Breakdown of Il mio amico domanda se l'aspetto è importante.
essere
to be
l'amico
the friend
importante
important
mio
my
se
if
domandare
to ask (a question)
l'aspetto
appearance (looks)
Questions & Answers about Il mio amico domanda se l'aspetto è importante.
Why do we use se in this sentence?
Here, se translates to 'if' or 'whether'. We use it to report a yes/no question (indirect speech). If the direct question was 'Is appearance important?', you report it to someone else by connecting the main verb and the question with se.
Could I use chiede instead of domanda?
Why is there an article before aspetto (l'aspetto) if the English translation is just 'appearance'?
In Italian, abstract concepts and general categories always require a definite article. While in English we just say 'appearance', Italian requires 'the appearance' (l'aspetto) when talking about it as a broad, general concept.
Do I need to use the subjunctive mood after se here?
In spoken and everyday Italian, no. When reporting a question like this, using the regular present tense è (the indicative mood) is completely natural. You might occasionally see the subjunctive sia in very formal writing, but it is not required here.
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