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Questions & Answers about La nave è al molo.
Why is the definite article la used before nave?
Nave is a feminine singular noun in Italian, so it takes the feminine singular article la.
What’s the difference between nave and barca?
- Nave usually refers to a larger seagoing vessel (like a ship).
- Barca is a smaller boat, often used for shorter trips or in rivers/lakes.
What does è mean, and how is it different from e?
- è (with accent) is the third-person singular of essere (to be), meaning is.
- e (without accent) means and.
What is al in al molo?
Al is the contraction of the preposition a (to/at) + the masculine singular article il, so al = a + il.
Why is it al and not alla?
- Alla is a + la (feminine singular).
- Molo is masculine, so we use il, giving al.
Why al molo instead of nel molo or just molo?
- A expresses being at a place or point (at the dock).
- In expresses being inside something; nel = in + il would mean “inside the dock.”
- Omitting the preposition would sound unnatural: Italians normally use a with molo in this context.
Could you say sul molo instead of al molo?
- Sul = su + il (on the dock), emphasizing the surface.
- Al molo (a + il molo) is more common for indicating that something is stationed at the quay.
- Both are grammatically correct but carry a slight nuance: sul is more “on,” al more “at.”
How would you say “The ships are at the dock” in Italian?
Use the plural forms:
Le navi sono al molo.