Question 1

Why does the sentence use queste instead of questi?

Accepted Answer

Queste means "these" and is the feminine plural form. It is used here because it refers back to le sedie (the chairs), which is a feminine plural noun. If we were talking about a masculine noun, like i tavoli (the tables), we would use the masculine plural questi.

Question 2

Is queste an adjective or a pronoun in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

It is a pronoun here. Demonstrative words can be adjectives (attached to a noun, like in queste sedie) or pronouns (standing alone to replace a noun, just like "these" does in English). Since queste stands entirely alone in the second half of this sentence, it acts as a pronoun.

Question 3

Why do the words occupate and libere both end in -e?

Accepted Answer

In Italian, adjectives must match the gender and number of the noun they describe. Since they both describe le sedie (feminine plural), the adjectives take the regular feminine plural ending -e. Their singular forms would be occupata and libera.

Question 4

Since sedie ends in -e, does that mean its singular form ends in -a?

Accepted Answer

Exactly! The singular is la sedia (the chair). For most feminine nouns that end in -a in the singular, the plural changes the ending to -e.

Le sedie sono occupate, ma queste sono libere.

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