Breakdown of Il tavolo è coperto di polvere.
essere
to be
il tavolo
the table
di
of
la polvere
the dust
coperto
covered
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Questions & Answers about Il tavolo è coperto di polvere.
Why is there no article before polvere?
In Italian, uncountable or mass nouns like polvere (dust) often appear without an article when they denote an indefinite quantity. Saying il tavolo è coperto di polvere means “the table is covered with dust” in general. If you wanted to refer to a specific dust (for instance, the dust you mentioned earlier), you could say il tavolo è coperto dalla polvere (“the table is covered by the dust”).
Why di polvere and not con polvere, in polvere, or su polvere?
After coperto Italian typically uses di to introduce the substance or material covering something—similar to English “covered in/with.”
- con would emphasize the means or instrument (“ho coperto la sedia con un telo”).
- su polvere would mean “on top of dust” (pointing to dust beneath).
- in polvere translates as “in powder” (a different meaning).
So coperto di polvere is the most natural way to say “covered in dust.”
Is coperto here a verb form or an adjective?
Here coperto is the past participle of coprire, but it functions as an adjective describing the state of the table. That’s why you pair it with essere (è coperto) rather than forming a compound verb tense. It’s a stative description, not a dynamic action.
Why do we use essere instead of avere?
Because coperto is acting as an adjective, you need the linking verb essere. If you used avere (ha coperto), it would become the perfect tense of coprire (“he/she/it covered [something]”), which changes the meaning entirely.
Could I say Il tavolo ha polvere sopra instead?
Yes, il tavolo ha polvere sopra (“the table has dust on top”) is understandable and colloquial. However, è coperto di polvere is more idiomatic and vividly conveys that the dust blankets the entire surface.
What’s the difference between coperto di polvere and pieno di polvere?
- coperto di polvere focuses on the surface layer—dust lies on top, like a coating.
- pieno di polvere means “full of dust,” suggesting a larger quantity, possibly inside crevices or filling the table.
Both are correct but highlight slightly different nuances.
How would I change this sentence for plural or feminine nouns?
You must agree both essere and coperto with gender and number:
- Masculine plural: I tavoli sono coperti di polvere.
- Feminine singular (e.g. la scrivania): La scrivania è coperta di polvere.
- Feminine plural (e.g. le librerie): Le librerie sono coperte di polvere.
Could I also say Il tavolo è coperto dalla polvere?
Yes, when referring to a specific dust (e.g. the renovation’s dust or the dust in that room), you can use the definite article dalla (di + la). For general statements about dust, Italians prefer the article-less form coperto di polvere.