Topic: Italian

"The woman reads him her book."

Translation:La donna gli legge il suo libro.

July 26, 2013

22 Comments

https://www.duolingo.com/haoy

    how would you say: "The woman reads him HIS book"? Wouldn't it be the same as "HER book" in this case?

    October 22, 2013
    https://www.duolingo.com/Ariaflame
    Plus
    • 2171

    Not sure. Possibly the 'La donna' being the actor means that it preferentially has a possessive as relating to her. I suspect if they wanted to specify that it was his book they would use il libro di lui rather than il suo libro.

    December 26, 2013
    https://www.duolingo.com/ziggKogg
    • 5

    No it's still il suo

    May 26, 2014
    https://www.duolingo.com/Ariaflame
    Plus
    • 2171

    So there's no way to specify something as being his or hers any other way? Il libro di cuoco would be the cook's book wouldn't it or is that il libro del cuoco? I know that his book and her book in the normal way is il suo libro

    May 26, 2014
    https://www.duolingo.com/thmarchi

      I got it correct, but could I have also written: "la donna lo legge il suo libro"?

      I'm still confused on when to use "gli" or "lo" for the direct object "him".

      Anyone?

      July 26, 2013
      https://www.duolingo.com/barra86

        "gli" means "a lui" or "to him" (as dative case), "lo" means "lui" or "him" (as accusative case). If you wrote "la donna lo legge il suo libro", "lo" would be refered to the book and not to the man (him) to whom the book is read.

        July 26, 2013
        https://www.duolingo.com/thmarchi

          Thanks. It makes better sense now!

          July 26, 2013
          https://www.duolingo.com/Archangelica
          • 2229

          That confused me too, I put "lo"

          August 26, 2013
          https://www.duolingo.com/chris.stan2

            Helpful yes, but I have a feeling I'll still keep missing it. Notice the sentence in English doesn't use "to" She reads him her book vs She reads to him her book. (We naturally remove the to). I'll keep trying though. :)

            March 27, 2014
            https://www.duolingo.com/PliLopes

              VEEEERY HELPFUL! Thanks!

              January 23, 2014
              https://www.duolingo.com/cadal99

                Thanks much! I keep messing it up ( like I did here and put what the original question asked :( ) but this helps!

                May 21, 2014
                https://www.duolingo.com/zackazacka

                  I used "gli" instead of "a lui" but it was not correct, so it cannot be the sams

                  June 8, 2015
                  https://www.duolingo.com/xyphax

                    this chart is organized to see how to use each pronoun before a verb. It might help you quickly answer your question when you see a particular pronoun, how it can work.

                    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw00FD60mORud3VtMkQyZmJ0MTA/edit?usp=sharing

                    March 16, 2014
                    https://www.duolingo.com/fofolafo

                      Hey xyphax, can you post the full web address for the chart please. The link is not working from my phone

                      April 11, 2014
                      https://www.duolingo.com/xyphax

                        all set ;-)

                        April 11, 2014
                        https://www.duolingo.com/Lavmarx

                          I don't even know how I'm getting these answers right because I clearly don't know what I'm doing here.

                          April 14, 2014
                          https://www.duolingo.com/AlexKri

                            why not "li legge" here?

                            April 12, 2014
                            https://www.duolingo.com/xyphax

                              Because li means them as a direct object .. but here we have him as an indirect object ..
                              gli legge = she reads to him

                              April 12, 2014
                              https://www.duolingo.com/Arturas465006

                                I thought "gli" was for plural?? I don't get it here...

                                August 20, 2018
                                https://www.duolingo.com/Chel451498

                                  It's just a weird Italian thing? While gli is the article for plural masculine nouns, it also is the indirect pronoun 'to him'. I can't tell you why; that would be too helpful for both of us.

                                  On a side note, the feminine indirect pronoun for 'to her' is le. So if you remember your plural articles, you got these pronouns. Good Luck!

                                  May 5, 2019
                                  https://www.duolingo.com/Samisthesam
                                  Plus

                                    Any reason that leggegli doesn't work? I'm still trying to understand the whole reasoning behind adding indirect object pronouns to the end of words.

                                    June 27, 2016
                                    https://www.duolingo.com/juxalata
                                    Plus

                                      I thought il suo libro was his book. Her book would be la sua libra wouldn't it??

                                      June 15, 2019
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