How do I know when to use "sono" and when to use "io" for "I am"?
sono or io

Linda-D26
May 7, 2013

grahame-r
May 8, 2013
Ciao Linda
They basically mean the same thing
io= I
sono= I am
"io" is not always needed, it is used if you want to emphasise a condition.
io comprerò la cena
I will buy the dinner
comprerò already meaning I will buy
I hope this is of some help
Buona fortuna con il tou italino
Ciao

Linda-D26
May 8, 2013
Grazie Grahame!
So in the sentences below:
"Io non lavoro adesso. Sono in Italia in vacanza. "
"I am not working now. I am in Italy on vacation." Can I also say:
"Sono non lavoro adesso. Io in Italia in vacanza."
Io in Italia seems wrong, but "Sono non lavoro adesso" is that okay?
Ciao

grahame-r
May 8, 2013
Cioa Linda
I think it would be " Non io lavoro adesso. Sono in Italia in vacanza."
You would say "Non sono lavoro adesso. io sono in italia in vacanza."
"io" is a pronoun
"in" is a preposition
I believe you always start a negative sentence with non.
I'm sure Maria can clarify better than me! (And correct my errors)
Ciao

Linda-D26
May 9, 2013
Grazie Grahame!
Apprezzo il vostro aiuto.
Ciao

grahame-r
May 9, 2013
Ciao Linda. Piacere mio.
Another way you could say "I am not working" is "Non sto lavorando", but I'm not sure if you would use it in the context with "io sono in Italia in vacanza", as it describes something that is happening at that very moment.
ie.
Sto aspettando nel parcheggio.
I am waiting in the carpark.(At this very moment)
Non ti spero sono confuso?
A presto

Linda-D26
May 9, 2013
No, grazie. Io non sono troppo confuse. Solo una parte del processo di apprendimento.
Grazie mille!

Maria-DiLorenzi
May 12, 2013
Ciao a tutti!
Grahame, grazie per il tuo aiuto!
The sentence "I am not working now. I am in Italy on vacation" will be
"Al momento (at the moment) non lavoro. Sono in vacanza in Italia".
"Io" (which means "I") can be omitted in Italian so if you say "io sono in vacanza" is also correct.
You can also say "al momento io non sto lavorando" , which is also right.
I hope this helps.
Ciao

Linda-D26
May 12, 2013
Ciao Maria,
In the sentence "Io non lavoro adesso" or "I am not working now" I am still misunderstanding where "am" comes from. Or is the translation is "I do not work now"?
Grazie.

Maria-DiLorenzi
June 13, 2013
Ciao Linda,
please remember that translation are not literal.
So the sentence :
io = I
non =don't
lavoro = work
adesso = now
(translated as well as "I am not working now") in the meaning that you are off from work at the moment.
But you can also translate "I am non working now" as "io non sto lavorando ora"
I = io
am = sto
no =non
working =lavorando
now=ora
This may have a bit of more sense for you....
I hope this helps.
Ciao

Linda-D26
June 16, 2013
Grazie Maria! Ho capito adesso!

o.h.
February 22, 2014
grazie