Scendo sul prato duro.

I go down on the hard lawn.

Breakdown of Scendo sul prato duro.

• io: I
• su: on
• scendere: to go down
• il prato: the lawn
• duro: hard

Questions & Answers about Scendo sul prato duro.

Why do we use Scendo in the simple present rather than a continuous form like Sto scendendo?

In Italian, the simple present can describe actions happening now, habits, or near-future intentions, whereas the continuous form emphasizes that something is in progress at this exact moment. Many actions that might be expressed in English with a continuous tense are often conveyed with the simple present in Italian.

What does sul stand for in this sentence?

Sul is a contraction of su + il, meaning on the or onto the. It indicates that the subject is moving onto or descending onto something. So sul prato translates roughly to onto the meadow in English.

Why is the adjective duro placed after prato?

In Italian, adjectives often come after the noun if their primary function is to describe a distinguishing characteristic. Placing duro after prato emphasizes the meadow’s hardness as a specific quality.

Do we need to use an article before prato in this sentence?

Not in this case. Since sul already includes the article il, it covers the role of the in on the meadow. If you used nel, that would be in + il, which changes the sense to in the meadow instead of onto the meadow.

Can Scendo sul prato duro also mean going downstairs into a hard meadow?

While Scendo generally means I go down or I descend, whether it involves stairs or a slope depends on the context. The literal idea is that you are moving downward onto the hard meadow, but it doesn’t always imply stairs. It could be a slope or any movement from a higher to a lower level.