Learn Italian: Domandano se quell'uomo è single. - They ask if that man is single.

Domandano se quell'uomo è single.

They ask if that man is single.

Breakdown of Domandano se quell'uomo è single.

Questions & Answers about Domandano se quell'uomo è single.

How does se work in this reported question?

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.

Could I use chiedono instead of domandano?

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).

Why is it quell'uomo and not quello uomo?

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'.

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

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).