Breakdown of Questo disco è un ricordo di quella sera.
essere
to be
questo
this (masculine)
quello
that
di
of, from
Questions & Answers about Questo disco è un ricordo di quella sera.
Since we are learning the imperfetto, why do we use the present tense è instead of the imperfetto era when talking about a past evening?
Even though the evening took place in the past, the record currently exists as a memory right now. If we used the imperfetto and said era un ricordo, it would mean the record used to be a memory, but isn't one anymore.
Why do we use quella for "that" instead of just quello?
Does ricordo just mean a memory in your head, or can it be a physical object?
It can be both! Un ricordo is a memory you think about, but it is also the standard Italian word for a souvenir or keepsake. Note that if you want to talk about your general ability to remember things (your brain's memory), you would use the word la memoria.