Significado
Something happening very soon.
Contexto cultural
Using 'ero sul punto di' is a common social 'white lie' or polite excuse. If you forgot to call someone, saying you were 'just about to' saves face by showing your good intentions. In classic Italian films, this phrase is often used to build tension in scripts, emphasizing the precariousness of the characters' lives. In Rome, you might hear 'stavo a...' instead, but in formal writing or news, 'essere sul punto di' remains the standard across the peninsula. In Italian business, deadlines are often 'sul punto di scadere' (on the verge of expiring), reflecting a culture that often works best under the pressure of the final moment.
The 'Proprio' Trick
Add 'proprio' (Ero proprio sul punto di...) to sound 100% like a native speaker when making an excuse.
No 'A' allowed
Never say 'sul punto a'. It's a classic English-speaker mistake. Stick to 'di'.
Significado
Something happening very soon.
The 'Proprio' Trick
Add 'proprio' (Ero proprio sul punto di...) to sound 100% like a native speaker when making an excuse.
No 'A' allowed
Never say 'sul punto a'. It's a classic English-speaker mistake. Stick to 'di'.
Drama is key
Use this phrase when you want to add a bit of 'suspense' to your story. It makes the listener lean in.
Teste-se
Fill in the missing parts of the phrase 'essere sul punto di'.
Io ___ sul punto ___ uscire quando è suonato il telefono.
The imperfect 'ero' is used here to set the scene for the interruption, and the preposition is always 'di'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the correct option:
It uses 'essere', the correct preposition 'di', and the infinitive 'piangere'.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural phrase.
A: Perché non hai risposto al mio messaggio? B: Scusa, ___ proprio sul punto di farlo, ma si è scaricata la batteria.
The past context requires the imperfect 'ero'.
Match the situation to the sentence.
Match: 'The milk is about to boil over.'
'Traboccare' is the specific verb for boiling over/overflowing.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosIo ___ sul punto ___ uscire quando è suonato il telefono.
The imperfect 'ero' is used here to set the scene for the interruption, and the preposition is always 'di'.
Choose the correct option:
It uses 'essere', the correct preposition 'di', and the infinitive 'piangere'.
A: Perché non hai risposto al mio messaggio? B: Scusa, ___ proprio sul punto di farlo, ma si è scaricata la batteria.
The past context requires the imperfect 'ero'.
Match: 'The milk is about to boil over.'
'Traboccare' is the specific verb for boiling over/overflowing.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasNo. While 'stare per' is a phrase, 'stare sul punto di' is considered incorrect in standard Italian.
Yes, it is slightly more elegant and precise, though still very common in speech.
Only if the future is immediate. You can't use it for something happening next week.
'Sull'orlo di' (on the brink of) is usually for negative things like disaster or extinction.
Yes, it is standard Italian used from Milan to Sicily.
Usually no, it is followed by an infinitive. However, you can say 'essere sul punto di un esaurimento' (on the verge of a breakdown).
You can say: 'Ero proprio sul punto di dirlo!'
Yes, especially when explaining why you haven't replied yet.
Yes: 'Non ero sul punto di farlo' means 'I wasn't about to do it.'
The imperfect ('ero sul punto di') is extremely common for storytelling.
Frases relacionadas
stare per
synonymto be about to
essere lì lì per
similarto be right on the edge of
essere in procinto di
specialized formto be in the process of/about to
essere sull'orlo di
similarto be on the brink of
mancare poco a
builds onto be close to
