How to say “which means”: Italian grammar lesson 249

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How to say which means in Italian?

In today’s grammar note, we’re going to focus on how to say which means in Italian.

In other words, you’re going to learn how to say which to introduce a further comment on something, like in the example below:

Non mi ha detto niente, il che vuol dire che non vuole venire.

She didn’t say anything, which means she doesn’t want to come.

As you can see, we simply say il che.

Let’s read more about this topic!

How to say which means in Italian

What does il che mean in Italian?

Il che  means which and is used after a comma to add more information to what was already said.

Have a look at the example below:

Dovrei ottenere il massimo dei voti, il che è improbabile.

I would have to get top marks, which is unlikely.

As you can see, il che points back to the meaning of a whole sentence in the same way as which does.

Il che means the what, which doesn’t make sense.

It refers to a whole concept or idea, so it’s pretty neutral. It doesn’t change depending on gender or number.

However, since il che refers to an idea or a concept, it is followed by a verb in the third person singular, like in the example below:

E’ arrivata in ritardo, il che non mi stupisce.

She arrived late, which didn’t surprise me.

Also, il che is usually followed by the following verbs:

  • significa (means)
  • vuol dire (means)
  • è (is)
  • sembra (seems)
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What does il che mean in Italian

Il che: examples

Let’s have a look at some more examples:

Non è a casa, il che vuol dire che è uscito con i suoi amici.

He’s not home, which means he went out with his friends.

He doesn’t study, which is a pity.

Non studia, il che è un peccato!

Non avevano freddo, il che mi sembra incredibile.

They weren’t cold, which is unbelievable to me.

No mi ha chiamato, il che è strano.

He didn’t call me, which is strange.

Non si parlano più, il che significa che hanno litigato.

They don’t talk anymore, which means they argue.

How to use il che in Italian

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FAQs on How to say “which means”: Italian grammar lesson 249

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