La luce è accesa.

The light is on.

Breakdown of La luce è accesa.

• essere: to be
• la luce: the light
• acceso: on

Questions & Answers about La luce è accesa.

Why is the article la used before luce?

In Italian, nouns usually require a definite article to indicate a specific object. Since luce (light) is a feminine noun, we use the feminine article la.

Why is the adjective accesa in its feminine form?

Italian adjectives agree with the gender and number of the nouns they describe. Luce is feminine singular, so the adjective also needs to be feminine singular: accesa rather than acceso.

Is è accesa forming a passive construction?

No, it isn’t a passive voice here. It’s a state-of-being construction (using the verb essere) combined with an adjective to describe the current state of the light.

Can I use stare instead of essere in this sentence?

Generally, no. The standard way to express that something is on (like a light or a device) in Italian is with essere plus an adjective, so La luce è accesa is correct. Stare connotes location or remaining in a place rather than describing a state like this.

Are there any synonyms for accesa?