Learn Italian: Queste borse sono piene o vuote? - Are these bags full or empty?

Queste is the feminine plural form of "these". We use it here because it describes borse (bags), which is a feminine plural noun. If we were talking about a masculine plural noun, like libri (books), we would use questi.

Why do almost all the words in this sentence end in the letter "e"?

This is a great example of Italian agreement! The main noun is borse (bags), which is feminine plural. In Italian, any adjectives connected to a noun have to match its gender and number. So, the word for "these" (queste), "full" (piene), and "empty" (vuote) all take the feminine plural ending -e to match.

The English translation starts with "Are", but the Italian sentence starts with "These". Why is the word order different?

Unlike English, Italian doesn't swap the word order or add helper words to turn a statement into a question. You just use the normal statement structure: Subject (Queste borse), Verb (sono), and Adjectives (piene o vuote). To make it a question, you simply raise your pitch at the end when speaking.

Can borse mean purses as well as bags?

Yes! The singular word borsa is a general term for a bag, but it is also the standard word used for a purse or handbag. You have to tell from the context whether someone is talking about grocery bags, luggage, or purses.