Il caffè è nero.

to be

Breakdown of Il caffè è nero.

• il caffè: the coffee
• nero: black

Questions & Answers about Il caffè è nero.

What does each word in Il caffè è nero mean?

Il means the (the definite article used with masculine singular nouns). Caffè stands for coffee. È is the third-person singular form of the verb essere, meaning is. And nero is an adjective that means black.

Why is the definite article il used with caffè?

Italian nouns generally require a definite article when referring to a specific item. Since caffè is a masculine singular noun, il is used to say the coffee. This helps to specify that we are talking about a particular type or serving of coffee.

Why does the verb è have an accent mark?

The accent mark on è indicates the correct pronunciation of the verb meaning is. It also differentiates it from e (without the accent), which means and. This small diacritical mark is important for distinguishing between the two words in written Italian.

Why is the adjective nero placed after the noun caffè?

In Italian, adjectives that describe characteristics like color usually follow the noun rather than preceding it. Therefore, nero comes after caffè to correctly form Il caffè è nero. Some adjectives can precede the noun for emphasis or stylistic reasons, but for descriptive color adjectives, the typical order is noun then adjective.

Does the adjective nero need to agree with caffè in gender and number?

Yes, in Italian adjectives must agree with the noun they modify. Since caffè is a masculine singular noun, the adjective is also in its masculine singular form, which is nero. This agreement in gender and number is a key feature of Italian grammar.