Quando piove, l’erba è bagnata.

When it rains, the grass is wet.

Breakdown of Quando piove, l’erba è bagnata.

• essere: to be
• quando: when
• bagnato: wet
• piovere: to rain

Questions & Answers about Quando piove, l’erba è bagnata.

Why does quando mean when here, and does it always introduce a full clause?

Yes. In Quando piove, l’erba è bagnata, quando introduces a time clause: when it rains.

It is very commonly followed by a full clause with a verb, as in:

• Quando arrivo, ti chiamo. = When I arrive, I’ll call you.
• Quando studi, impari. = When you study, you learn.

It can also be used as a question word:

• Quando parti? = When are you leaving?

So here, quando is a conjunction meaning when.

Why is it piove and not something like esso piove or lui piove?

Because piovere (to rain) is usually used impersonally in Italian.

So Italian normally just says:

• Piove. = It’s raining.

There is no subject pronoun like English it. The verb appears in the third person singular form, but the subject is not expressed.

This is very common with weather verbs:

• Nevica. = It’s snowing.
• Grandina. = It’s hailing.

So piove simply means it rains / it’s raining, depending on context.

Why is there l’ before erba?