Breakdown of La costanza porta a buoni risultati.
buono
good
il risultato
the result
a
to
portare
to lead
la costanza
the perseverance
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Questions & Answers about La costanza porta a buoni risultati.
What does the word costanza mean, and why is it preceded by the definite article la?
Costanza translates to perseverance or steadfastness in English. In Italian, when speaking of abstract ideas or general qualities, it is common to use the definite article. Thus, la costanza refers to the general concept of perseverance rather than a specific instance of it.
Why is the preposition a used in the phrase porta a buoni risultati?
The verb portare can be paired with the preposition a to indicate a resulting effect or consequence. In this sentence, porta a essentially means leads to; it connects the idea of perseverance with the positive outcome of good results.
How does the adjective buoni agree with the noun risultati in this sentence?
In Italian, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify. Risultati is a masculine plural noun, so the adjective becomes buoni (masculine plural as well) to match it correctly.
What is the grammatical form of porta in this sentence, and why is it used?
Porta is the third-person singular present indicative form of the verb portare. It is used here because the subject la costanza is singular, so the verb must also be in the singular form to agree with its subject.
Is the structure of using the definite article for a general quality common in Italian, and how does it compare to English?
Yes, it is very common in Italian to use the definite article when referring to abstract concepts in a general sense. While English typically omits the article when speaking about general qualities (e.g., "Perseverance leads to good results"), Italian consistently uses the article, as in la costanza. This difference highlights a key aspect of Italian generalization in grammar.