Learn Italian: I tavoli nuovi sono piccoli.

I tavoli nuovi sono piccoli.

The new tables are small.

Breakdown of I tavoli nuovi sono piccoli.

Questions & Answers about I tavoli nuovi sono piccoli.

Why do so many words in this sentence end with the letter -i?

In Italian, regular masculine words that end in -o in the singular change to -i in the plural. Because the noun tavoli (tables) is masculine plural, the adjectives describing it—nuovi (new) and piccoli (small)—must also change their endings to -i to match.

Why is the word for "the" i here instead of il?

i is the masculine plural word for "the". You use it before plural masculine nouns that start with a normal consonant, like tavoli. If it were just one table, you would use the singular version: il tavolo.

Why does it say tavoli nuovi instead of nuovi tavoli?

In Italian, most adjectives (describing words) come right after the noun they describe. So, instead of saying "new tables", you say "tables new" (tavoli nuovi).

Wait, doesn't sono mean "I am"?

Yes, but it also means "they are"! The verb essere (to be) happens to use the exact same word for io (I am) and loro (they are). Since this sentence is about the tables (they), sono here translates to "are".