Breakdown of La grandezza dell’albero in giardino è sorprendente.
essere
to be
di
of
l'albero
the tree
in
in
il giardino
the garden
sorprendente
surprising
la grandezza
the size
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Italian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about La grandezza dell’albero in giardino è sorprendente.
What does grandezza mean in this context?
In this sentence grandezza means size or magnitude. It emphasizes how big or imposing the tree is. Note that grandezza can also carry a sense of “greatness” or “splendor,” but here it’s purely about physical dimensions.
Why is there an apostrophe in dell’albero?
The apostrophe shows elision: di (of) + il (the) → dell’ + albero. Because albero begins with a vowel, il drops its vowel and joins di with an apostrophe for smooth pronunciation.
Why is the article la used before grandezza, when in English we might say “size of the tree” without “the”?
Italian generally requires the definite article before nouns, abstract or concrete. So even abstract nouns like grandezza take la. Omitting the article would sound ungrammatical or very stylistic (“Grandezza dell’albero…”).
Could we say la dimensione dell’albero instead of la grandezza? If so, what’s the nuance?
Yes, dimensione also means dimension or size. Using la dimensione is perfectly correct and perhaps more technical. Grandezza feels a bit more emphatic or even poetic, highlighting the tree’s impressiveness rather than just its measurements.
Why is in giardino used without an article, instead of nel giardino?
When talking about general locations where an activity or state happens, Italians often use the preposition in + noun without an article (e.g. in chiesa, in città, in giardino). Saying nel giardino (“in the garden”) would be correct too, but it sounds more specific, as if you’re distinguishing one particular garden from others.
What role does in giardino play in the sentence?
It’s an adverbial phrase of place, telling us where the tree is. In English: “The size of the tree in the garden is surprising.”
Why is sorprendente placed after the verb instead of before the noun?
Here sorprendente is a predicative adjective linked by the copula è (“is”). Predicative adjectives in Italian normally follow the verb: è sorprendente. If you wanted it before the noun, you’d have to use it attributively (un albero sorprendente), which changes the structure and nuance.
Does sorprendente change form for gender or number?
Sorprendente ends in -e, so it’s the same for masculine and feminine singular. For the plural you use sorprendenti (both masculine and feminine). So:
- Il fatto è sorprendente.
- Le notizie sono sorprendenti.