Learn Italian: Che cattedrale maestosa, è un capolavoro splendido! - What a majestic cathedral, it is a splendid masterpiece!

Che cattedrale maestosa, è un capolavoro splendido!

What a majestic cathedral, it is a splendid masterpiece!

Breakdown of Che cattedrale maestosa, è un capolavoro splendido!

Questions & Answers about Che cattedrale maestosa, è un capolavoro splendido!

Why doesn't it say 'Che una cattedrale'?

In Italian exclamations, you do not use an indefinite article (un, una) after che. The structure is simply che followed directly by the noun, like Che cattedrale maestosa!

Could I change the word order and say 'Che maestosa cattedrale'?

Yes, but placing the adjective after the noun (Che cattedrale maestosa!) is much more common in everyday Italian. Placing it before the noun gives the exclamation a more poetic or elevated tone.

The word cattedrale ends in -e. How can we tell its gender here?

The adjective maestosa gives it away! Because maestosa ends in -a, you know for sure that cattedrale is feminine singular. When you forget the gender of a noun ending in -e, checking its matching adjective is a helpful trick.

Where does the word capolavoro come from?

It is a compound noun made of capo (head or chief) and lavoro (work). The literal translation 'chief work' matches exactly how we use 'masterpiece' in English.