La leggenda è interessante.

The legend is interesting.

Breakdown of La leggenda è interessante.

• essere: to be
• interessante: interesting
• la leggenda: the legend

Questions & Answers about La leggenda è interessante.

Why is la used before leggenda?

In Italian, every singular noun has a corresponding definite article. La is the feminine singular definite article, so you use la because leggenda is a feminine noun ending in -a.

Could I say una leggenda instead of la leggenda?

Yes. Una leggenda means “a legend” (indefinite), while la leggenda means “the legend” (definite). You choose una when speaking about any legend in general, and la when you refer to a specific one that both speaker and listener know.

Why does interessante come after leggenda?

In Italian, descriptive adjectives normally follow the noun. So you say leggenda interessante rather than interessante leggenda. (Some adjectives change meaning if placed before the noun, but interessante is almost always post-nominal.)

Does interessante change form to match gender and number?

Yes and no. Interessante ends in -e and is the same for masculine and feminine singular. In the plural, it becomes interessanti for both genders:
• La leggenda è interessante. (singular)
• Le leggende sono interessanti. (plural)

What’s the difference between è and e?

È (with a grave accent) is the third-person singular of essere, meaning “is.”
E (without accent) is a conjunction meaning “and.” The accent on è is essential to avoid confusion.

How do I pronounce leggenda and interessante?

• leggenda: [ˈlɛd.d͡ʒɛn.da] – The double gg before e gives a /d͡ʒ/ sound, like English j in jet.
• interessante: [in.tɛ.resˈsan.te] – The ss is a strong /s/ sound, and the stressed syllable is -san-.

How would I turn the whole sentence into the plural?

You must pluralize both the article, the noun, and use the plural form of the verb and adjective:
Le leggende sono interessanti.
• Le = feminine plural article
• leggende = plural of leggenda
• sono = “are,” plural of è
• interessanti = plural adjective

Is there any nuance between Italian interessante and English “interesting”?

They’re very close in meaning. However, Italians sometimes use interessante not only for intellectual interest but also to soften criticism, similar to saying “that’s… interesting” in English when you find something odd. Context will tell you if it’s genuine praise or polite understatement.