Breakdown of Io mostro il fiore al mio amico.
io
I
il fiore
the flower
l'amico
the friend
il mio
my
a
to
mostrare
to show
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Questions & Answers about Io mostro il fiore al mio amico.
What does Io mean in this sentence, and is it always necessary to include it?
Io means “I” in English. In Italian, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already indicates the subject. However, they are used for emphasis or clarity, as in this sentence.
What is the meaning and conjugation of the verb mostro?
Mostro is the first person singular present tense form of the verb mostrare, which means “to show.” It translates as “I show” in English, with the ending -o indicating that it is referring to the speaker.
How is il fiore translated, and why is the article il used?
Il fiore translates to “the flower.” Fiore is a masculine noun, so it takes the masculine singular definite article il to indicate that it is a specific flower.
Why is al mio amico used instead of a il mio amico?
In Italian, when the preposition a combines with the definite article il, it contracts to form al. Thus, a il mio amico becomes al mio amico, meaning “to my friend.”
What is the function of mio in the phrase al mio amico?
Mio is a masculine singular possessive adjective meaning “my.” In Italian, possessive adjectives usually come after the definite article, as in il mio amico. This combination indicates that the friend in question is specific and known to the speaker.
How does the word order in Io mostro il fiore al mio amico compare to English sentence structure?
The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object structure similar to English. Io is the subject, mostro is the verb, il fiore is the direct object (what is being shown), and al mio amico is the indirect object (to whom the flower is shown). This mirrors the English construction “I show the flower to my friend.”