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Sul corrimano della scala c’è un piccolo graffio, ma non è profondo.

Sul corrimano della scala c’è un piccolo graffio, ma non è profondo.
On the hand-rail of the stairs there is a small scratch, but it is not deep.
FromLesson 38inHardcore Italian

Breakdown of Sul corrimano della scala c’è un piccolo graffio, ma non è profondo.

essere
to be
su
on
di
of
ma
but
non
not
piccolo
small
ci
there
profondo
deep
il graffio
the scratch
il corrimano
the hand-rail
la scala
the stairs

Questions & Answers about Sul corrimano della scala c’è un piccolo graffio, ma non è profondo.

What is the meaning and grammatical structure of Sul here?

Sul is a contraction of su + il, meaning on the. In Italian, many prepositions combine with the definite article:
su + il → sul
su + la → sulla
su + i → sui
su + le → sulle

What does c’è represent?
C’è comes from ci + è (there + is) and means there is. It’s an impersonal, singular construction. For plural you’d use ci sono (there are).
What does corrimano mean and why is it one word?
Corrimano means handrail (literally “that you run your hand on”). It’s a compound noun formed from correre (to run) and mano (hand). Italian often joins such compounds into a single word.
Why is it della scala and not delle scale?
Here scala means staircase (the whole structure), so it stays singular. Della is di + la (“of the”). If you meant individual stairs you’d say delle scale, but for a stairway you use the singular.
Why is there an un before piccolo graffio?
Italian requires an indefinite article (un) before singular countable nouns. Since graffio (scratch) is a single item, you say un piccolo graffio (a small scratch).
Why is piccolo masculine here?
Graffio is a masculine noun, so its adjective piccolo must agree in gender and number: masculine singular.
What is the function of ma in this sentence?
Ma means but, introducing a contrast: there is a small scratch, but it isn’t deep.
Could I place non è profondo differently?
The neutral Italian order is ma non è profondo (but it’s not deep). You could say profondo non è for emphasis or poetic effect, but in everyday speech you keep non before the verb.
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