Learn Hardcore Italian: Tutti portano il proprio ombrello sotto la pioggia. - Everyone carries their own umbrella in the rain.

Tutti is an indefinite pronoun meaning “everyone” or “all (people).” As the subject of the sentence, it tells us that each member of a group is performing the action.

Why is it il proprio ombrello and not il loro ombrello?

Proprio is a reflexive possessive pronoun that points back to the subject. When the subject is tutti, il proprio ombrello means “each their own umbrella.” Il loro ombrello would suggest the umbrellas belong collectively to the group rather than individually.

Is the definite article before proprio mandatory?

Yes. In Italian, possessive adjectives and pronouns (mio, tuo, proprio, suo, nostro, vostro, loro) generally require the definite article (il, la, i, le) before them. The main exceptions are singular feminine family members (mia madre) and when they follow verbs like chiamarsi or mettere.

Why is ombrello singular instead of plural (ombrelli)?

The sentence implies that each person carries one umbrella. Using the singular (il proprio ombrello) reflects that idea. If you said i propri ombrelli, it would suggest people carry multiple umbrellas each, which is unusual.

Why is sotto la pioggia used instead of in pioggia or nella pioggia?

It’s idiomatic in Italian to say sotto la pioggia (“under the rain”) for “in the rain.” You need sotto plus the definite article la, because weather nouns with prepositions usually take the article. In pioggia is ungrammatical; nella pioggia sounds odd or overly literal.

Could we swap tutti for ognuno? Would ognuno porta il proprio ombrello be correct?

Yes. Ognuno porta il proprio ombrello is perfectly correct. Both forms work, but tutti emphasizes the group as a whole, while ognuno highlights each individual one by one.

Here, does portano mean “to bring” or “to wear”?

Portare primarily means “to carry” or “to take/bring.” In the context of umbrellas, it implies holding or carrying it with you. It does not mean “to wear”—Italians use indossare for wearing clothes or accessories.

Can we move sotto la pioggia to the beginning of the sentence, and what would change?

Yes: Sotto la pioggia, tutti portano il proprio ombrello is correct. Placing it first adds emphasis to the setting (“Under the rain…”) but the overall meaning stays the same. The default word order remains subject–verb–object–adverbial.