Breakdown of Il ragazzo sta spazzando il pavimento con la scopa nuova.
il ragazzo
the boy
nuovo
new
con
with
stare
to stay, to feel, to be
il pavimento
the floor
la
her/it (direct object)
spazzare
to sweep
la scopa
the broom
Questions & Answers about Il ragazzo sta spazzando il pavimento con la scopa nuova.
Why use sta spazzando instead of just spazza?
Both can translate to "is sweeping" in English. However, sta spazzando uses the present progressive tense (stare + gerund), which emphasizes that the boy is in the middle of sweeping right at this very moment. You would use spazza for general habits or simple facts.
How is the word spazzando formed?
It is the gerund form of the verb spazzare (to sweep). To form the gerund for verbs ending in -are, you drop the -are and add -ando. Combined with sta (he is), it creates the present progressive "he is sweeping".
Why does nuova come after scopa? In English we say "new broom".
Does pavimento mean "pavement"?
Not quite! This is a common "false friend" for English speakers. In Italian, il pavimento refers to the indoor floor of a building. If you want to talk about the outdoor pavement or sidewalk, you would use the word il marciapiede.
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