Faceva molto caldo, quindi dormire nella tenda senza ombrellone era difficile.

to sleep

Breakdown of Faceva molto caldo, quindi dormire nella tenda senza ombrellone era difficile.

• essere: to be
• in: in
• molto: very
• quindi: so
• difficile: difficult
• caldo: hot
• senza: without
• il tempo: the weather
• la tenda: the tent
• l'ombrellone: the beach umbrella

Questions & Answers about Faceva molto caldo, quindi dormire nella tenda senza ombrellone era difficile.

Why is faceva in the imperfect tense here rather than the present or the passato prossimo?

The imperfect (faceva) describes a past situation that sets the background or a continuous state rather than a single event. It indicates that it was hot over some duration, rather than being a momentary occurrence.

What does ombrellone mean in this context?

Ombrellone usually refers to a large beach umbrella or parasol. Here, it indicates a source of shade that would help keep the tent cooler.

Why is quindi used, and does it mean the same as perciò or allora?

Quindi literally means "therefore" or "so" and signals a conclusion or consequence. It’s often interchangeable with perciò and allora in casual speech, although there can be subtle nuances. In this sentence, quindi emphasizes the logical outcome of the hot weather: that sleeping in the tent without shade was difficult.

Why is the infinitive dormire used instead of a conjugated form?

In Italian, infinitives after introductory phrases like è difficile or when expressing general statements (as in "sleeping was difficult") are common. It’s similar to saying "sleeping was difficult" in English rather than "it was difficult that we slept."