El cielo es azul.

The sky is blue.

Breakdown of El cielo es azul.

• ser: to be
• azul: blue
• el cielo: the sky

Questions & Answers about El cielo es azul.

What does the sentence “El cielo es azul” mean in English?

It means “the sky is blue”. This is a simple declarative statement that describes the inherent color of the sky.

Why is the definite article “el” used with “cielo”?

In Spanish, every noun has a gender. “Cielo” is a masculine noun, so it takes the masculine definite article “el”. Unlike English, Spanish articles must agree in gender (and number) with the noun they accompany.

What role does the verb “es” play in this sentence?

“Es” is the third-person singular form of the verb “ser”, which is used to express inherent or permanent qualities. Here, it links the subject “el cielo” with the adjective “azul”, indicating that being blue is an inherent characteristic of the sky.

Why does the adjective “azul” come after the noun rather than before it?

In Spanish, adjectives that describe inherent or physical characteristics (like color) typically come after the noun. Therefore, “azul” follows “el cielo” to follow the standard Spanish word order for descriptive adjectives.

Does the adjective “azul” change form to agree with the noun in gender or number?

No, “azul” remains the same in the singular form, regardless of whether the noun is masculine or feminine. However, if it were plural (referring to multiple skies or another plural noun), it would change to “azules” to agree in number.