rendendolo

Rendendolo is the Italian gerund form formed from the verb rendere, meaning “to make” or “to render,” combined with a direct object pronoun. In everyday Italian, rendendolo translates to “making him/it,” and it is used to describe an action carried out as a consequence or in conjunction with another action.

Formation and grammar

Rendere supplies the base verb rendendo in the gerund. When a direct object pronoun refers to the object of rendere, it is attached to the end of the gerund, producing forms such as rendendolo (making him/it), rendendola (making her/it), rendendoli (making them, masculine or mixed), and rendendole (making them, feminine). For feminine singular, you would use rendendola; for masculine singular, rendendolo; and so on. The pronoun can also appear before the gerund in some constructions, for example: sta rendendo felice lui vs sta rendendolo felice.

Usage

The construction expresses a concomitant or resultant action linked to the main verb. It often appears at the start or middle of a sentence and can function similarly to English “by making him/it” or “making him/it.” Examples: Rendendolo felice, capì che aveva aiutato tutti. (Making him happy, he understood that he had helped everyone.) Stava rendendolo felice con piccoli gesti. (He was making him happy with small gestures.)

Variations and notes

Pronoun agreement follows gender and number: rendendolo (masculine singular), rendendola (feminine singular), rendendoli (masculine plural), rendendole (feminine plural). When used with auxiliary verbs, both attached gerund forms and separate pronoun placement (Lo sta rendendo felice) are possible, with the former often preferred in informal speech.

See also

Italian grammar; gerund; clitic pronouns.