La notte è tranquilla.

to be

Breakdown of La notte è tranquilla.

• tranquillo: quiet
• la notte: the night

Questions & Answers about La notte è tranquilla.

Why is la used before notte?

In Italian, la is the feminine singular definite article, similar to “the” in English. Notte (night) is a feminine noun in Italian, so it requires la.

Why is notte considered feminine?

Many Italian words have a gender that doesn’t necessarily match what we might expect in English. Notte happens to be feminine by convention. There’s no specific rule that explains why it’s feminine; it’s simply part of the Italian language structure.

How does è function in this sentence?

È is the third-person singular form of the verb essere (to be). It’s basically saying is in English. In this sentence, it connects la notte (the night) with tranquilla (quiet/calm).

Why is it tranquilla and not tranquillo?

Adjectives in Italian agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Since notte is feminine singular, the adjective tranquilla is feminine singular as well. If it were a masculine noun, you would use tranquillo.

Can tranquilla mean anything besides “quiet”?

Yes! Tranquilla can also mean “calm,” “peaceful,” or “serene,” depending on context. It conveys the idea of a relaxed, peaceful state in Italian.