Learn Italian: Questi tavoli sono piccoli, ma lo specchio è grande. - These tables are small, but the mirror is big.

Because specchio is a masculine word that starts with an "s" followed by another consonant (the letter "p"). In Italian, masculine words starting with an "s" plus a consonant use the special article lo instead of il. This makes the words flow together better when speaking!

Why is the word for "these" questi and not queste?

Questi is the masculine plural form of "this/these". It ends in "i" to match the masculine plural noun tavoli (tables). If we were talking about a feminine plural noun, like chairs (sedie), we would use the feminine plural form queste.

Why does piccoli end in an "i"?

In Italian, adjectives must match the noun they describe. Because tavoli is a masculine plural noun, the adjective piccolo (small) changes its ending to the masculine plural form, becoming piccoli.

Why does grande end in "e" if specchio is masculine? Shouldn't it be "grando"?