Vedo il piccolo gatto in giardino.

I see the small cat in the garden.

Breakdown of Vedo il piccolo gatto in giardino.

• io: I
• vedere: to see
• in: in
• il giardino: the garden
• il piccolo gatto: the small cat

Questions & Answers about Vedo il piccolo gatto in giardino.

Why do we say il instead of another article like lo or un before piccolo gatto?

In Italian, il is the definite article used with most masculine nouns that begin with a consonant (like gatto). Lo appears before masculine nouns starting with certain consonant clusters (e.g., lo studente, lo zio) or s+consonant, gn, ps, pn, x, y, z. Un is the indefinite article, but here we’re referring to a specific cat, so the definite article il is correct.

What does piccolo do in this sentence, and does its position matter?

Piccolo is an adjective meaning small. In Italian, adjectives can often come after the noun, but certain adjectives, like those referring to size, can also precede the noun. Saying il piccolo gatto draws attention to the cat’s size, implying the size is somewhat notable. If placed after the noun (il gatto piccolo), the meaning would still be understandable but slightly less common in everyday speech when describing a cat’s size.

Why is the verb Vedo in the first-person form?

Vedo is the first-person singular (I see) present tense of the verb vedere (to see). In Italian, the verb form changes depending on who is doing the action. Here, it indicates that I am seeing the cat.

Is in giardino the same as saying nel giardino?

They are very similar in meaning. In giardino literally translates to in a garden (or in the garden), while nel giardino is more explicitly in the garden. In everyday speech, in giardino sounds slightly more general or casual, but both forms are correct and will be understood as meaning you see the cat in the garden.

Could this sentence be rearranged without changing the meaning?

Yes, but Italian has a relatively flexible word order, and rearranging can sound less natural depending on the emphasis. For example, In giardino vedo il piccolo gatto still conveys the same idea, but it emphasizes the location first. However, Vedo il piccolo gatto in giardino is generally the most straightforward and natural order.