Italian Phrase
Porta una penna e della carta per prendere appunti.
Meaning
The sentence is a polite instruction meaning ‘Bring a pen and some paper to take notes.’ It is commonly used when preparing for a class, meeting, or workshop where participants will need to write down information.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are organizing a lesson, a conference, a study group, or any situation where people are expected to write down key points. It works both in formal settings (e.g., university lectures) and informal ones (e.g., a friend’s study session).
✦Grammar Breakdown
Portaunapennaedellacartaperprendereappunti
Imperative (Porta)
‘Porta’ is the second‑person singular imperative of ‘portare’, used to give a direct command or polite instruction.
Indefinite article (una)
‘una’ is the feminine singular indefinite article, meaning ‘a’ or ‘one’.
Partitive article (della)
‘della’ is the partitive form of ‘di + la’, indicating an unspecified amount of something (‘some paper’).
Purpose clause (per + infinitive)
‘per’ followed by an infinitive expresses purpose: ‘to take notes’.
Infinitive (prendere)
‘prendere’ means ‘to take’; in this construction it follows ‘per’ to show the intended action.
Plural noun (appunti)
‘appunti’ is the masculine plural of ‘appunto’, meaning ‘notes’.
🗨In Conversation
Cosa devo portare per la lezione di domani?
What should I bring for tomorrow’s lesson?
Porta una penna e della carta per prendere appunti.
Bring a pen and some paper to take notes.
✕Common Mistakes
Porta una penna e una carta per prendere appunti.
‘una carta’ refers to a specific sheet, while the intended meaning is an indefinite amount. Use the partitive ‘della carta’ instead.
Porta una penna e della carta per prendere note.
‘prendere note’ is understandable but less idiomatic; Italians usually say ‘prendere appunti’.
↔Alternatives
Porta una matita e del foglio per annotare.
Bring a pencil and a sheet of paper to jot down notes.
Porta una penna e un foglio per scrivere appunti.
Bring a pen and a sheet to write notes.
Porta una penna e della carta per scrivere.
Bring a pen and some paper to write.
Cultural Tip
In Italian schools and universities it is customary for students to bring their own pen and paper. Using the partitive ‘della carta’ sounds natural and polite, implying ‘some paper’ rather than a specific sheet. Avoid saying ‘la carta’ unless you refer to a particular piece of paper that both speakers already know.