Shall I? Shan’t I?

I paused Italian Duolingo briefly while seeking out some rules. You know. The linguist’s hunger. For those auxiliary verbs (*) essential for proper sentences. Verbs with tenses. Genders of nouns, and pronouns to go with them. I need that framework in my head first, otherwise it’s like building a swing without a frame to support the chains that hold up the seat.

While I was browsing the bookshop I saw this. I felt that tug, thought ooh, looks interesting, shall I?

Didn’t. Bought an Italian grammar instead. Isn’t that terribly grown up?

[ * For those who don’t give a monkey’s about languages, auxiliary verbs are ‘to have’, and ‘to be’. As in ‘I have been’ or, if you insist, ’I have went’.]