Learn Hardcore Italian: I volontari legano una fune tra due colonne per creare un percorso sicuro. - The volunteers tie a rope between two columns to create a safe path.

Because volontari is a masculine plural noun. The standard masculine plural article before a consonant is i. You would use gli only before masculine plural nouns that begin with a vowel (e.g. gli studenti) or special clusters (z-, s+consonant, gn-, ps-, pn-, x-, y-). Le is the plural article for feminine nouns (e.g. le persone).

Why is legano translated as “tie” instead of “are tying”?

In Italian the simple present (presente indicativo) covers both the English simple present and present continuous. So legano can mean either they tie or they are tying, depending on context. If you want to emphasize that the action is ongoing right now, you could say stanno legando (“they are tying”), but the simple present is more natural for narrating a current or habitual action.

Can we omit the subject pronoun loro in “loro legano una fune…”?

Yes. Italian is a pro-drop language: subject pronouns are optional because the verb ending already shows person and number. Legano implies they without needing loro. You would only add loro for emphasis or contrast (e.g. Loro legano, ma gli altri guardano).

Why is it una fune and not un fune?

Fune is a feminine noun. The indefinite article for feminine singular nouns is una before any consonant. We use un only for masculine singular nouns (e.g. un filo, un uomo) and uno for masculine singular nouns beginning with z-, s+consonant, gn-, ps- etc.

What’s the difference between tra and fra in “tra due colonne”?

Tra and fra are fully interchangeable prepositions meaning between or among. The choice is stylistic or euphonic. You’ll sometimes prefer tra before a word that starts with a consonant, fra before a vowel, but both tra due and fra due are correct.

Why is per + infinitive used in per creare un percorso sicuro?

Per + infinitive expresses purpose or goal (equivalent to English “in order to”). Here per creare means “in order to create.” Without per, you’d need a conjunction like affinché or a subordinate clause, which is more formal or wordy.

Why does sicuro come after percorso, and how does it agree in gender and number?

In Italian most adjectives follow the noun. Sicuro describes percorso and must agree in gender (masculine) and number (singular), hence sicuro not sicura or sicuri. You could move sicuro before the noun (il sicuro percorso), but that puts extra emphasis on safety.

What’s the difference between fune and corda? Could you say corda instead?

Both fune and corda mean “rope,” but with a nuance: fune often implies a thicker, more industrial rope (e.g. for towing, climbing). Corda is more general or lighter (e.g. clothesline, skipping rope). In everyday speech “legano una corda” is perfectly fine; if you imagine a heavy-duty rope you’d prefer fune.

Why is there no definite article before due colonne? Shouldn’t it be tra le due colonne?

When you use a cardinal number like due directly before a noun, Italian usually drops the article. So tra due colonne (“between two columns”) is normal. If you insert le, you’re specifying particular columns already known to the listener: tra le due colonne would mean “between those two columns (we already talked about).”