Analyzing Survey Results
Before diving into statistics, let's look at some vocabulary you will need to discuss surveys and research data:
| We interviewed the students with a long questionnaire. | Abbiamo intervistato gli studenti con un lungo questionario. |
| The doctors have detected a significant result. | I medici hanno rilevato un risultato significativo. |
Agreement by Sense
In standard grammar, a singular subject takes a singular verb. But statistics can bend the rules. When a singular percentage (like il venti per cento or il 30%) is followed by di plus a plural noun (like degli intervistati), Italian often uses a plural verb.
This is called concordanza a senso (agreement by sense) — the verb agrees with the plural group of people or things actually performing the action, rather than the singular math term.
| Twenty percent of the respondents have finished the questionnaire. | Il venti per cento degli intervistati hanno finito il questionario. |
| The proportion is dropping, in fact ten percent of the clients are absent. | La proporzione cala, infatti il dieci per cento dei clienti sono assenti. |
| Forty percent of the respondents in this age bracket have detected the mistake. | Il quaranta per cento degli intervistati in questa fascia d'età hanno rilevato lo sbaglio. |
Fractions and Past Participles
This flexible agreement also applies to singular fractions like la metà (half). When "half" refers to a plural group, the verb becomes plural.
Furthermore, if the verb is in a compound tense that requires past participle agreement (such as a passive verb, a reflexive verb, or an essere auxiliary), the past participle must agree in gender and number with the plural noun. It completely ignores the singular percentage or fraction:
| Half of the participants had to register in the overall bracket. | La metà dei partecipanti si sono dovuti iscrivere nella fascia complessiva. |
| 30% of the sales dropped. | Il 30% delle vendite sono calate. |