Breakdown of Vedo un’aiuola con fiori gialli.
io
I
vedere
to see
il fiore
the flower
giallo
yellow
con
with
l’aiuola
the flowerbed
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Questions & Answers about Vedo un’aiuola con fiori gialli.
What does aiuola mean?
It means flowerbed, a patch of ground specifically planted with flowers.
Why is the indefinite article un’ used before aiuola and not una?
Because aiuola is a feminine singular noun that begins with a vowel. In Italian the feminine article una drops its final a in front of a vowel, becoming un’ (this is called elision).
How do I know that aiuola is feminine?
Most Italian nouns ending in -a are feminine. While there are exceptions, aiuola follows this regular pattern. Over time you’ll learn the few exceptions.
Why is the noun fiori in the masculine plural and not singular?
The singular form is fiore (masculine). When you have more than one flower you use the plural ending -i, so fiori means “flowers.”
Why is the adjective gialli used instead of giallo, and why does it come after fiori?
Adjectives in Italian must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Since fiori is masculine plural, giallo becomes gialli. Descriptive adjectives normally follow the noun, hence fiori gialli.
Can I place the adjective before the noun (for example, gialli fiori)?
Yes, you can say gialli fiori, but in everyday speech descriptive adjectives usually come after the noun. Putting it before can sound more poetic or add emphasis.
Why is con used here? Could I use di instead?
Con means “with” and indicates that the flowerbed has yellow flowers in it. You could also say un’aiuola di fiori gialli, literally “a flowerbed of yellow flowers,” which emphasizes composition. Both are correct but carry a slightly different nuance.
Why is there no subject pronoun io before vedo?
Italian is a pro-drop language: the verb ending -o in vedo already tells you the subject is “I.” Adding io is grammatically correct but only needed for emphasis or contrast.
Could I rephrase the sentence as Vedo fiori gialli in un’aiuola?
Yes. Italian word order is flexible. Vedo fiori gialli in un’aiuola shifts the focus onto the flowers first and then specifies their location.
How is aiuola pronounced?
It’s pronounced roughly ah-YWOH-la ([aˈjwɔla]), where aiu sounds like “ah-yoh.”