Breakdown of I bambini giocano vicino alla fontana.
il bambino
the child
alla
to the / at the (feminine singular)
giocare
to play
vicino
near / close
Questions & Answers about I bambini giocano vicino alla fontana.
Why is it vicino alla fontana and not just vicino la fontana?
In English, we say "near the fountain", but in Italian, the word vicino needs the preposition a (to) when it is followed by an object. It literally translates as "near to the fountain". We then combine a with the definite article la (for the feminine noun fontana) to make the articulated preposition alla.
How would I use the relative superlative from this lesson to say they play near the "most beautiful" fountain?
You would say I bambini giocano vicino alla fontana più bella. The relative superlative is normally formed with a definite article, più (more), and an adjective. Because the preposition alla already contains the definite article la, you do not need to add another article. You simply place più bella right after the noun.
Can I translate "The children are playing" using stanno giocando instead of giocano?
Absolutely. The Italian simple present tense (giocano) covers both "play" and "are playing". However, if you want to emphasize that the action is happening right at this exact moment, you can use the present continuous tense and say I bambini stanno giocando vicino alla fontana.
Where does the spoken stress fall in the word giocano?