"La scatola non si apriva completamente."

Translation: The box was not opening all the way.

[siebolt]

"la scatola si apre" = the box opens. Box is the subject, "si apriva" is the action.(could not be opened further). Your phrase would have been: "la scatola non era aperta completamente.

[Koolkaren]

Thank you for such a quick and helpful response. Much appreciated. :)

[sal17]

why is the si needed as part of si apriva? many thanks

[Marninger]

I think it is a reflexive construction. There is no exact translation to English but it is something like:

La scatola, non, si . . , apriva , completamente. =
The box . , not, itself, opened, completely. ~
The box did not open itself completely. ~
The bod would not open completely. ~
The box was not opening completely.

[Koolkaren]

It did not accept my translation "The box was not completely open." Does this Italian sentence give more the sense that the box could not be opened further, or only that it hadn't been opened further?

[TheFinkie]

No, "apriva" is a verb, so the English translation must use open as a verb. Your sentence uses it as an adjective.

[TomTorchia]

I said the same thing. Ie should be accepted

[DennisMD]

This makes no sense in English, Boxes do not open by themselves except in the movies,

[J.Franchomme]

What is the problem with:

• "The box didn't completely open."?

[oktaya]

The problem is the timeframe I think. This sounds like you're standing up next to a box and it didn't open whereas the past tense here (i think) means a box in the past would not open. Maybe they were able to open it after all.

[Koolkaren]

I put "The box didn't open completely." It is now accepted. :)

[KathyAOF]

I wish to know that, too.

[JoolsStone]

'the box has not opened fully' not accepted

[Lysa86]

I tried to answer with "fully" as well. The box didn't fully open... it was rejected

[benczurp]

Me too. I think it is just a correct solution which is not yet coded :-)

[jgbachand]

For the imperfect, "was not completely open" would seem to work fine.

[gordon_gregory]

DL did not accept "the box was not opened completely"

[bjojoe]

Because that's passato prossimo!
(La scatola non ha aperto completamente)

[peter2108]

Duo rejected the box was not completely open. I reported it

[Mimma.I.]

That would be "la scatola non era completamente aperta".

[peter2108]

Ah, yes. Thanks

[bjojoe]

Because in your translation you use "open" as an adverb not as a verb. (What was the box? The box was open)

[marcocaramori]

Is 'The box couldn't be opened completely.' wrong? Thanks!

[darkpeak]

this use of the reflexive is ....mmmm....subtle?

[1951K]

What's wrong with...The box was not completely opened?

[ArgentaMoon]

"The box would not completely open" was accepted.

[Catherine302968]

Was not completely opened means the same thin and is more English than American!

[Sionel]

"Completely opened" fails. It must be "opened all the way".

Why?

[Violabenoun]

There is a misunderstanding here,, English translation is completely wrong

[Inksi]

Isn't "in any way " in a negative sentenze better than " all the way"?

[Patricia869260]

I put "the box would not open all the way" and it was accepted.

[monica993371]

Why not, "the box wasn't completely open"?

[NadinaMaria22]

Open Sesame