Breakdown of Di chi è questa borsa, e a chi appartengono i documenti?
essere
to be
e
and
questo
this (masculine)
la borsa
the bag
il documento
the document
di
of, from
chi
who, whom
a
to / at
appartenere
to belong
Questions & Answers about Di chi è questa borsa, e a chi appartengono i documenti?
Why is the word order Di chi è questa borsa instead of translating "whose bag" literally as di chi borsa?
Why do we use di chi for the bag but a chi for the documents?
Both phrases ask about possession, but the preposition changes based on the verb. To ask "whose" using the verb essere (to be), you use di chi (literally "of whom"). However, the verb appartenere (to belong) always takes the preposition a (to belong to someone). So, you must ask a chi appartengono (to whom do they belong).
Is appartengono an irregular verb?
Yes, it comes from the verb appartenere (to belong). If you look closely, it ends in -tenere, and it conjugates exactly like the irregular verb tenere (to hold or keep). Just as "they hold" is loro tengono, "they belong" is loro appartengono.
Why doesn't the sentence use questo instead of questa for "this"?
Questa (this) is a demonstrative adjective here, meaning it must match the gender and number of the noun it describes. Since borsa is feminine singular, you must use questa borsa.
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