52 Comments
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"non" doesn't mean any of those; it is just "not". For "legge", you can't tell without more information.
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I would have thought that "non legge" is also the imperative: "Don't read." The imperative takes third person singular (or plural)…no?
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It's slightly more complicated than that ;-)
The negative imperatives would be:
Non leggere (don't read), if you're using the informal tu form
Non legga if you're being formal/polite (using Lei)
Non leggete if you're addressing more than one person (voi)
Above is translated as HE does not read. That's how I translated it but was told it was SHE does not read.
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I mistakenly answered "You don't read" and Duolingo accepted it as correct answer.
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because your answer is correct! When speaking to strangers, the third person(and Capitalize Lei) is the polite form.
It doesn't read??? I thought it was supposed to be for she or he NOT it!!!???
My answer was "does not read", but said I was wrong. The right answer was "He does not read"?. It's 12:30 am in Italy now, but I have messaged my cousin there and will post back with her answer. Maybe when you are speaking he/she is implied and that was my question.
Ok my cousin Maria says "He does not read" is literally "egli non legge", but more common to say "non legge". To say "non legge" can also just mean "does not read". She lives in the south of Italy if that matters....specifically in San Marco in Lamis, Foggia.
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Ok, this may be a dumb question, but here goes: I thought the recording sounded liked "Nonna legge", and the verbe tense matched, so that's what I wrote. Since it was wrong, can someone tell me first, do " Nonna" and "Non" sound very different to native speakers (or more advanced students of Italian)? Secondly, is my answer wrong because an article is needed before "Nonna"? Thanks for your help!
I believe I can answer the first question and that is Yes. Native speakers do hear the difference between nonna and non. The second n in nonna is stressed something like this: nonnn-Na. It is the same like the word donna: donnn-Na. Hope this makes sense!? Not sure how to answer your second question :)))
Non legge = (she, he or it) not read? If this is correct, why is it assume that it is a he?
How do you know this is He does not read? I wrote I do not read? What suggests it is masculine?
I said he/she does not read, because based on the word legge, I know it could be either he or she. But it told me I was wrong and it just said she. I am wondering if I just put he or just put she and not both, if I would have gotten it right...ugh.
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How am I supposed to know if it's a he, she or it, if doesn't have any personal pronouns..... hey guys this is confusing because I replied "I do not read" & I got it wrong! :(
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English has only a few declension clues, but 3rd person singular is one: I read; he reads. So even in English, if an example is "Reads not,"" you wouldn't expand it to I reads not. Reads doesn't go with I. Do you see why Non legge could not be I don't read. I goes with leggo, not legge. You need to see how the verb form limits the pronoun form.
Thanks Ben, this is a very helpful explanation, should be at the top!
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I guess I was not really paying much attention to the verb. .. I will now do that! Thanks!
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It is based on what was under discussion. If a male was being talked about: "My son is 5 years old. Non legge then means "he doesn't read." If a female was under discussion, then the same phrase is she doesn't read. When no discussion precedes, then use the pronoun for third person. But usually there is always something preceding that eliminates the need of using a pronoun. We do it in English sometimes: "He never went to school. Doesn't read."
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Thanks! You are right. Once I get it..it will be easier...I hope.
Have a great night. :)
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Clearly this question is all over the place, we def need am overhaul
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Just saying. Neutral is a "gender" both in my native Greek and Italian (English too but in a different way) and I understand the concept perfectly. "Does not read" is the most accurate translation to this as it could be referring to something that is gender neutral (like, I don't know, say an app or something). Honestly I'm just pissed I had to modify an otherwise correct answer, that's all...
I have answered this question many times and even cut and pasted the response suggested by duo lingo but it wont accept my answer so I cannot progress
Wouldnt it be Lei non legge. Nothing tells us that it is a girl?
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I feel that he/she should be accepted as there is no sign of a pronoun
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That's too bad. Well-read people are less likely to be evil.
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In which cases is gg (or g in general) pronounced as it is in the English word green and in which as it is in gender? Is there something like a rule?
