Io mangio un'arancia.

I eat an orange.

Breakdown of Io mangio un'arancia.

• io: I
• mangiare: to eat
• l'arancia: the orange

Questions & Answers about Io mangio un'arancia.

Why is there an apostrophe in un'arancia?

The apostrophe indicates that the full feminine article una has dropped its final vowel before a noun beginning with a vowel. This process—called elision—results in un'arancia, which is easier to pronounce than una arancia.

Why is the subject pronoun Io explicitly used in the sentence?

Although Italian is a pro-drop language (meaning the subject pronoun is often omitted because the verb ending makes it clear), Io is included here for clarity or emphasis. This is especially useful for learners who are still getting used to identifying the subject through verb conjugation alone.

What form and tense is used for the verb mangio, and what does it mean?

Mangio is the first person singular present indicative form of the verb mangiare, which means to eat. It translates directly to I eat in English.

How does the indefinite article agree with the noun in this sentence?

Since arancia is a feminine noun that starts with a vowel, the standard indefinite article una elides its final vowel to become un'. This contraction ensures smoother pronunciation when the article and noun are spoken together.

How does the word order in Io mangio un'arancia compare to that in English?

The sentence follows a typical Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure, just like English. Io is the subject (I), mangio is the verb (eat), and un'arancia is the object (an orange), mirroring the English construction "I eat an orange."