Learn Italian: La bellezza di questo poema nasconde una grande tristezza. - The beauty of this poem hides a great sadness.

The suffix -ezza is used to turn adjectives into abstract nouns, similar to '-ness' in English. Here, the adjective bello (beautiful) becomes bellezza (beauty), and triste (sad) becomes tristezza (sadness). Nouns ending in -ezza are always feminine.

Wait, why is it questo poema? Doesn't the -a ending usually mean a word is feminine?

Normally, yes! However, poema is one of the exceptions. Many Italian words of Greek origin that end in -ma are actually masculine. This is why it takes the masculine demonstrative adjective questo. Other common examples you might remember are il problema (the problem) and il sistema (the system).

Why is the adjective grande placed before the noun tristezza?

Placing an adjective before the noun gives it an emotional or figurative emphasis. By saying una grande tristezza instead of una tristezza grande, the speaker is emphasizing the emotional weight or 'greatness' of the sadness, rather than a literal physical size.

What is the dictionary form of the verb nasconde?