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Breakdown of Quando l’annaffiatoio è vuoto, lo riempio al rubinetto della cucina.
essere
to be
di
of
quando
when
la cucina
the kitchen
vuoto
empty
lo
it
al
at
riempire
to fill
l’annaffiatoio
the watering can
il rubinetto
the tap
Questions & Answers about Quando l’annaffiatoio è vuoto, lo riempio al rubinetto della cucina.
What does l’annaffiatoio mean and why is the article l’ used instead of il?
Annaffiatoio means watering can. Since the noun begins with a vowel, the masculine singular article il elides to l’.
Why is there a grave accent in è?
È (with a grave accent) is the third-person singular present of essere (to be). The accent distinguishes è (“is”) from e (“and”).
Why is vuoto used here?
Vuoto means empty and comes from the past participle of vuotare. As an adjective it must agree in gender and number with l’annaffiatoio (masculine singular).
What is lo in lo riempio, and why does it come before the verb?
Lo is the third-person masculine singular direct object pronoun (“it”). In Italian present-tense main clauses—and especially after subordinating words like quando—object pronouns go before the verb (proclisis).
What tense and person is riempio?
Riempio is the first-person singular present indicative of riempire (“to fill”). It literally means “I fill.”
What does al mean in al rubinetto?
Al is a contraction of a + il, meaning “at the.” So al rubinetto translates to “at the faucet.”
Why is it della cucina instead of just di cucina?
Della is the contraction of di + la (“of the”). You need the definite article la because you’re referring to a specific kitchen’s faucet.
Why is the present tense used in both clauses instead of the future?
Italian often uses the present tense to describe habitual or general actions. Here, “quando l’annaffiatoio è vuoto” means “whenever it’s empty.” For a one-time future event you could instead say “Quando sarà vuoto, lo riempirò.”
Could I say Lo riempio d’acqua instead of Lo riempio al rubinetto?
Yes. Lo riempio d’acqua means “I fill it with water,” focusing on the contents. Lo riempio al rubinetto specifies where you fill it (“at the faucet”).
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