Learn Hardcore Italian: Indosso una sciarpa leggera perché la temperatura mattutina è ancora bassa. - I wear a light scarf because the morning temperature is still low.

indosso is the first-person singular present of indossare, which specifically means “to wear” (as in clothing or accessories). A learner might know porto from portare, but portare more often means “to carry” or “to bring.” While in casual speech you might hear porto una giacca, it usually implies you’re carrying it somewhere rather than wearing it. To say “I am wearing…,” use indossare.

Why is it una sciarpa leggera and not una leggera sciarpa?

In Italian, descriptive adjectives typically follow the noun. So leggera (light) comes after sciarpa (scarf). Putting the adjective before the noun (as in English) is possible in poetic or emphatic contexts, but the neutral word order is sciarpa leggera.

Why is the adjective leggera feminine, and how do I know to say leggera instead of leggero?

Adjectives in Italian must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Sciarpa is a feminine noun (ending in -a), so its adjective takes the feminine form leggera (not masculine leggero). If you were talking about a masculine noun like cappotto (coat), you’d say cappotto leggero.

What does perché mean, and why does it have an accent on the é?

perché means “because” (or “why” in questions). The accent on the é distinguishes it from perche (which isn’t a word) and indicates that the stress falls on the last syllable: per-CHÉ. Always include the accent to avoid confusion.

What does ancora mean in this sentence?

Here, ancora means “still.” So è ancora bassa translates to “is still low.” Ancora can also mean “again” in other contexts, but with an adjective it usually means “still.”

Why is there a definite article in la temperatura mattutina? Could I drop la?

Italian often uses the definite article where English omits it. La temperatura mattutina literally means “the morning temperature.” Dropping la (temperatura mattutina) sounds less natural unless you’re listing items on a menu or in a very technical context. For everyday speech, include la.

What does mattutina mean, and how is it different from del mattino?

mattutina is an adjective meaning “morning” (as in “morning temperature”). Temperatura mattutina = “morning temperature.” You could also say la temperatura del mattino, literally “the temperature of the morning.” Both are correct; mattutina is a concise adjectival form, while del mattino is a prepositional phrase.