Learn Italian: Tutti e due i fratelli si assomigliano molto. - Both brothers resemble each other a lot.

Tutti e due i fratelli si assomigliano molto.

Both brothers resemble each other a lot.

Breakdown of Tutti e due i fratelli si assomigliano molto.

Questions & Answers about Tutti e due i fratelli si assomigliano molto.

Why is there an "i" before "fratelli"? Doesn't "tutti e due" already mean "both"?

In Italian, when you use tutti e due (literally "all and two") directly before a noun, you must include the definite article for that noun. So "both brothers" becomes tutti e due i fratelli. This rule also applies if you change the number: tutti e tre i fratelli means "all three brothers".

Could I use "entrambi" instead of "tutti e due" in this sentence?

Yes! You can say entrambi i fratelli. Just like tutti e due, entrambi requires the definite article (i) when placed right before a noun. They mean exactly the same thing, though entrambi can sound slightly more formal.

How would this sentence change if we were talking about "both sisters"?

You would need to change the quantifier and the article to match the feminine plural noun. Tutti changes to Tutte, and i changes to le. The sentence would become: Tutte e due le sorelle si assomigliano molto.

Why do we need the word "si" before the verb "assomigliano"?

In this sentence, si is acting as a reciprocal pronoun, which means "each other." The base verb assomigliare means "to resemble" or "to look like." By adding si, si assomigliano translates to "they resemble each other."