Question 1

How does se work in this reported question?

Accepted Answer

This sentence reports a 'yes or no' question (the original direct question was likely 'Is that man single?'). In Italian, just like in English, we use se (if or whether) to connect the reporting verb (domandano) to the yes/no question being asked.

Question 2

Could I use chiedono instead of domandano?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Both chiedere and domandare mean 'to ask' and are essentially interchangeable in this context. Chiedere is slightly more common overall, but domandare is frequently used when specifically asking a question (una domanda).

Question 3

Why is it quell'uomo and not quello uomo?

Accepted Answer

The adjective quello (that) changes its form to match the definite article the noun would take. Because uomo starts with a vowel, it takes the article l' (l'uomo). Therefore, quello drops its final vowel and takes an apostrophe to become quell'.

Question 4

Do Italians really use the English word single, and does it change if we are talking about a woman?

Accepted Answer

Yes, single is the most common way to say someone is not in a relationship in modern Italian. Because it is a foreign loanword, it is invariable. This means it never changes its ending; it stays exactly the same whether you are talking about a man, a woman (quella donna è single), or multiple people (sono single).

Question 5

Do I need to use the subjunctive mood after se here?

Accepted Answer

Not in everyday conversation. While very formal or written Italian might use the subjunctive here (Domandano se quell'uomo sia single), using the normal indicative mood (è) is completely correct and much more natural in spoken Italian.

Domandano se quell'uomo è single.

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