Mia madre sbuccia le patate e poi sbuccia anche una mela per il dolce.

In Italian, with singular close family members, you usually do not use the definite article before the possessive.

So:

• mia madre = my mother
• mio padre = my father
• mio fratello = my brother

This is why mia madre is correct here, not la mia madre.

A few notes:

• This mainly applies to singular close family terms.
• With plural family members, the article is normally used:
  
  • i miei genitori = my parents
  • le mie sorelle = my sisters
• The article can also appear in some special cases, such as with modified family nouns or in regional / emphatic usage.

Sbuccia comes from the verb sbucciare, which means to peel.

So:

• sbucciare una mela = to peel an apple
• sbucciare le patate = to peel the potatoes

In this sentence, sbuccia is the third-person singular present tense, so it means:

• she peels

Because the subject is mia madre, the translation is:

• my mother peels

Italian often repeats the verb when there are two separate objects or actions, especially to make the sentence sound clear and natural.

Here:

• Mia madre sbuccia le patate e poi sbuccia anche una mela...

This is perfectly natural and emphasizes that she first peels the potatoes, and then she also peels an apple.

You could also hear:

• Mia madre sbuccia le patate e poi anche una mela...

But that version is less complete and can sound less natural in many contexts. Repeating sbuccia is clearer and very common.

Because the sentence is talking about:

• the potatoes = a specific set of potatoes already understood in context
• an apple = one apple, introduced as a single item

So:

• le patate = the potatoes
• una mela = an apple

This is a normal article contrast in Italian:

• definite article: il, la, i, gli, le = the
• indefinite article: un, uno, una = a / an

Here:

• patate is plural feminine, so le
• mela is singular feminine, so una

Anche means also or too.

In:

• poi sbuccia anche una mela

it means:

• then she also peels an apple
• then she peels an apple too

It adds the idea that peeling the apple is in addition to peeling the potatoes.

Its position matters a little. Here, anche is placed right before una mela, so it highlights that extra item:

• not only the potatoes
• also an apple

Poi means then, afterward, or later.

In this sentence:

• e poi = and then

It shows the sequence of actions:

1. she peels the potatoes
2. then she also peels an apple

So poi helps organize the sentence in time.

Examples:

• Prima cucino, poi mangio. = First I cook, then I eat.
• Studia e poi esce. = He/She studies and then goes out.

Per il dolce means for dessert or for the dessert.

Literally:

• per = for
• il dolce = the dessert

In context, it usually means the apple is being peeled to make or prepare dessert.

A useful note: dolce can mean:

• dessert
• sweet
• sometimes a sweet dish

So here, per il dolce does not mean the apple itself is sweet; it means it is intended for the dessert course or dessert preparation.

Italian often uses the simple present just like English does to describe:

• what is happening now
• what someone usually does
• a habitual action

So:

• Mia madre sbuccia le patate...

can mean:

• My mother is peeling the potatoes...
  or
• My mother peels the potatoes...

The exact meaning depends on context.

Italian does not need a separate form like English is peeling in many everyday cases. The present tense is very flexible.

Because Italian usually does not need subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

Here:

• sbuccia tells us it is he/she peels
• and the subject mia madre is already stated

So saying:

• Mia madre sbuccia...

is enough.

You could say:

• Mia madre, lei, sbuccia...

but that would usually sound unnecessary unless you wanted special emphasis.

This is one of the big differences from English: Italian is a pro-drop language, so subject pronouns are often omitted.

The given word order is the most neutral and natural one:

• Mia madre sbuccia le patate e poi sbuccia anche una mela per il dolce.

Italian word order is somewhat flexible, but changes usually affect emphasis.

For example:

• Poi mia madre sbuccia anche una mela per il dolce.
  This emphasizes then
• Una mela la sbuccia anche per il dolce.
  This gives special focus to the apple

For a learner, the safest pattern is: subject + verb + object + other details

That is exactly what this sentence does.

Yes. Mela is a feminine singular noun, and that affects its article:

• una mela = an apple

Because it is feminine singular, it takes:

• una, not un or uno

Similarly:

• patate is feminine plural, so it takes le
• madre is feminine singular, which is why the possessive is mia:
  • mia madre

So gender and number affect several words in Italian:

• articles
• possessives
• sometimes adjectives

In normal reading, per il dolce is understood to refer to una mela, not to le patate.

So the most natural interpretation is:

• My mother peels the potatoes, and then also peels an apple for dessert.

Why? Because semantically, an apple fits naturally with dessert, while potatoes usually do not.

Also, since per il dolce comes right after una mela, it most naturally attaches to that part of the sentence.

A natural rhythm would group the sentence like this:

• Mia madre sbuccia le patate | e poi sbuccia anche una mela | per il dolce.

This helps show:

1. first action: sbuccia le patate
2. second action: sbuccia anche una mela
3. purpose: per il dolce

You would usually put a slight emphasis on anche if you want to highlight the idea of also:

• ...e poi sbuccia anche una mela...

That makes the addition of the apple stand out clearly.