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La periferia è tranquilla, ma il centro è rumoroso.

La periferia è tranquilla, ma il centro è rumoroso.
The outskirts are quiet, but the center is noisy.
From Lesson 87:The relative superlative (il più)·Italian

Questions & Answers about La periferia è tranquilla, ma il centro è rumoroso.

Why is periferia singular when the English translation says 'outskirts'?
In Italian, la periferia is a singular noun meaning the outer ring or suburbs of a city. Because it is singular, it uses the singular verb è (is) and the singular adjective tranquilla. English just happens to use a plural word ('outskirts') for the same idea.
Why does tranquilla end in -a while rumoroso ends in -o?
Adjectives in Italian must match the gender of the noun they describe. La periferia is feminine, so it gets the feminine ending -a in tranquilla. Il centro is masculine, so it gets the masculine ending -o in rumoroso.
How would I say 'the center is the noisiest' using the relative superlative from this lesson?
You would say il centro è il più rumoroso. To form the relative superlative ('the most...'), you combine the definite article (il), the word più (more/most), and the adjective (rumoroso). If you wanted to say 'the outskirts are the quietest', it would be la periferia è la più tranquilla.
Does il centro strictly mean the geographic center of a place?
It can, but when talking about a city or town, il centro is the standard way to say 'downtown' or 'city center'. For example, if an Italian says they are going in centro, they mean they are heading downtown.

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