Breakdown of La campanella della scuola suona alle otto in punto.
di
of
la scuola
the school
suonare
to ring
otto
eight
alle
at
la campanella
the bell
in punto
sharp
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Questions & Answers about La campanella della scuola suona alle otto in punto.
Why is the word campanella used here instead of campanello?
Campanella is the standard Italian term for a small bell such as a school bell (and also a handbell). Campanello is another diminutive of campana but is most often used for a doorbell or a bicycle bell. So when talking about the bell that rings in a school, you use la campanella.
What is della in della scuola? Why not just di scuola?
Della is the contraction of di + la (the feminine singular definite article). In Italian, possession or belonging (“of the school”) is expressed with di plus the appropriate article. Since scuola is feminine singular (la scuola), di + la becomes della. Saying di scuola without the article sounds incomplete or more like “of (some) school.”
Why is the verb suona in the present tense? Doesn’t the speaker mean a future or scheduled event?
In Italian, the present indicative often covers habitual or scheduled actions, much like the English “the train leaves at 5.” Here, suona (3rd-person singular of suonare) describes the regular ringing of the bell at school every day. Even if you’re announcing a future (but regular) bell event, you still use the present.
Why do we say alle otto instead of just a otto?
When telling time in Italian, you combine the preposition a with the definite article for feminine plural hours (le): a + le = alle. So alle otto literally means “at the eight(s).” For one o’clock you’d say all’una (a + l’).
What does in punto mean, and is it mandatory?
In punto means “sharp” or “exactly.” It emphasizes that the bell rings right at eight, not a few minutes before or after. It’s optional: suona alle otto already means “it rings at eight,” but adding in punto stresses punctuality.
Can in punto come before alle otto (e.g., in punto alle otto)?
Standard word order places in punto after the time expression: alle otto in punto. Putting it before (in punto alle otto) is unusual in everyday Italian and may sound awkward or overly formal.
Does suonare always mean “to play (music)”?
No. While suonare can mean “to play” an instrument (e.g., suonare la chitarra), it also means “to ring” for bells or alarms and “to sound” for phones. Here, la campanella suona means “the bell rings.”
Why do we use the definite article la before campanella?
Italian typically requires the definite article before singular, countable nouns when talking about something specific or habitual. Saying la campanella (“the bell”) indicates you mean the specific school bell, not just any bell in general.