Il pianeta è piccolo.

The planet is small.

Breakdown of Il pianeta è piccolo.

• essere: to be
• piccolo: small
• il pianeta: the planet

Questions & Answers about Il pianeta è piccolo.

Why is there a definite article il before pianeta, when in English we often say “Planet is small”?

In Italian, singular countable nouns normally require a definite article when you talk about them in a general or specific sense. So il pianeta translates literally to “the planet.” Dropping il (e.g. Pianeta è piccolo) would sound ungrammatical unless you’re using a very poetic or telegraphic style.

Why is pianeta masculine (using il), even though it ends in -a?

Most Italian nouns ending in -a are feminine, but there are exceptions. Words borrowed from Greek, like pianeta (from Greek πλανήτης), remain masculine. Other examples include problema, programma, and sistema, all masculine despite their -a endings.

Why does the adjective piccolo come after the noun, instead of before as in English?

In Italian, the default position for descriptive adjectives is after the noun (noun + adjective). This order highlights objective or inherent qualities. Placing piccolo before pianeta (i.e. piccolo pianeta) is possible but often conveys a more poetic, emotional, or subjective nuance.

Why is the verb essere (è) used here instead of stare?