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Questions & Answers about La bottiglia è trasparente.
Why is the article la used before bottiglia?
Because bottiglia is a feminine singular noun (most Italian nouns ending in -a are feminine). The corresponding definite article is la (masculine singular would be il).
Why does the adjective trasparente come after the noun?
In Italian, descriptive adjectives normally follow the noun they modify. Placing an adjective before the noun can happen for stylistic reasons or to convey a particular nuance, but the default order is noun + adjective.
Why does trasparente end in -e?
Adjectives ending in -e are “two-ending” adjectives: they have one form for both masculine and feminine singular (ending in -e), and one form for both masculine and feminine plural (ending in -i).
Does trasparente change for gender or number?
Yes, for number but not for gender in the singular.
- Singular (masc. and fem.): trasparente
- Plural (masc. and fem.): trasparenti
How would you say “the bottles are transparent” in Italian?
You’d say Le bottiglie sono trasparenti.
- Le = feminine plural definite article
- bottiglie = plural of bottiglia
- sono = third-person plural of essere
- trasparenti = plural of trasparente
How do you pronounce bottiglia?
Pronounced [botˈtiʎːa]. The letter group gli represents the palatal lateral consonant /ʎ/, similar to the “lli” in English “million” but held longer.
Why is there an accent on è and not on e?
Because è (with a grave accent) is the third-person singular form of the verb essere (“to be”). e without an accent is the conjunction “and.” The accent distinguishes the verb from the conjunction.
Can you use an indefinite article instead of la?
Yes. If you want to say “A bottle is transparent,” you would say Una bottiglia è trasparente. Here una is the feminine singular indefinite article.
Are there synonyms for trasparente in Italian?
A few options:
- limpido (clear, pure, often of liquids)
- cristallino (crystalline, very clear)
- traslucido (translucent; let’s some light pass but not fully transparent)
- chiaro can mean “clear” but refers more to color/brightness than to transparency.