Il giardino è splendido al tramonto.

The garden is splendid at sunset.

Breakdown of Il giardino è splendido al tramonto.

• essere: to be
• il giardino: the garden
• il tramonto: the sunset
• al: at
• splendido: splendid

Questions & Answers about Il giardino è splendido al tramonto.

Why is it Il and not Lo or L' before giardino?

Because giardino is a masculine singular noun starting with a regular consonant (g). Use:

• il
  • most consonants: il giardino
• lo
  • s + consonant, z, ps, gn, x, y: lo studente, lo zaino
• l'
  • vowel: l’albero

What gender is giardino, and how does that affect splendido?

Giardino is masculine singular; the predicate adjective agrees with the subject:

• Singular: Il giardino è splendido. / La casa è splendida.
• Plural: I giardini sono splendidi. / Le case sono splendide.

Could I use bello instead of splendido?

Yes. Il giardino è bello is milder; bellissimo or splendido is stronger. Other near-synonyms: stupendo, magnifico, meraviglioso. Splendido in Italian is natural and current.

Why è and not sta?

Use essere (è) with adjectives to describe qualities/appearance. Stare with adjectives is limited (e.g., stare bene/male, stare zitto) or for progressives.

• Natural: Il giardino è splendido.
• Unnatural: Il giardino sta splendido.

Do I need the accent in è? What’s the difference between e and è?

Yes. È (with grave accent) means “is” (3rd person singular of essere). E without an accent means “and.” At the start of a sentence, uppercase È is used.

What does al in al tramonto mean?

It’s the contraction a + il = al, meaning “at the.” Al tramonto = “at sunset.” Similar patterns:

• al mattino (in the morning)
• all’alba (at dawn: a + l’)
• a mezzogiorno (at noon; this one typically drops the article)

Why not nel tramonto or di tramonto?

Italian uses a + article for time points like this. Al tramonto is idiomatic.

• Nel tramonto is generally unnatural.
• Di tramonto is incorrect here. Compare: di sera (“in the evenings” generally) vs alla sera/al tramonto (at that time of day).

Can I change the word order to front the time expression?

Yes:

• Al tramonto, il giardino è splendido.
• Il giardino al tramonto è splendido. Both are fine; a comma after a fronted time phrase is common.

How do I pronounce the sentence?

Approximate guide (stressed syllables in caps):

• Il: eel
• giardino: jyar-DEE-no
• è: eh (open e)
• splendido: SPLEHN-dee-do
• al: ahl
• tramonto: tra-MON-to Notes: gi sounds like English “j”; final vowels are pronounced; r is tapped.

How would I say it in the plural?

I giardini sono splendidi al tramonto. Changes:

• Il → I
• è → sono
• splendido → splendidi

What’s the difference between un giardino splendido and uno splendido giardino?

Both mean “a splendid garden.”

• After the noun (un giardino splendido): neutral/descriptive.
• Before the noun (uno splendido giardino): more subjective/emphatic. With essere, use the predicate form: Il giardino è splendido.

Can I drop the article and say Giardino è splendido?

No. Italian normally requires an article before common nouns: Il giardino... Exceptions exist in headlines, lists, or certain set phrases, but not here.

Is tramonto masculine? Why al and not alla?

Yes, tramonto is masculine, so al (a + il). Compare:

• al tramonto (sunset)
• all’alba (dawn; feminine noun starting with a vowel)
• a mezzogiorno (at noon; no article in this fixed expression)

Could I say di sera instead of al tramonto?

You can, but it changes the meaning:

• al tramonto = specifically at sunset.
• di sera = in the evening(s), broader and more habitual. Other options: al crepuscolo (at twilight), more literary: al calar del sole.

What’s the difference between giardino, orto, parco, and cortile?

• giardino: garden (ornamental/flowers)
• orto: vegetable garden
• parco: park (large public green area)
• cortile: courtyard (open space inside/around buildings)