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Questions & Answers about L’esperimento è difficile.
Why is there an apostrophe in L’esperimento?
Because in Italian the masculine singular definite article lo is shortened to l’ before a word beginning with a vowel. You drop the o and replace it with an apostrophe.
Why do I need a definite article before esperimento when in English you can say “Experiments are difficult” without one?
Italian normally requires an article with nouns even in general statements. English often omits the article in generic sentences, but in Italian you say Gli esperimenti sono difficili for “Experiments are difficult.”
Why is esperimento masculine?
Most Italian nouns ending in –o are masculine. Since esperimento ends in –o, it takes masculine forms of articles and adjectives.
Why does difficile end in –e rather than –o like many other adjectives?
Adjectives ending in –e are invariable in gender in the singular: the same form serves for both masculine and feminine. Only in the plural do they change to –i (e.g. difficili).
Why does è have a grave accent instead of being written as e?
Because è (with a grave accent) is the third-person singular of essere (“to be”), meaning “is.” The unaccented e means “and.”
Can I place difficile before esperimento?
Yes. You can say Il difficile esperimento, but putting the adjective before the noun usually adds emphasis or a stylistic nuance. The neutral word order is noun + adjective: L’esperimento è difficile.
How would I say “An experiment is difficult” in Italian?
Use the indefinite article: Un esperimento è difficile.
How would I express “Experiments are difficult” in Italian?
Switch to the plural article and adjective: Gli esperimenti sono difficili.