vedendolo

Vedendolo is an Italian grammatical form built from the verb vedere in the present participle (gerundio) with a direct object pronoun attached. It translates literally as "seeing him" and is used to express simultaneity between two actions or to connect clauses in a concise, narrative way.

Formation and use: The base is vedendo, the present gerund of vedere. When a direct object pronoun is involved, it is attached to the end of the gerund, forming one word: vedendolo (masculine singular), vedendola (feminine singular), vedendoli (masculine plural), vedendole (feminine plural). The attached pronoun remains in the same gender and number as the object it refers to. This construction can occur at the beginning or within a sentence, often introducing a subordinate action that accompanies the main verb.

Examples:

- Vedendolo arrivare, capimmo che la situazione era complicata. (Seeing him arrive, we understood the situation was complicated.)

- Vedendola sorridere, capii che era felice. (Seeing her smile, I understood that she was happy.)

- Vedendoci costretti a restare, cercammo una soluzione. (Seeing us forced to stay, we sought a solution.)

Notes: The gerund with attached pronouns is common in modern Italian and in expressive or narrative writing. In formal or highly cautious styles, writers may prefer rephrasing with a subordinate clause or an infinitive construction to avoid potential ambiguity or overlong phrases.

See also: Italian grammar, gerundio, pronomi clitici.