Breakdown of La mansarda in cui dormiamo profuma di legno di pino.
dormire
to sleep
di
of
in
in
noi
we
il legno
the wood
cui
which
la mansarda
the attic loft
profumare di
to smell of
il pino
the pine
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Questions & Answers about La mansarda in cui dormiamo profuma di legno di pino.
What does mansarda mean?
Mansarda is the Italian word for an attic or loft—the top-floor room directly under the sloping roof of a house. It’s often used as a bedroom or storage space.
Why is there in cui instead of just cui?
When a relative pronoun is governed by a preposition (here in, because you sleep “in” the attic), you must repeat that preposition before cui. So you get in cui (“in which”) rather than just cui.
Could we use dove instead of in cui?
Yes. In everyday Italian you can say La mansarda dove dormiamo. Dove works as “where” for locations. In more formal style you could also say nella quale, e.g. La mansarda nella quale dormiamo.
What kind of word is cui? Does it change with gender or number?
Cui is an invariable relative pronoun. It never changes form, regardless of the gender or number of its antecedent. You only choose the preposition (in, su, con, ecc.) that goes before it.
Why do we use in before mansarda in this sentence?
Because the verb dormire normally takes in to express location: you “sleep in” something. Thus, even in the relative clause you need in (“in cui dormiamo”) to match dormiamo in mansarda.
What does profuma di mean? How is it different from odorare di?
Profumare di means “to smell pleasantly of” or “to give off the scent of.” Odorare di can also mean “to smell of,” but it’s more neutral (or can imply a bad smell). Profumare always suggests a pleasant aroma.
Why are there two di’s in profuma di legno di pino?
The first di is required by the verb profumare (it governs its object). The second di indicates the material or type: legno di pino literally means “pine wood.”
Could we simplify legno di pino to just pino?
Yes. Profuma di pino (“smells of pine”) is perfectly natural and focuses on the pine aroma itself (needles/resin). Adding legno specifically highlights the scent of pine wood.
Could we rephrase the sentence using ha un profumo?
Absolutely. You can say La mansarda in cui dormiamo ha un profumo di legno di pino. Here ha un profumo di means “has a scent of,” but note you then need the indefinite article un before profumo.