Il succo d'arancia è acidulo.

The orange juice is tart.

Breakdown of Il succo d'arancia è acidulo.

• essere: to be
• di: of
• l'arancia: the orange
• il succo: the juice
• acidulo: tart

Questions & Answers about Il succo d'arancia è acidulo.

Why is the article il used in this sentence?

The article il is the masculine singular definite article in Italian. It indicates that the noun succo (juice) is masculine and that we are referring to a specific, known juice rather than any juice in general.

What does d'arancia mean and why is it written that way?

D'arancia is a contraction of di arancia, meaning “of orange” (or “orange juice”). The contraction occurs because arancia begins with a vowel, so Italian drops the vowel from di and connects it with an apostrophe for smoother pronunciation.

What does the adjective acidulo mean in English, and what nuance does it add to the sentence?

Acidulo generally means “slightly acidic” or “a little tart.” It suggests that the juice has a mild or delicate sourness rather than being strongly acidic. This choice of adjective gives a subtle description of the flavor.

How does the agreement between succo and acidulo work in this sentence?

In Italian, adjectives must agree with the noun they modify in both gender and number. Since succo is a masculine singular noun, the adjective also appears in its masculine singular form as acidulo.

Is there any special reason for choosing acidulo instead of a more common adjective like acido?

Yes, while acido means “acidic,” which can imply a strong, sometimes harsh acidity, acidulo implies a subtler level of sourness. Using acidulo helps convey that the orange juice has a pleasantly mild tartness rather than an overpoweringly acidic taste.