Breakdown of Loro preparano il pranzo in giardino.
in
in
il giardino
the garden
preparare
to prepare
il pranzo
the lunch
loro
they
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Questions & Answers about Loro preparano il pranzo in giardino.
Why is the subject pronoun loro explicitly included in the sentence?
Even though Italian often omits subject pronouns because the verb ending already indicates the subject, loro is used here for clarity or emphasis. It makes it clear that a group—that is, “they”—are performing the action.
What does the verb preparano tell us about the tense and the subject?
Preparano is the present indicative form of the verb preparare for the third person plural. This indicates that the action of preparing is happening in the present (or as a habitual action) and that it is being performed by “they.”
Why is the definite article il used before pranzo?
In Italian, definite articles are used to refer to specific nouns. Il pranzo means “the lunch,” and the article il agrees in gender (masculine) and number (singular) with pranzo. It signals that a particular meal is being referred to.
What does the phrase in giardino indicate about the location of the action?
In giardino means “in the garden.” The preposition in is used to denote location, so this phrase tells us where the action of preparing the lunch is taking place.
Can the subject pronoun loro be omitted, and if so, why might a speaker choose to include it?
Yes, loro can often be omitted because the verb ending in preparano already shows the subject is third person plural. However, including loro can add emphasis or eliminate any ambiguity regarding who is performing the action.
Does this sentence describe an ongoing action or a habitual one?
The present indicative in Italian can be used for both current actions and habitual routines. Without further context, Loro preparano il pranzo in giardino might be interpreted as describing an action happening right now or one that occurs regularly.