"Il ghiaccio si rompe."
Translation:The ice breaks.
54 CommentsThis discussion is locked.
24
Am I going to have to remember to always use "si" in front of "rompe"? Is "Il ghiacco rompe" wrong, for some reason?
A reflexive verb is one where the subject is also the object: I kick myself.
Italian often uses a reflexive form where English would use passive. An example from today's newspaper: "Il Comitato direttivo centrale che si è tenuto oggi a Roma." "Che si è tenuto oggi" literally means "which held itself today," but in English we would say it was held today (or it took place today).
Verbs are either transitive or intransitive, meaning they either require an object or not. In your sentence, "when I break something.." something is the direct object and break is a transitive verb; when you say, "Something breaks/broke", the verb is intransitive because it does not require an object.
It is wrong because in Il ghiacco rompe, rompe doesn't have an object. In other words, the ice isn't breaking something, the ice itself is breaking. If the ice broke the boat, for example (admittedly a poor one), the verb would no longer be reflexive and the reflexive pronoun si would not be required.
At least that's what I've figured out so far. I may be wrong. :)
Rompere is a quite a (maybe all too) common verb in my experience in Italy. Genuine grammar question follows related to reflexive - anyone (Italian probably best) care to give me the Italian for "he breaks my balls") {Hope this is allowed by mods - was thinking of blanking it but then I might get some blanked language advice back :) :( ] Something else is being broken but then being done to me.
with "rompere" you can build quite a lot of swearing. But I'm sure you already know them. Everyone who has been in Italy and with italians, even for a month only, should already know them. Anyway, if you want to have fun, look for these strings with google:
- "non mi rompere le"
- "non mi rompere il"
- "non mi rompere i"
- "ti rompo il"
1570
Could this ever be figurative, as it is in English? The ice is breaking i.e. people are beginning to talk, relax, etc.
924
In the non-reflexive form, yes. Rompere il ghiaccio - to break the ice - to initiate conversation in order to avoid social awkwardness. Take a look :) - http://dizionari.corriere.it/dizionario-modi-di-dire/G/ghiaccio.shtml#6
Nor to me. Reflexives don't always translate from one language into another exactly as such. My suggestion is if a reflexive translation doesn't make sense or sounds unnatural then leave the reflexive pronoun out. Ex.Mi sono svegliato = I woke up. To say "I woke myself up", while possible in some scenario, isn't what the construction means which is simply "I woke up." Waking usually isn't something conscious or intentional, it just happens.
Thanks! I did some searching on reflexive verbs and found some useful info online, I don't think it is covered in DL very well. For others struggeling: this site made me understand it better, and also explains how the reflexive pronouns (mi, ti, si, ci, vi) are derived: http://www.lifeinitaly.com/italian/reflexive-verbs