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L'auto è veloce.

L'auto è veloce.
The car is fast.
FromLesson 4inHardcore Italian

Breakdown of L'auto è veloce.

essere
to be
veloce
fast
l'auto
the car

Questions & Answers about L'auto è veloce.

Why do we write L'auto instead of La auto?
In Italian, la (the feminine definite article) drops the a and becomes l' before words that start with a vowel, such as auto. This is known as elision and helps pronunciation flow more smoothly.
Is auto just short for another noun?
Yes! Auto is a shortened form of automobile, which is a common synonym for macchina in Italian. So, you could also see L'automobile è veloce or La macchina è veloce.
What part of speech is è?
È is the third-person singular form of the verb essere (to be). It simply translates to is in English.
Is there any difference between using veloce and a word like rapido?
In many contexts, veloce and rapido are interchangeable, both meaning fast or quick. However, veloce is more common to describe the general characteristic of speed, while rapido can also convey a sense of rapid action or movement. In everyday speech, though, they are often used similarly.
Why does the sentence only have three words?
Italian often forms a straightforward sentence with just a subject (L'auto), a verb (è), and an adjective (veloce). This structure is completely normal in Italian when expressing a simple state of being.
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