Learn Italian: Il dispositivo è automatico; inoltre, consuma poco. - The device is automatic; moreover, it consumes little.

Il dispositivo è automatico; inoltre, consuma poco.

The device is automatic; moreover, it consumes little.

Breakdown of Il dispositivo è automatico; inoltre, consuma poco.

essere

to be

poco

little, few, not very

Questions & Answers about Il dispositivo è automatico; inoltre, consuma poco.

How does inoltre differ from the non solo... ma anche structure we are learning?

Both are used to add information, but they work differently. non solo... ma anche (not only... but also) works as a pair to connect two traits within the same flowing sentence. inoltre (moreover or furthermore) stands alone, often after a semicolon or period, to introduce a brand new, independent point.

Could we rewrite this exact sentence using non solo... ma anche?

Absolutely! You could say: Il dispositivo non solo è automatico, ma consuma anche poco. This connects the two benefits into one fluid thought instead of separating them into two distinct clauses with a semicolon.

Why is there no subject pronoun like esso (it) before consuma?

Italian drops subject pronouns when the context makes it obvious. Since Il dispositivo is already established as the subject in the first half of the sentence, using a pronoun before consuma is unnecessary and would sound unnatural.

Why use poco here instead of un po'?

poco means 'little' or 'not much,' which emphasizes the device's low energy usage as a highly positive feature. If you used un po', it would mean 'a little bit' or 'some,' which would sound like a mild complaint that it uses power rather than praising its efficiency.