Word
I capelli di mio nonno sono grigi.
Meaning
My grandfather's hair is gray.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of I capelli di mio nonno sono grigi.
essere
to be
di
of, from
mio
my
il nonno
grandfather / grandparents (plural)
Questions & Answers about I capelli di mio nonno sono grigi.
Why is the verb sono (are) used here instead of è (is) for hair?
In Italian, the word for the hair on your head is plural: i capelli. Because it is a plural noun, you must use the plural verb sono (are) and plural adjectives, even though English treats "hair" as a singular, uncountable word.
Why does the sentence say mio nonno instead of il mio nonno?
Usually, Italian possessive adjectives require a definite article, like in the phrase il mio cane (my dog). However, there is a special exception for family members. When talking about a singular, close family member like nonno (grandfather), madre (mother), or fratello (brother), you drop the article.
How does Italian show possession here without an apostrophe 's'?
Italian does not have an equivalent to the English apostrophe 's' for showing possession. To say "my grandfather's hair", you must rephrase it to "the hair of my grandfather", which translates to i capelli di mio nonno using the preposition di (of).
Why is the plural of grigio spelled grigi with only one 'i'?