Learn Hardcore Italian: L'arte moderna mostra eleganza e forma.

In Italian, when the feminine definite article la precedes a noun beginning with a vowel, it loses its final a and contracts to l’ (elision). Thus la arte becomes l’arte.

What gender is arte, and how do you form its plural?

Arte is always feminine. In the singular you say l’arte, and in the plural you say le arti.

Why does the adjective moderna come after arte rather than before it?

Most descriptive adjectives in Italian follow the noun to give neutral information. So arte moderna (“modern art”) is the standard order. Placing moderna before arte would be more poetic or emphatic.

What is the verb mostra here, and why is it not mostrare?

Mostra is the third-person singular present indicative of mostrare (“to show”). It agrees with the singular subject l’arte moderna, meaning “it shows.”

Why are eleganza and forma written without any article?

When referring to abstract or general qualities in a broad sense, Italian typically omits the definite article. So eleganza and forma stand alone to mean “elegance and form” in general.

Could you say l’arte moderna mostra l’eleganza e la forma?

Grammatically you could, but that would point to specific elegance and specific form (“the elegance and the form”). To speak of those qualities in general, it’s more idiomatic to drop the articles.

Why is forma singular here instead of the plural forme?

In this sentence forma refers to the abstract concept of form or structure. If you wanted to discuss individual shapes, you would use the plural forme.

What’s the difference between the noun eleganza and the adjective elegante?

Eleganza is a noun meaning “elegance,” while elegante is an adjective meaning “elegant.” Because the sentence lists qualities (nouns), it uses eleganza rather than elegante.