Il silenzio è prezioso.

to be

Breakdown of Il silenzio è prezioso.

• prezioso: precious
• il silenzio: the silence

Questions & Answers about Il silenzio è prezioso.

What is the literal translation of Il silenzio è prezioso?

It translates to Silence is precious. Here, il silenzio means silence and prezioso translates as precious.

Why is the definite article il used before silenzio?

In Italian, il is the definite article for masculine singular nouns that begin with a consonant. Since silenzio is a masculine singular noun, il is the correct article to use.

How is the verb essere used in this sentence?

The verb essere (to be) is conjugated as è in the sentence, which is its third person singular form. This form is equivalent to is in English, linking the subject il silenzio with the predicate adjective prezioso.

Why does the adjective prezioso come after the noun instead of before, as sometimes seen in English?

In Italian, descriptive adjectives typically follow the noun they modify. This is why prezioso comes after silenzio. While English often places adjectives before nouns (e.g., precious silence), Italian more commonly uses the noun–adjective order unless poetic or stylistic variation is intended.