Il sole tramonta dietro la collina.

The sun sets behind the hill.

Breakdown of Il sole tramonta dietro la collina.

• la collina: the hill
• il sole: the sun
• dietro: behind
• tramontare: to set

Questions & Answers about Il sole tramonta dietro la collina.

What does each word in Il sole tramonta dietro la collina mean?

Breakdown word by word:

• Il = “the” (masculine singular definite article)
• sole = “sun”
• tramonta = “sets” (3rd person singular present of tramontare)
• dietro = “behind”
• la = “the” (feminine singular definite article)
• collina = “hill”

Why are there definite articles before sole and collina when English sometimes omits “the”?

In Italian, definite articles are required before most singular common nouns, both in specific and generic senses. English drops “the” in some fixed expressions (e.g. “Sun sets in the west”), but Italian keeps it:

• Generic: Il sole è una stella.
• Specific: Guardo la collina laggiù.

What is the verb tramonta and how is it conjugated?

Tramonta is the 3rd person singular present indicative of tramontare (“to set,” as in the sun):

• io tramonto
• tu tramonti
• egli/ella tramonta
• noi tramontiamo
• voi tramontate
• essi/esse tramontano

Why isn’t there a subject pronoun like “esso” before tramonta? Could you say esso tramonta?

Italian usually omits subject pronouns because the verb ending indicates person and number. Adding esso (“it”) is grammatically possible but sounds stilted and is almost never used in everyday speech.

Can you invert the word order and say Dietro la collina tramonta il sole? Does it change the meaning?

Yes, you can: Dietro la collina tramonta il sole is grammatically correct. It places emphasis on “behind the hill” and sounds more poetic. The literal meaning remains “The sun sets behind the hill.”

Are there other verbs to express “the sun sets,” such as calare or scendere?

Yes. Common alternatives include:

• Il sole cala (dietro la collina).
• Il sole scende (dietro la collina).
  Nuance: tramontare is the most specific for celestial bodies; calare and scendere are more general (“to descend”).

What’s the difference between dietro la collina and dopo la collina?

• dietro la collina = spatial location, “behind the hill.”
• dopo la collina = temporal or sequential, “after the hill” (rare in spatial contexts; you’d say “beyond the hill” as oltre la collina).

How would the sentence change if there were multiple hills?

You’d use the plural feminine article and noun:
Il sole tramonta dietro le colline.
(“The sun sets behind the hills.”)

How can I say “the sun is setting behind the hill” in Italian?

Use the progressive with stare + gerund:
Il sole sta tramontando dietro la collina.