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Breakdown of L'applauso al concerto è lungo.
essere
to be
lungo
long
al
at
il concerto
the concert
l'applauso
the applause
Questions & Answers about L'applauso al concerto è lungo.
Why is l’ used before applauso?
In Italian the definite article il must elide (drop its vowel) before a noun starting with a vowel. So il applauso becomes l’applauso. The apostrophe marks that elision.
Why do we need an article before applauso, when in English we often say just “applause”?
English treats “applause” as a mass noun and omits the article in general statements. Italian, by contrast, normally requires a definite article before singular countable nouns in generic expressions. Hence l’applauso rather than simply applauso.
What does al in al concerto stand for?
al is the combination of the preposition a (“to/at”) and the masculine singular article il (“the”). So al concerto literally means “at the concert.”
Why is the adjective lungo placed after è instead of before applauso?
Most Italian adjectives follow the noun (and the linking verb essere, here è). Placing lungo after applauso and è is the unmarked, neutral word order. Putting an adjective before the noun (e.g. il lungo applauso) is possible but carries a slight stylistic or emphatic nuance.
Could we say il lungo applauso al concerto instead of l’applauso al concerto è lungo?
Yes. Il lungo applauso al concerto is a correct noun phrase meaning “the long applause at the concert.” You’ve simply turned lungo into an attributive adjective before the noun, instead of using a full sentence with essere.
Is there another way to express “The applause is long” using a different verb?
Absolutely. You can use durare (“to last”):
L’applauso al concerto dura a lungo.
Here dura = “lasts” and a lungo = “for a long time.”
How would you make the sentence plural (“The applauses at the concerts are long”)?
You adjust article, noun, preposition and adjective for plural, masculine:
Gli applausi ai concerti sono lunghi.
- il → gli
- applauso → applausi
- al → ai (because a + i = ai)
- è → sono
- lungo → lunghi
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