Se manca il lievito, l’impasto non cresce bene.

Because the subject is il lievito = the yeast, which is singular.

In Se manca il lievito, the verb manca agrees with il lievito, not with some hidden it. Italian often allows this word order, where the verb comes before the subject.

So:

• manca il lievito = the yeast is missing
• mancano le uova = the eggs are missing

Italian commonly uses mancare in the sense of to be missing.

So manca il lievito literally means something like:

• the yeast is missing
• there is no yeast

This is a very natural Italian way to express absence. English often uses a different structure, such as:

• If there is no yeast...
• If the yeast is missing...
• If the dough lacks yeast...

Italian prefers the simpler pattern manca + noun in many cases.

Yes, you could, and it is grammatically correct.

The two versions are very similar:

• Se manca il lievito
• Se il lievito manca

But Se manca il lievito sounds more natural in this kind of general statement. Italian often places the verb before the subject when introducing something as missing or present.

So both work, but the original sentence sounds especially idiomatic.

It is short for lo impasto.

Italian definite articles change before certain sounds:

• il before most masculine singular nouns
• lo before masculine singular nouns beginning with s + consonant, z, ps, gn, and some others

Since impasto begins with a vowel, lo becomes l’:

• lo impasto → l’impasto

This is called elision.

Because bene is an adverb, while buono is an adjective.

Here, bene describes how the dough rises:

• cresce bene = rises well

You need an adverb with the verb crescere.

Compare:

• un buon impasto = a good dough → adjective describing a noun
• l’impasto cresce bene = the dough rises well → adverb describing a verb

Both are in the present indicative:

• manca = present of mancare
• cresce = present of crescere

Italian uses the present tense for general truths, instructions, and cause-and-effect statements, just like English often does.

So this sentence expresses a general fact:

• If yeast is missing, the dough does not rise well

It is not just about one specific moment.

Italian uses definite articles more often than English, especially with general or familiar nouns.

So:

• il lievito = yeast, the yeast
• l’impasto = dough, the dough

Even when English uses no article, Italian often still uses one.

This is very common:

• Il pane è buono = Bread is good
• La musica mi piace = I like music

So the articles here are completely normal.

Literally, crescere means to grow. But with dough, it means to rise.

So in this context:

• l’impasto cresce = the dough rises

This is a good example of how the same Italian verb can be translated differently depending on context.

Other examples:

• Il bambino cresce = The child is growing
• La pianta cresce = The plant grows
• L’impasto cresce = The dough rises

Yes. This is a normal, real, possible condition, so Italian uses:

• se
  • present indicative
• present indicative in the main clause

Structure:

• Se manca il lievito, l’impasto non cresce bene.

This is very common for general facts and likely results.

Compare:

• Se piove, resto a casa. = If it rains, I stay home / I’m staying home
• Se studi, impari. = If you study, you learn

No. It can mean different things depending on structure.

Common uses include:

• manca il lievito = the yeast is missing
• mi manca Roma = I miss Rome
• ti mancano due euro = you are two euros short

So mancare can mean:

• to be missing
• to be lacking
• to be missed by someone

That is why it is important to look at the structure of the sentence, not just the dictionary meaning.

It is pronounced roughly KREH-sheh.

A few helpful notes:

• cr sounds like English cr in crash
• e is a short pure vowel, not a diphthong
• sc before e or i sounds like sh

So:

• cresce → KREH-sheh

The infinitive crescere is roughly KREH-sheh-reh.