SpeeekDownload on the App Store
Back to At Home

Italian Phrase

Cominciamo dall'armadio.

/kominˈtʃa.mo dal ˈlarmadjo/
Meaning"Let's start from the wardrobe."
💡

Meaning

Literally, “Let’s start from the wardrobe.” It is a suggestion to begin an activity—usually organizing, cleaning, or describing a room—by first focusing on the wardrobe.

🎯

When to use

Use this phrase when you and a partner are planning to tidy a bedroom, when you’re giving a tour of a house and want to begin with the closet, or when you’re discussing a step‑by‑step process that logically starts with the wardrobe.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Cominciamodall'armadio

1

Cominciamo

First‑person plural present indicative of *cominciare*; used as an inclusive ‘let’s …’ invitation.

2

dall'

Contraction of the preposition *da* + the masculine singular article *il*; means ‘from the’. In spoken Italian the apostrophe replaces the vowel of *il*.

3

armadio

Masculine singular noun meaning ‘wardrobe’ or ‘closet’. The stress falls on the second syllable: ar‑MA‑dio.

🗨In Conversation

A

Cominciamo dall'armadio?

Shall we start with the wardrobe?

Sì, così troviamo subito i vestiti che dobbiamo sistemare.

Yes, that way we’ll find the clothes we need to put away right away.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Cominciamo da l'armadio.

    The article *il* contracts with *da* to *dall'*; writing them separately is incorrect.

  • Cominciare dall'armadio.

    Using the infinitive *cominciare* instead of the conjugated *cominciamo* loses the inclusive ‘let’s’ meaning.

  • Cominciamo dalla armadio.

    If the noun is masculine singular, the article must be *l'* after the contraction; *la armadio* is wrong.

↔Alternatives

  • Iniziamo dall'armadio.

    We begin with the wardrobe.

  • Partiamo dall'armadio.

    We start from the wardrobe.

  • Cominciamo con l'armadio.

    Let's start with the wardrobe.

it

Cultural Tip

In many Italian homes the *armadio* is a central piece of furniture, often built‑in and used for both clothing and linens. When Italians talk about ‘starting from the wardrobe’, they usually mean tackling the most visible or clutter‑prone area first. Keep your tone friendly and inclusive; the verb form *cominciamo* signals a collaborative effort, which is appreciated in Italian social interactions.