Il vento è proprio freddo.

The wind is really cold.

Breakdown of Il vento è proprio freddo.

• essere: to be
• freddo: cold
• il vento: the wind
• proprio: really

Questions & Answers about Il vento è proprio freddo.

Why do we use il before vento instead of just saying vento?

In Italian, when you talk about something in a general sense—like “wind” as a phenomenon—you usually place the definite article before the noun. So you say il vento (“the wind”) even if you mean wind in general, not a specific, countable wind.

Why is it Il vento è freddo and not Un vento freddo?

Un vento freddo would literally mean “a cold wind,” implying one particular gust or instance. Il vento è freddo makes a general observation—“the wind is cold”—rather than pointing to a single, countable wind.

What’s the difference between Il vento è freddo and the impersonal expression Fa freddo?

• Fa freddo means “it’s cold” and is used impersonally for the overall weather.
• Il vento è freddo specifically describes the wind’s temperature: “the wind is cold.” You’re emphasizing the wind itself, not just the general coldness.

What does proprio do in this sentence, and does it ever change form for gender or number?

Here proprio is an adverb meaning “really” or “very.” It intensifies the adjective freddo. As an adverb, it never changes for gender or number. (When proprio is an adjective meaning “one’s own,” it must agree, e.g. la casa propria.)

Could I use molto or davvero instead of proprio?

Yes. You can say:

• Il vento è molto freddo (“the wind is very cold”)
• Il vento è davvero freddo (“the wind is truly/really cold”)
  They all work, though proprio often sounds more colloquial and punchy in everyday speech.

Why is the adjective freddo in the masculine singular form?

Adjectives in Italian must agree with the noun they describe. Vento is a masculine singular noun, so the adjective stays freddo (not fredda or freddi).

Can I make the sentence even stronger—like “really, really cold”?

Yes. You have a few options:

• Use the superlative: Il vento è freddissimo (“the wind is extremely cold”).
• Double the adverb: Il vento è proprio, proprio freddo, although the superlative form is more common and concise.

Could I place proprio after freddo—as in Il vento è freddo proprio—and does it change the meaning?

You can, and it shifts the emphasis slightly, more like “the wind really is cold.” However, Il vento è proprio freddo (proprio before the adjective) is more idiomatic in modern spoken Italian.