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- "È andata a fare una passeggi…
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Seems a bit problematical to me. Couldn't "passeggiata" be retained in the Italian in a valid translation? I was under the impression that "passeggiata" has a specific meaning in Italian which I don't think can be directly translated into English with a single word. Sorry - this isn't meant to be a reply but a stand-alone question - for some reason I couldn't post it as that
When Italians, particularly the young, of an evening walk up and down in the main square or whatever looking their best. With their partner, or very probably looking for a partner. That's my understanding. I was once taken on one though I didn't realise what was happening at the time. Other folks, particularly Italians, feel free to correct me if I've got it wrong.
Silkwarrior - I am American but have spoken Italian since childhood and lived there/have family there.
Passeggiata is not old fashioned and is still very commonly used. If my extended family has a big dinner, we (not just young people, but also grandparents, parents, etc) might "fare una passeggiata" around the piazza afterwards to help digest.
It sounds like you are looking for something equivalent to "promenade" -- definitely an old fashioned, infrequently used word. "Passeggiata" can also technically be translated as promenade... but it is used much more commonly as "walk" or "stroll".
I hope that helps!
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andata - it's the passato prossimo, don't know what the tense is called in English actually. Funny how that works.
I think in french it's the passé composé. But no idea if it has a name in English. And it's the combination of it with the auxiliary verb essere that really puts it into the past. So it's auxiliary verb + past participle. If the auxiliary verb is essere then the past participle has to agree in number and gender with the subject. If it's avere then it sticks to the masculine singular. Unless there's a indirect pronoun in front of it. There's a whole lesson on this.