Easy Learning Italian Grammar (2011)
CONJUNCTIONS
3. Split conjunctions
English split conjunctions such as either … or and both … and are translated by split conjunctions in Italian.
o … o either … or
|
o oggi o domani |
either today or tomorrow |
|
Ti accompagneranno o Carlo o Marco. |
Either Carlo or Marco will go with You. |
né … né neither … nor, either … or
|
Non mi hanno chiamato né Claudio né Luca. |
Neither Claudio nor Luca has phoned me. |
|
Non avevo né guanti né scarponi. |
I didn’t have either gloves or boots. |
sia … che both … and
|
Verrano sia Luigi che suo fratello. |
Both Luigi and his brother are coming. |
Note that in English a singular verb is used in sentences that have split conjunctions. In Italian a plural verb is used in sentences with split conjunctions if the two people or things involved are both the subject of the verb.
|
Non vengono né lui né sua moglie. |
Neither he nor his wife is coming. |