Breakdown of Gli occhi del gatto vengono controllati dal veterinario ogni anno.
il gatto
the cat
di
of
ogni
every
l'anno
the year
controllare
to check
da
by
l'occhio
the eye
il veterinario
the veterinarian
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Questions & Answers about Gli occhi del gatto vengono controllati dal veterinario ogni anno.
Why do we say gli occhi instead of i occhi?
Italian uses gli as the masculine plural definite article before nouns starting with a vowel (like occhi) or certain consonant clusters (s+consonant, z-, gn-, etc.). So gli occhi is the correct way to say “the eyes.”
What is the structure of vengono controllati?
This is the present passive voice, formed with the present tense of venire (to come) + the past participle controllati (checked). It literally means “are checked” or “get checked.”
What’s the difference between vengono controllati and sono controllati?
Both create a passive meaning (“are checked”), but:
- vengono controllati (“they come checked”) gives a more dynamic, repeated‐action nuance.
- sono controllati (“they are checked”) is more neutral or stative.
Why is the agent introduced by dal veterinario? What does dal stand for?
In Italian passives, the agent is introduced by da + the definite article. Dal is the contraction of da + il, so dal veterinario = “by the vet.”
Why is ogni anno singular? Can we say ogni anni?
Ogni (“every”) always takes a singular noun in Italian. You must say ogni anno, never ogni anni. If you want a plural idea, use tutti gli anni (“all the years”).
Could we use a possessive adjective instead of del gatto, like i suoi occhi?
Yes. Gli occhi del gatto means “the cat’s eyes.” You could also say i suoi occhi (“his/its eyes”), but only if the context already makes it clear you’re talking about the cat.
Why does venire agree with occhi as vengono, and why is controllati plural?
In the passive, venire is the auxiliary and must agree in number and person with the subject (gli occhi is plural → vengono). The past participle controllati also matches the subject’s gender (masculine) and number (plural).
Can we move ogni anno around in the sentence?
Yes, Italian allows flexibility for time expressions. All of these are correct and equivalent:
- Ogni anno gli occhi del gatto vengono controllati dal veterinario.
- Gli occhi del gatto vengono controllati ogni anno dal veterinario.
- Gli occhi del gatto vengono controllati dal veterinario ogni anno.
The most neutral placement is often at the end.