one's DETWhen translating one's, remember that in Italian determiners, like possessives and most other adjectives, agree in gender and number with the noun they qualify; one's is translated by il proprio + masculine singular noun ( one's neighbour, one's dog = il proprio vicino, il proprio cane), la propria + feminine singular noun ( one's teacher, one's house = la propria maestra, la propria casa), i propri + masculine plural noun ( one's children, one's books = i propri figli, i propri libri), and le proprie + feminine plural noun ( one's friends, one's shoes = le proprie amiche, le proprie scarpe). - When one's is used as a reflexive pronoun after a verb in the infinitive, it is translated by si which is always joined to the verb to form a single word: to brush one's teeth = lavarsi i denti. - For examples and particular usages see this entry. :
I.one [Brit wʌn, Am wən]DETWhen one is used impersonally as an indefinite pronoun, it is translated by si or uno when it is the subject of the verb: one never knows = non si sa mai; one would like to think that… = uno vorrebbe credere che… When one is the object of the verb or comes after a preposition, it is usually translated by te o ti : it can make one ill = ti può far ammalare. - When used as an indefinite pronoun, one is very formal; it is only used when you do not mean any one person in particular, in very general statements, stock phrases and proverbs: one must eat to live, not live to eat = si deve mangiare per vivere, non vivere per mangiare; one has to look after one's health = ci si deve preoccupare della propria salute. - As a consequence, one is very often substituted with you: you can do as you like here = qui si può fare quello che si vuole. - One and its plural form ones are used instead of a noun that has already been mentioned, and after this and that : “which of these books do you want?” “the big one, please” = “quale di questi libri vuoi?” “quello grosso, per favore”; I need some new ones = ne ho bisogno di nuovi; give me that one, not this one = dammi quello, non questo. - One and ones, however, are not used after these and those, the genitive case, and cardinal numbers: I want these = voglio questi; I won't drive my car, I'll get there in John's = non userò la mia macchina, ci andrò con quella di John; I'll take four = ne prendo quattro. - For more examples and all other uses, see this entry.
