Learn Italian: Questo è uno schermo rotto.

Questo è uno schermo rotto.

This is a broken screen.

Breakdown of Questo è uno schermo rotto.

a / an (masculine special)

Questions & Answers about Questo è uno schermo rotto.

Why does this sentence use uno instead of un for "a"?

In Italian, you use uno instead of un for masculine words that start with certain sounds, like an "s" followed by another consonant. Since schermo starts with "sch" (s + c), it needs uno. This helps make the pronunciation flow smoother!

Why is the word for "broken" (rotto) at the end of the sentence?

In English we say "a broken screen," but in Italian, descriptive adjectives like rotto almost always come after the noun they describe. So it literally translates to "a screen broken." Notice that rotto ends in "o" to match the masculine, singular noun schermo.

Why does the sentence start with Questo and not Questa?

Questo is the masculine word for "this," while Questa is feminine. Because we are pointing out a screen (schermo), which is a masculine noun, the word for "this" has to match its gender.

How do I pronounce the "sch" in schermo?

In Italian, the combination "ch" always makes a hard "k" sound. Therefore, "sch" is pronounced like "sk" in English. You say it like "SKER-mo".