51 Comments
Come on Duolingo. This does not do anything to demonstrate or teach clitics, but rather distracts from the topic and confuses the learner by once again introducing a previously unencountered and unconventional verb . Thanks to the poster mario.a for the very useful link to about.com and the verb andarsene which is my takeaway from this sentence, not the clitic piece.
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Duolingo has gotten too big for its britches. It's no longer designing careful teaching strategy. Are computers completely running the show?
I don't understand why this translates as "I am going" - what do "me" and "ne" mean here...or is it just an idiomatic expression?
From what I understand, "ne" in Italian can mean "of it", or "from it", or "about it". In the case of "Io me ne vado", "ne" means "from it" or "from here". So the sentence literally means "I am going away from here", or "I am leaving".
As to why we also use the reflexive pronoun "me" (myself), it's hard to find an explanation. I suppose the verb andare just has to be used reflexively in this expression. It's a bit like saying: "I'm taking myself away from here".
Incidentally "ne" is equivalent to the French word "en". Also in French, you would get a similar construction: "Je m'en vais" (also meaning "I am leaving").
Note I am not a fluent Italian speaker though. I am only using deduction and my knowledge of French and assuming it applies to Italian too, since they are fairly similar languages.
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Thank you! I've been going through the mud with these sentences, and your explanation really helped
Grazie to vertdevrai for pointing out that this is similar in use to the French "en"! It made it so clear for for me!!!♡
jairemix: Brilliant explanation... kudos to you... and please accept a lingot. Thank you!
But then that mean "ne" would be an adverb not a clitic which is so confusing as ne is one of the clitics Duolingo is trying to teach so why confuse does Duolingo confuse us even more
In Spanish 'ir' is to go and 'irse' is to go away, so 'me voy' is I go away or, as I prefer to think of it, I make (myself) off.
Can we not have so many idioms on the clitics? Maybe have another lesson just for these annoying idioms that don't actually teach the clitics.
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Hmm. You're right. This third part of the 'clitic' section has gone off at a tangent.
This is an impossible section! There are so many new things introduced, which have nothing whatsoever to do with the main thrust of this section. I am now on my eighth failed attempt, and still coming across totally new things, which of course are never explained
My translation: "I am out of here" makes more sense (that is what I think). Ha ha!.
I didn't understand what she talking about, the voice is not understandable for me.I can't catch up this because I'm only beginer.
I would have to think that this translation is shortened and misses the emphasis being placed into the sentence--at least that is what I think, and I could be wrong.
What I think this really means is "I am going there myself" or "I, myself, am going there". "ne" here would represent "there", and I think "me" is there for emphasis, to make it a stronger statement.
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The infinitive form "andarsene" means "to go away". Therefore "Io me ne vado" should be understood as "I am going (away)".
See: http://italian.about.com/library/verb/blverb_andarsene.htm
Why not just "Vado" or "Io vado"? The translation is "I am going." No need for a reflexive pronoun. This lesson is more confusing than illuminating.
You can of course say that. But you lose the "from" or "out" meaning that is expressed by "ne". The whole sentence would be "Io me ne vado [da qui]".
A reverse example: The rather common sentence "I gotta get out of here" translates in italian perfectly with "Devo andarmene da qui" / "Me ne devo andare da qui".
craaash80-- Along w/ how mario.a explains it above, your explanation is very helpful. Thanks.
I am a native English speaker, not totally ignorant of grammar, and I had to look up just what a 'clitic' is. Thanks, Duo, for expanding my vocabulary.
surely io vado is much more efficient and understandable than this contorted phrase?
denisemelv1: it might look so, but looks don't always equate with what's actually said. We have a "MeetUp" group in our city for those wishing to speak Italian over wine/coffee/gelato and my italian instructor, a native, used that very phrase (minus the 'io') when she was about to leave. I asked her about it, since i'd seen the verb 'andarsene' and she explained that it's a very common way to express that idea. So while "io vado" might look more efficient and understandable, it's not necessarily what a native would say, nor I suspect would it be thought of a 'contorted'. So use "io vado" if you find it easier, but realize you're not necessarily helping yourself learn 'real' italian.
Thank you for your comments. Yes I suppose it seems easier in the early stages but mightn't equate to what is being used by native speakers. I just have to get used to the many twists in another language!
According to google Translate: Io ne vado = I'm leaving; Io me ne vado = I'm leaving; Me ne vado = I'm leaving Without the "io" or the "me", it becomes: Ne vado = I'm going So the significant word is the "ne".
I'm think an Italian would understand you to mean "I'm outta here --- like now!"
michaelsco...My understanding of it is the same as yours. Good explanation.
Is the english translation reflective of the italian sentence? Could it be "I myself go away from it/here"?
I think it should be: (Io) sto andando. Sono andando would mean "they're going". Aside from that, the original sentence strikes me as way too difficult a concept for most students except the very advanced.
Lessons like this make me want to give up. I am pulling my hair out now. Argh!!!!
I showed this sentence to my Italian teacher at Parliamo Italiano in NYC and d he wondered if marijuana was already legalized in the City. She could not believe the explanation
i agree. How to discourage people from learning basics. Are you just showing off?
I agree. How to discourage people from learning basics. Are you just showing off?
