Il vicino è gentile.

to be

Breakdown of Il vicino è gentile.

• gentile: kind
• il vicino: the neighbor

Questions & Answers about Il vicino è gentile.

What does the article Il signify in this sentence?

Il is the masculine singular definite article in Italian, equivalent to "the" in English. It tells us that the following noun, vicino, is specific and masculine. In other words, it implies that we are talking about a particular male neighbor.

How does the word vicino function here, and what should I know about its gender?

Vicino is a noun meaning "neighbor." In this sentence, it is masculine singular as indicated by the article Il. When referring to a female neighbor, the word would change to vicina (with the corresponding feminine article La). So, Il vicino è gentile specifically refers to a male neighbor.

What role does è play in the sentence?

È is the third person singular present tense form of the verb essere (to be). It connects the subject (Il vicino) with the adjective (gentile), much like the verb "is" does in the English sentence "The neighbor is kind."

Does the adjective gentile change with gender or number?

In the singular form, gentile remains the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. Therefore, whether you say Il vicino è gentile or La vicina è gentile, the adjective stays unchanged. However, when pluralized, it becomes gentili: for example, I vicini sono gentili (masculine plural) or Le vicine sono gentili (feminine plural).

Is the word order in Il vicino è gentile similar to English, and why is that important?

Yes, the structure of the sentence follows a subject-verb-adjective order, very similar to English. This similarity makes it easier for English speakers to grasp; you have the subject (Il vicino), followed by the verb (è), and then the adjective (gentile) describing the subject. Recognizing this pattern helps in understanding and forming basic Italian sentences.