Breakdown of La ruggine copre la serratura della porta.
la porta
the door
di
of
coprire
to cover
la serratura
the lock
la ruggine
the rust
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Questions & Answers about La ruggine copre la serratura della porta.
Why does Italian use la before ruggine, while in English we say just rust without an article?
In Italian, mass nouns, especially abstract or uncountable ones like ruggine, usually take the definite article when used in a general sense. It’s natural to say La ruggine, just as you say l’acqua or il sale. Omitting the article would sound odd or overly informal.
Why is della porta used instead of di la porta?
Italian contracts the preposition di with the feminine singular article la to form della: di + la = della. So della porta literally means of the door. You never separate them in standard Italian.
Could I turn the sentence into a passive, like La serratura è coperta dalla ruggine?
Yes. In passive voice, the direct object (la serratura) becomes the subject, and you introduce the agent with da. So La serratura è coperta dalla ruggine literally means the lock is covered by the rust. Both forms are correct; the active La ruggine copre la serratura is more direct, while the passive shifts the focus to la serratura.
What’s the difference between La serratura è coperta di ruggine and La serratura è coperta dalla ruggine?
In La serratura è coperta di ruggine, di indicates what the surface is covered in rust and you drop the article. In La serratura è coperta dalla ruggine, you use a full passive with the agent phrase dalla ruggine, meaning by the rust. The first focuses on the condition, the second on the actor.
What’s the difference between serratura, lucchetto, and chiavistello?
• Serratura = the built-in lock mechanism inside a door
• Lucchetto = a padlock, a standalone lock you can carry
• Chiavistello = a latch or bolt you slide to secure a door or window
Why are ruggine and serratura feminine nouns?
Most Italian nouns ending in -a are feminine. That’s why you say la ruggine and la serratura. When you combine di and la, you get della. Gender is simply part of each noun’s lexical information.
How do I pronounce the double gg in ruggine?
Italian doubles (geminates) consonants so you hold them longer. The gg before i in ruggine is the same sound as the English j in judge, phonetically [dʒ], but pronounced longer. So ruggine sounds like [ruʤːi:ne].
Where is the stress in ruggine and serratura?
For ruggine, the stress is on the first syllable: RUG-gi-ne.
For serratura, the stress is on the penultimate syllable: ser-RA-tu-ra.