Studiamo l'universo.

Studiamo is the 1st person plural form of studiare (to study) in the present indicative.

So:

• io studio = I study
• tu studi = you study
• lui/lei studia = he/she studies
• noi studiamo = we study
• voi studiate = you all study
• loro studiano = they study

In Studiamo l'universo, studiamo means we study.

Italian often leaves out subject pronouns when they are not needed, because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

Here, -iamo tells you the subject is we (noi), so noi is unnecessary.

• Studiamo l'universo = We study the universe
• Noi studiamo l'universo = We study the universe

Adding noi is possible, but it usually gives extra emphasis or contrast, such as We study the universe, not something else.

Yes. The form studiamo can mean either:

• we study (present indicative)
• let’s study (1st person plural imperative)

So Studiamo l'universo could mean:

• We study the universe
• Let’s study the universe

Usually, context tells you which meaning is intended. In a neutral written sentence, it is often understood as we study the universe, unless the situation clearly sounds like a suggestion or command.

Because universo starts with a vowel sound (u), the masculine singular definite article il changes to l' before it.

So:

• il libro = the book
• il sole = the sun
• l'universo = the universe

This is called elision. The apostrophe shows that the vowel in il has dropped.

Universo is masculine singular.

That is why it takes the masculine article:

• l'universo = the universe

If it were feminine singular, you would expect a feminine article such as la or l' depending on the next sound. But here the noun itself is masculine: un universo, l'universo.

L' is the shortened form of the singular definite article used before a vowel.

In this sentence, it stands for il:

• il
  • universo → l'universo

This is not a special word by itself; it is just the article adapting to the following noun.

Also, note that l' can come from:

• il before a masculine singular noun beginning with a vowel
• la before a feminine singular noun beginning with a vowel

So you have to look at the noun to know its gender.

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

stoo-DYAH-mo loo-nee-VER-so

A few helpful points:

• studiamo has stress on -dia-
• universo has stress on -ver-
• the l' connects directly to universo, so it sounds like luniverso, not like a separate word

A more Italian-like pronunciation would be roughly:

• studiamo → stoo-DYAH-mo
• l'universo → loo-nee-VER-so

Not really. In English, an apostrophe often marks a contraction such as don’t or I’m. In Italian, here it marks elision, meaning a vowel has been dropped because the next word begins with a vowel.

So:

• il universo is not used
• l'universo is the normal correct form

It is a spelling change required by pronunciation, not a casual shortening.

This is the normal, straightforward Italian word order:

verb + object

• Studiamo = we study
• l'universo = the universe

Italian often uses this kind of simple structure, especially when the subject pronoun is omitted.

You could also say Noi studiamo l'universo, but that adds the subject explicitly. The shorter version sounds completely natural and is usually preferred unless you want emphasis.