quality.. speaker says UN scala INNA cucina. Also most of the sentences spoken.. especially the last couple of words which appear to drop off.. are very fuzzy, and difficult to hear even in slow mo. Do I need a better set of speakers? Did others hear UN scala INNA cucina?
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Scroll up for the answer to this: House locations do not need the article unless you have used a possessive with it.
Another odd statement when translated to english. It would be more useful to know how to communicate about a step stool -- not a stairway or ladder.
We cannot get to the other room, since we do not have a ladder in the kitchen.
Saying stair for "Scala' instead of "stairway" - how can that be incorrect?
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we have no ladder(s) in the kitchen are not accepted? should they be?
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the sentence did not say Non abbiamo una scala in LA cucina! yet the answer require in THE kitchen!!
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The correct translation is probably "We do not have steps in the kitchen" As in ktchen steps. Anyone tried it? Bet it's marked wrong.
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"We do not have a ladder in the kitchen" was accepted. Which could be a statement made while painting said kitchen.
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Yes, I said step and it was marked incorrect. Here in the USA Midwest most people would say, "a step" not "a stair"
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Here in the Pacific Northwest we would say "step ladder", or "step stool".
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Yes 'step' is marked as wrong - I thought it would be 'a step' (singular) or 'stairs' (plural), but this is not marked as correct.
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I don't think it's slang; but someone should confirm that
we have no ladder
is the same as
we do not have a ladder
In better words, they appear to be the same sentence in English or least mean the same thing. Are the Italian translations for each the same, though?
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Given the Italian construction for negation, I cannot imagine that there could be a different translation for your two sentences (the first of which is rarely, if ever, used outside of a musical hall environment).
Could any native Italian speakers confirm this please?
