……
Breakdown of Il turista trova la sua borsa.
trovare
to find
la borsa
the bag
il turista
the tourist
la sua
his
Questions & Answers about Il turista trova la sua borsa.
What is the role of Il in this sentence?
Il is the masculine singular definite article in Italian. It functions like the in English and signals that turista is a specific, identifiable person.
How is the verb trova used in the sentence?
Trova is the third person singular present tense form of the verb trovare, meaning finds. It indicates that the subject, il turista, is performing the action of finding.
Why is the possessive adjective sua used instead of suo?
In Italian, possessive adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Since borsa is a feminine singular noun, sua is used regardless of the subject’s gender.
What does la sua borsa translate to in English?
La sua borsa translates to his bag (or her bag in a different context). The adjective sua reflects the gender of borsa, not the possessor, so context is needed to determine whether the tourist is male or female.
Why does Italian include the article la before the possessive adjective in la sua borsa?
In Italian, when using a third-person possessive adjective (like sua) to modify a noun, it is standard practice to include the definite article. This construction—la sua borsa—helps clarify that the bag is a specific, known item that belongs to the tourist.
Can sua mean both his and her?
Yes, sua is ambiguous on its own and can mean either his or her. The determination depends on context, as the adjective agrees with the noun it describes (borsa, which is feminine), not with the possessor.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Italian grammar?”
Italian grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning ItalianMaster Italian — from Il turista trova la sua borsa to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions