Word
Il sonnellino inizia dopo la ninnananna.
Meaning
The nap starts after the lullaby.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Il sonnellino inizia dopo la ninnananna.
dopo
after
iniziare
to start
la ninnananna
the lullaby
il sonnellino
the nap
Questions & Answers about Il sonnellino inizia dopo la ninnananna.
Why is it il sonnellino and not just sonnellino?
Italian often uses the definite article where English might not. Il sonnellino means the nap. In a simple sentence like this, the article sounds natural because it refers to a specific event or part of a routine.
You could sometimes drop the article in other contexts, but here il sonnellino is the normal choice.
What does sonnellino mean exactly, and why does it end in -ino?
Sonnellino means nap or little sleep. The ending -ino is a diminutive ending in Italian, often giving the idea of something small, short, or affectionate.
It comes from sonno = sleep. So sonnellino is like a little sleep.
A similar English idea would be the difference between sleep and nap, though the Italian form also has that small/soft nuance built into it.
Why is it il with sonnellino?