Learn Italian: Di chi è questa borsa, e a chi appartengono i documenti? - Whose bag is this, and to whom do the documents belong?

Di chi è questa borsa, e a chi appartengono i documenti?

Whose bag is this, and to whom do the documents belong?

Breakdown of Di chi è questa borsa, e a chi appartengono i documenti?

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?

In Italian, you can't put a noun directly after di chi (whose). Instead, the structure is always "Of whom is the object?". So "Whose bag is this?" becomes Di chi è questa borsa? (literally: "Of whom is this bag?").

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"?