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Questions & Answers about Il sentiero nascosto è lungo.
What is the basic structure of the sentence Il sentiero nascosto è lungo?
The sentence follows a simple subject-copula-adjective pattern. The subject is the noun phrase Il sentiero nascosto (meaning the hidden path), which is composed of the definite article Il, the noun sentiero (path), and the attributive adjective nascosto (hidden). The verb è (is) acts as a copula that links the subject to the predicate adjective lungo (long), which describes the subject.
Why does the adjective nascosto appear after the noun sentiero instead of before it?
In Italian, adjectives can be placed either before or after the noun depending on emphasis and meaning. When the adjective follows the noun, like nascosto in this sentence, it usually conveys a straightforward, literal description. Here, nascosto directly modifies sentiero to mean hidden path without adding extra, figurative nuance.
What is the difference between the positioning of nascosto and lungo in the sentence?
The adjective nascosto is part of the noun phrase, directly modifying sentiero (making it an attributive adjective), so it is placed immediately after the noun. In contrast, lungo is used predicatively; it comes after the copula è and describes the state or quality of the subject. This positions nascosto as an inherent characteristic of the noun, while lungo functions as a description provided by the predicate.
How do the adjectives in the sentence agree with the noun in terms of gender and number?
Both adjectives, nascosto and lungo, agree with the noun sentiero in gender and number. Since sentiero is a masculine singular noun, the adjectives take the masculine singular form. This agreement is crucial in Italian grammar to ensure the sentence is grammatically correct.
What is the role of the definite article Il in this sentence?
The article Il is the masculine singular definite article in Italian, similar to the in English. It signals that the speaker is talking about a specific path known to both the speaker and the listener. In Italian, almost every singular countable noun uses a definite article when it is specified or known from context.
How would the sentence change if it referred to multiple hidden paths instead of just one?
If the sentence referred to multiple hidden paths, each component would change to reflect the plural form. The sentence would become: I sentieri nascosti sono lunghi. Here, I is the plural definite article for masculine nouns, sentieri is the plural form of sentiero, and both adjectives—nascosti and lunghi—are also in the masculine plural form to maintain grammatical agreement.