Quando la menta sarà alta, prepareremo un tè rinfrescante.

to be

Breakdown of Quando la menta sarà alta, prepareremo un tè rinfrescante.

• alto: tall
• preparare: to prepare
• quando: when

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.