Il pittore dipinge un quadro bello.

The painter paints a beautiful picture.

Breakdown of Il pittore dipinge un quadro bello.

• bello: beautiful
• il quadro: the picture
• il pittore: the painter
• dipingere: to paint

Questions & Answers about Il pittore dipinge un quadro bello.

What is the English translation of the sentence "Il pittore dipinge un quadro bello"?

It translates to "The painter paints a beautiful painting." The subject is "the painter" (il pittore), the verb is "paints" (dipinge), and the object is "a beautiful painting" (un quadro bello).

Why is the adjective bello placed after the noun quadro instead of before it?

In Italian, adjectives can be positioned either before or after the noun depending on the intended nuance. When bello follows quadro, it tends to serve as a descriptive, literal quality of the painting. Placing the adjective after the noun is common for expressing objective characteristics.

Why isn’t the adjective bello contracted to bel in this sentence (as in un bel quadro)?

Adjective contraction, such as bello becoming bel, occurs when the adjective is placed before the noun. In this sentence, because bello comes after quadro, no contraction takes place. The structure remains un quadro bello rather than un bel quadro.

How do the articles and adjectives agree with the noun in this sentence?

Italian grammar requires that articles and adjectives match the noun in gender and number. Here, pittore (painter) and quadro (painting) are both masculine singular. Consequently, the definite article il, the indefinite article un, and the adjective bello are all in the masculine singular form.

What tense is the verb dipinge and what does it imply about the action?

The verb dipinge is in the present tense, third person singular form of dipingere. This indicates that the painter is performing the action of painting right now or on a regular basis, corresponding to the English simple present tense.

How would this sentence change if referring to a female painter?

If you were referring to a female painter, you would adjust the subject to the feminine form. The revised sentence would be: La pittrice dipinge un quadro bello. Here, la pittrice replaces il pittore to reflect the feminine gender.