Il tavolo pieghevole è utile in giardino.

to be

Breakdown of Il tavolo pieghevole è utile in giardino.

• il tavolo: the table
• in: in
• il giardino: the garden

Questions & Answers about Il tavolo pieghevole è utile in giardino.

Why is the definite article il used before tavolo when this sentence talks about folding tables in general?

In Italian, when you make a general statement about an entire category (like “folding tables” as a type of furniture), you normally use the definite article. Saying Il tavolo pieghevole è utile in giardino means “The folding table is useful in the garden” in the sense of “Folding tables are useful….” If you said Un tavolo pieghevole è utile in giardino, you’d be emphasizing one unspecified folding table rather than the concept in general.

Why is the adjective pieghevole placed after tavolo?

Most descriptive adjectives in Italian follow the noun they modify. So tavolo pieghevole is the natural word order. Placing pieghevole before tavolo (i.e. pieghevole tavolo) would sound unusual or poetic, and is generally avoided in everyday speech.

How do you form the plural of Il tavolo pieghevole è utile in giardino?

You make both the article and noun plural, and you turn the adjective ending -e into -i (since pieghevole is an -­e adjective, it’s the same for masc. and fem.). It becomes:
I tavoli pieghevoli sono utili in giardino.

What does pieghevole literally mean, and how is it built?