La luce mi fa male.

The light hurts me.

Breakdown of La luce mi fa male.

• la luce: the light
• mi: me
• fare male: to hurt

Questions & Answers about La luce mi fa male.

What is the literal meaning and structure of La luce mi fa male?

It literally translates to "The light hurts me." In this sentence, la luce is the subject, mi is the indirect object pronoun meaning "to me," and fa male is an idiomatic expression meaning "hurts" or "is painful." The sentence follows the typical Italian word order: Subject + Indirect Object Pronoun + Verb/Predicate.

Why is the indirect object pronoun mi placed before the verb fa?

In Italian, clitic pronouns such as mi are normally positioned before the conjugated verb. This placement is a standard grammatical rule that helps clarify who is affected by the action described by the verb.

What does the expression fa male mean idiomatically, and can it be used in contexts other than physical pain?

Idiomatic fa male means "hurts" or "is painful." While it is generally used to describe physical pain (as in, something is causing you pain), it can also be used metaphorically to talk about emotional or psychological discomfort.

Is it possible to change the word order in this sentence, for example, saying Mi fa male la luce instead?

Yes, Italian word order is quite flexible. Saying Mi fa male la luce is grammatically correct and still means "The light hurts me." However, starting with la luce emphasizes the source of the pain, whereas placing it at the end can shift the focus slightly onto the experience of being hurt.

What tense is used for fa, and how does it function in this sentence?

Fa is the third-person singular form of the verb fare in the present tense. In this sentence, it works as part of a fixed expression (fa male) to indicate that the light is currently or generally causing pain.