Learn Italian: Tu sei il ragazzo e io sono la ragazza. - You are the boy and I am the girl.

In Italian, the word for "the" changes based on the noun's gender. Il is used for masculine singular nouns that start with most consonants, like ragazzo. La is used for feminine singular nouns that start with a consonant, like ragazza.

How do I know which gender these words are?

The ending of the word gives you a big clue! Usually, Italian words that end in -o (like ragazzo) are masculine and take the article il. Words that end in -a (like ragazza) are feminine and take the article la.

Why does the verb change from sei to sono?

Both words come from the verb essere (to be), but Italian verbs change to match the person doing the action. We use sei to mean "are" when paired with tu (you), and sono to mean "am" when paired with io (I).

Do I have to include the words tu (you) and io (I)?