Lesson 5.9: Possible error in translation?

In this lesson we are given Capisci il discorso? which is translated as  Do you understand the speech?, but a couple of examples later we have Capisce il tedesco?, translated as Do you understand German?

In both examples the “you” is in parentheses as the subject is implied rather than actually stated in the Italian.

Is this an error, as I thought capisce is 3rd person singular, not 2nd?  So the translation could be Does he (or she) understand German?

Hi Peter,

Thanks for reaching out and bringing up an interesting point! You've observed a subtlety in Italian that's worth exploring.

In Italian, "capisce" is indeed the third person singular form, often used for "he," "she," or "it." However, Italian also has a formal or polite form of addressing someone using the third person singular, equivalent to the formal "you" in English.

So, when you see "Capisce il tedesco?" translated as "Do you understand German?" with "you" in parentheses, it's because in formal Italian, the subject pronoun "Lei" (you, formal) is often omitted but understood. This omission is a feature of the language and doesn't strictly make it third person.

In essence, the translation could be "Does he/she understand German?" from a strictly grammatical perspective. Still, considering the context of a formal or respectful interaction, it can also be interpreted as "Do you (formal) understand German?" The use of parentheses acknowledges that the subject pronoun is implied based on context.

It's a nuance in Italian language and formality, and both translations are valid. Feel free to ask if you have more questions or if there's anything else you'd like clarification on!

Best regards,

Enxhi