Breakdown of Quando la menta sarà alta, prepareremo un tè rinfrescante.
essere
to be
alto
tall
preparare
to prepare
quando
when
rinfrescante
refreshing
noi
we
il tè
the tea
la menta
the mint
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Questions & Answers about Quando la menta sarà alta, prepareremo un tè rinfrescante.
Why is sarà used after quando instead of the present è?
Temporal clauses referring to the future in Italian (introduced by quando, appena, etc.) require the future tense. So you say Quando la menta sarà alta (“When the mint will be tall”). In English we often use the present (“When the mint is tall”), but in Italian the future sarà is obligatory here.
Could we use the present tense è if we were speaking generally?
Yes. If you’re stating a general, habitual fact you can use the present tense: Quando la menta è alta, prepariamo un tè (“When the mint is tall, we prepare tea”). But for a specific future event (the mint isn’t tall yet), the future tense (sarà… prepareremo) is needed.
Why does alta end in -a?
Because menta is a feminine noun in Italian. Adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Therefore, menta alta (not menta alto) is correct.
Why is there a comma after the subordinate clause?
In Italian, placing a comma between an initial subordinate clause and the main clause is common practice to improve readability. When the subordinate clause (Quando…) comes first, a comma signals the pause. If you switch the order, the comma becomes optional.
Why is there an indefinite article un before tè and why does tè have an accent?
Un tè means “a tea,” referring to an unspecified serving of tea. The grave accent on tè distinguishes the noun “tea” from the pronoun te (“you” as an object) and also indicates the open vowel sound.
What does rinfrescante mean and why is it used?
Rinfrescante is the present participle of rinfrescare used as an adjective, meaning “refreshing.” Here it describes the tea’s effect: un tè rinfrescante = “a refreshing tea.”
Can we invert the clauses and say Prepareremo un tè rinfrescante quando la menta sarà alta?
Yes. Italian allows you to place the main clause either before or after the subordinate clause. Both word orders are grammatically correct, and in the second case the comma before quando is optional.
Could we use a different verb, like diventare, instead of essere?
Absolutely. Quando la menta diventerà alta (“When the mint will become tall”) is perfectly fine. Using diventerà emphasizes the action of growing, while sarà alta focuses on the resulting state.