Use of che

Hi,

Can you help please?

I have seen many Italian sentences with “Che” followed by a conjugated verb that seems to translate as the verb in the gerund. Here are some examples:

C'e molta gente che passeggia = There are many people WALKING

Sono qui CHE ammiro questa vista = I am here ADMIRING this view

Can you tell me if this is the correct translation?

Also, could you tell me what the grammar form is called and if there are any rules about how to form it?

Thanks! 

Ciao David, 

Yes, you are correct! The construction you mentioned with "che" followed by a conjugated verb is called the "che-construction" or "relative clause with che" in Italian. It is used to express an action that is happening simultaneously or in relation to the main action in the sentence.

The translation you provided for the examples you mentioned is correct. Let's break it down further:

• - "C'è molta gente che passeggia" translates to "There are many people WALKING." Here, the verb "passeggia" (walking) in the relative clause introduced by "che" corresponds to the action happening concurrently with the main action of there being many people.
• - "Sono qui CHE ammiro questa vista" translates to "I am here ADMIRING this view." In this case, the verb "ammiro" (admiring) in the relative clause introduced by "che" expresses the action of admiration happening at the same time as the main action of being here.
•  

As for the rules to form the che-construction, here are some key points:

• - The relative clause introduced by "che" follows the main clause and provides additional information about the action.
• - The verb in the relative clause agrees in tense and subject with the verb in the main clause.
• - The che-construction is commonly used to express simultaneous actions, ongoing actions, or actions that provide further details or circumstances related to the main action.
•  

I hope this helps clarify the usage and rules of the che-construction in Italian. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask! 

Buona giornata! :)

Thank You!

I just saw your full response in my email inbox. 

It is so useful to know the name of the piece of grammar so i can identify it and, more importantly, know how to form it. I can see it is used in conversation a fair bit so I'm glad to know how it works.

All the best!