essere sul punto di + Infinitive
'Essere Sul Punto Di' + Infinitive
The construction essere sul punto di + infinito is an imminential periphrasis used to express that something is about to happen at any second. It emphasizes a critical threshold or a 'brink' of action.
How It Works
The construction is formed by conjugating the verb essere (which can be used in any tense despite the present tense tag), followed by the fixed phrase sul punto di and the infinitive of the main verb.
1. Nuance and Usage:
Unlike the neutral 'about to' (stare per), essere sul punto di carries a sense of immediacy or gravity. It is frequently used when an action is interrupted or when someone is struggling with an emotion (e.g., 'on the verge of tears'). To add even more emphasis, you can use the adverb proprio: Ero proprio sul punto di uscire (I was right on the verge of leaving).
2. Tense Flexibility:
You can use this in the past to describe something that was just about to happen before another event occurred:
- Ero sul punto di chiamarti... (I was just about to call you...)
3. Register and Potential Confusion:
It is standard Italian, slightly more formal than colloquial alternatives. Be careful not to confuse essere sul punto di (about to) with al punto di/da, which indicates a result or degree (e.g., Ero stanco al punto di non riuscire a parlare - I was tired to the point of not being able to speak).
Examples (4)
- Ero sul punto di uscire quando ha iniziato a piovere.
I was on the verge of going out when it started to rain.
Word by Word: I was on the point of to go out when it has started to rain.
Here, the imperfect 'ero' shows the state of being on the brink of an action just before an interruption.
- La ditta è sul punto di fallire.
The company is on the brink of going bankrupt.
Word by Word: The company is on the point of to fail.
This uses the pattern to show a critical threshold or a serious situation that is nearly reached.
- Il treno è sul punto di partire; sbrighiamoci!
The train is just about to depart; let's hurry!
Word by Word: The train is on the point of to depart; let's hurry ourselves!
Emphasizes the extreme immediacy of the departure.
- Maria era sul punto di piangere per la commozione.
Maria was on the verge of crying from emotion.
Word by Word: Maria was on the point of to cry for the emotion.
Commonly used with emotional states to show someone is nearly overwhelmed.
Common Mistakes
Using the verb 'stare' instead of 'essere'.
Sto sul punto di partire.Sono sul punto di partire.Although 'stare' is used in 'stare per', this specific idiomatic phrase strictly requires the verb 'essere'.
Using the wrong preposition after 'punto'.
Ero sul punto a chiamarti.Ero sul punto di chiamarti.The phrase is fixed with the preposition 'di'. Do not confuse it with other verbs like 'cominciare a'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn 'essere sul punto di + infinito', learners must be comfortable conjugating the verb 'essere' in various tenses (like the present and imperfect) and understand how to link a verbal phrase to a following infinitive using a preposition.
Related Patterns
- essere (presente)Present Tense of 'Essere'
The verb 'essere' is the auxiliary used in this construction; while the present tense is common, it can be conjugated in any tense.
Level 1 - Verb + Infinitive
This pattern follows the general rule of linking a conjugated verb phrase to a main action in the infinitive form.
Level 1 - Simple Prepositions
Uses the simple preposition 'di' to connect the phrase to the following infinitive.
Level 1 - Articulated (Contracted) Prepositions
The phrase 'sul punto' contains the articulated preposition 'su + il'.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Sources
Practice essere sul punto di + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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