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Il problema è complicato.

Il problema è complicato.
The problem is complicated.
FromLesson 21inHardcore Italian

Breakdown of Il problema è complicato.

essere
to be
il problema
the problem
complicato
complicated

Questions & Answers about Il problema è complicato.

Why does the masculine article il go with problema even though the noun ends in -a?
In Italian, some nouns ending in -a are masculine because of their Greek or Latin origins. Problema is one of these exceptions; it remains masculine and therefore takes the masculine article il.
What role does è play in the sentence Il problema è complicato?
È is the third-person singular form of the verb essere (to be). It functions as a linking verb, connecting the subject il problema with the predicate adjective complicato, which describes the subject.
How does the adjective complicato agree with the noun in this sentence?
Adjectives in Italian must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Since problema is a masculine singular noun (despite its -a ending), complicato is also in the masculine singular form. If the noun were feminine, the adjective would change accordingly (for example, to complicata).
Is the placement of complicato typical for adjectives in Italian sentences?
Yes, it is typical. In a predicate construction like this, adjectives follow the linking verb. By placing complicato after è, the sentence clearly states the condition or characteristic of il problema. In attributive positions (directly before the noun) adjectives may sometimes vary in meaning, but in this predicative structure, the placement after è is standard.
Can the sentence be rearranged without changing its meaning?
Yes, one common alternative is È complicato il problema. This inversion is acceptable in Italian for emphasis or stylistic variation. However, the standard and most straightforward construction remains Il problema è complicato.
How would you express the sentence in the plural form?
The plural version is I problemi sono complicati. Here, I is the masculine plural article, problemi is the plural of problema, sono is the plural form of essere, and complicati is the plural form of the adjective, all agreeing in gender and number.
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