Breakdown of Temo che la partenza notturna aumenti l’umidità nei corridoi dell’aeroporto.
io
I
di
of
in
in
che
that
il corridoio
the corridor
temere
to fear
aumentare
to increase
la partenza
the departure
l’aeroporto
the airport
l’umidità
the humidity
notturno
night-time
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Questions & Answers about Temo che la partenza notturna aumenti l’umidità nei corridoi dell’aeroporto.
Why is there che after Temo and why does the verb aumenti take the subjunctive mood rather than the indicative?
In Italian, when temere introduces a subordinate clause, you must use the conjunction che. Moreover, because Temo che expresses fear or uncertainty, the verb in the subordinate clause must be in the subjunctive mood. Here:
- Temo = I’m afraid
- che = that
- aumenti = present subjunctive of aumentare (3rd person singular)
The indicative form aumenta would be ungrammatical in this context.
Could I use Ho paura che instead of Temo che? Are they interchangeable?
Yes, both expressions mean “I’m afraid that” and both trigger the subjunctive. The difference is mostly one of register:
- Ho paura che is more colloquial, everyday speech.
- Temo che sounds more formal or written.
Semantically they’re equivalent.
Why is notturna placed after partenza? Can it come before the noun?
Most descriptive Italian adjectives follow the noun, so partenza notturna is the normal order (“nighttime departure”). Placing notturna before the noun (notturna partenza) is unusual and would sound poetic or archaic. In everyday language, stick with post-nominal position for adjectives like notturno.
Can I say una partenza di notte instead of una partenza notturna?
Absolutely. Una partenza di notte (“a departure at night”) is perfectly correct and perhaps even more colloquial. Partenza notturna is simply a more compact adjectival form.
Why is there an apostrophe in l’umidità and what gender is umidità?
- Umidità is feminine (all Italian nouns ending in -tà/-tù are feminine).
- The definite article la elides before a vowel: la
- umidità → l’
- umidità = l’umidità.
- umidità → l’
Why does umidità carry an accent on the final à?
Italian nouns ending in -tà or -tù always bear a written accent to mark the stressed final syllable (e.g., città, virtù, età). It’s part of their standard spelling.
Why do we say nei corridoi? How does that contraction work?
Nei is the contraction of in + i:
- in = in
- i corridoi = the corridors (masc. plural)
So in + i corridoi → nei corridoi.
What about dell’aeroporto? What’s it short for?
Dell’ is the contraction of di + l’:
- di = of
- l’ = the (fem. or masc. sing. elided) before a vowel
Since aeroporto is masc. sing. and begins with a vowel, di + l’aeroporto → dell’aeroporto (“of the airport”).