I gave her bed linen (that) I had had embroidered by a little old lady

[Touse]

“I gave her bedlinnen (that) I had embroidered by a little old lady from the other side of town.”

I would appreciate some help in translating this had-construction in English. Would I be correct in saying that this is some sort of passive construction?

My attempt:
Le ho dato delle lenzuola che erano state ricamate da una vechietta dell’altra parte della città.

But I know this isn’t quite right. If you translate that sentence back to English you get “[…] sheets that were embroidered by […]” and I want to explicitly express that it was the subject (the"I") who gave the order to have the bedlinnen embroidered.

Best wishes for the New Year to all!
Touse

 

[Emma Neve]

...lenzuola che feci ricamare...
...lenzuola che io feci ricamare...
You could also say
... lenzuola che avevo fatto ricamare...

Ciao Emma

 

[Touse]

So no passive construction is needed in Italian?

Grazie Emma!

 

[Memimao]

“I gave her bedlinnen (that) I had had embroidered by a little old lady from the other side of town.”

I would appreciate some help in translating this had-construction in English. Would I be correct in saying that this is some sort of passive construction?

My attempt:
Le ho dato delle lenzuola che erano state ricamate da una vechietta dell’altra parte della città.

But I know this isn’t quite right. If you translate that sentence back to English you get “[…] sheets that were embroidered by […]” and I want to explicitly express that it was the subject (the"I") who gave the order to have the bedlinnen embroidered.

Best wishes for the New Year to all!
Touse

In English it's called causative (cause something to be done, by others)

My try in Italian:

Le diedi delle lenzuola che avevo fatto ricamare da parte di una vecchia signora dall'altra parte della città.

Natives will do better

 

[DesertCat]

“I gave her bedlinnen (that)

This should be bed linen (unless there is some alternative spelling I'm unaware of).

 

[Salegrosso]

Le diedi delle lenzuola che avevo fatto ricamare a una vecchia signora dall'altra parte della città.

Vecchia signora is right, but little is missing.
Una piccola vecchia signora would be right, but I prefer una vecchietta or even una piccola vecchietta.

 

[Touse]

Thank you, Memimao! Causitive, noted!!

You're quite right, DesertCat!

Grazie a te, Salegrosso! I take it then that vechietta doesn't necessarliy have a pejoritive connotation?

 

[merse0]

Usually we use "vecchietta" for a nice, cute, old lady.
"Vecchiaccia" has definitely a negative meaning.

 

[baldpate]

I know that "lenzuolo" means "sheet", but "bed linen" is a little more general: it includes sheets, pillow cases, and duvet covers.

Does "lenzuola" in the plural also extend to pillow cases and duvet covers? Alternatively, could one say "biancheria da letto"?

 

[Fossifoco]

I know that "lenzuolo" means "sheet", but "bed linen" is a little more general: it includes sheets, pillow cases, and duvet covers.

Does "lenzuola" in the plural also extend to pillow cases and duvet covers? Alternatively, could one say "biancheria da letto"?

You are right, biancheria da letto includes all.

When I say lenzuola I simply refer to "sheets", although the expression cambiare le lenzuola refers to sheets, pillow cases & duvet covers.

Sogni d'oro!!!

 

[Paulfromitaly]

I know that "lenzuolo" means "sheet", but "bed linen" is a little more general: it includes sheets, pillow cases, and duvet covers.

Does "lenzuola" in the plural also extend to pillow cases and duvet covers? Alternatively, could one say "biancheria da letto"?

Nope, lenzuola means sheets, for the whole set we would say "corredo da letto" or something like that..(I'm sure some ladies will correct me on this..)

 

[marziotta]

I'd say

"Le ho dato della biancheria che avevo fatto ricamare da una vecchietta che abita/sta/abitava/stava dall'altra parte della città"

or

"Le diedi della biancheria che..."

Probably in the context it is clear that the "biancheria" is for the bed. "Biancheria da letto" sounds a bit too innatural, in a normal speech.

 

[Salegrosso]

I agree with Marziotta about the fact that biancheria da letto doesn't sound natural in Italian.