L’aquilone vola alto sopra le case.

The kite flies high above the houses.

Breakdown of L’aquilone vola alto sopra le case.

• la casa: the house
• alto: high
• volare: to fly
• sopra: above
• l’aquilone: the kite

Questions & Answers about L’aquilone vola alto sopra le case.

Why is there an apostrophe in L’aquilone?

In Italian, the definite article lo contracts before a masculine singular noun starting with a vowel. So lo + aquilone becomes l’aquilone, with the apostrophe marking the dropped o.

Why does the sentence use alto and not alti or alta?

Here alto functions as an adverb meaning “high.” Italian adverbs are invariable and don’t change for gender or number. If it were an adjective, it would agree with the noun (e.g. case alte, aquilone alto).

How can I tell that alto is an adverb, not an adjective?

• Position: It immediately follows the verb vola. Adverbs typically follow verbs.
• Function: It describes how the kite flies (modifying the action), not a property of a noun.

What’s the difference between alto and in alto?

• alto (no preposition) is an adverb modifying a verb: vola alto = “flies high.”
• in alto is a prepositional phrase meaning “up above” or “up high,” often used without a verb (e.g. Guarda in alto! = “Look up!”).

Why is sopra used here instead of su?

Both can mean “over/on,” but:

• sopra emphasizes “above/over” (not necessarily touching).
• su often implies direct contact (“on top of”).
  In everyday speech they’re often interchangeable. Here sopra le case means “above the houses.”

Why doesn’t sopra need a preposition like a sopra le case?

Sopra is a simple preposition that directly governs its object. The structure is simply sopra + article + noun. No extra a is added.

Why is the article le used before case?

Casa is a feminine noun. Its plural definite article is le, so le case means “the houses.”

Why is the verb vola in that particular form?

Vola is the third person singular present tense of volare (to fly). The subject l’aquilone (the kite) requires the 3rd person singular form.

Could I say L’aquilone sta volando alto sopra le case instead?

Yes. Sta volando is the present continuous (“is flying”), but Italian often prefers the simple present. Both are correct:

• L’aquilone vola alto sopra le case.
• L’aquilone sta volando alto sopra le case.

Can I change the word order for emphasis, like Sopra le case vola l’aquilone?

Absolutely. Italian allows flexible word order for stylistic or emphatic effect. Sopra le case vola l’aquilone still means “Above the houses, the kite flies,” with a more poetic tone.