Apri l'ombrello se il vento è freddo.

Open the umbrella if the wind is cold.

Breakdown of Apri l'ombrello se il vento è freddo.

• essere: to be
• aprire: to open
• freddo: cold
• il vento: the wind
• l'ombrello: the umbrella
• se: if

Questions & Answers about Apri l'ombrello se il vento è freddo.

Why do we use the imperative form apri instead of another form of the verb aprire?

In Italian, when giving a direct command or instruction to someone (particularly in the second-person singular, "tu"), you use the imperative form. Apri is the imperative of aprire (to open), so it fits perfectly when telling one person "open the umbrella!"

Why is l'ombrello used instead of il ombrello or un ombrello?

Because ombrello starts with a vowel (o), the definite article il changes to l' for smoother pronunciation, resulting in l'ombrello. You might see un ombrello when you want to say "an umbrella" (indefinite), but here we're specifically telling someone to open the (definite) umbrella.

Is there a reason se is used here and not another word for "if"?

In Italian, se is the standard conjunction meaning "if." Other conditional words (like qualora or nel caso in cui) are less common or more formal. Se directly translates to “if” in everyday contexts, so it’s the simplest and most direct choice.

Does se il vento è freddo require the subjunctive mood?

No, it doesn’t. Since se il vento è freddo describes a real possibility in the present, Italian commonly uses the indicative mood. The subjunctive is typically used for more hypothetical or uncertain situations, but here it's a straightforward condition.

Can I change the word order in se il vento è freddo?

Yes, but only slightly. You could say se è freddo il vento, though it might sound a bit more poetic or stylized. The most natural and common word order remains se il vento è freddo in everyday conversation.