Breakdown of I bambini corrono intorno al tavolo.
il tavolo
the table
il bambino
the child
correre
to run
al
to the / at the
Questions & Answers about I bambini corrono intorno al tavolo.
Why does it say al tavolo instead of just il tavolo after intorno?
The Italian word for "around" is actually a two-word phrase: intorno a. Because the word for "the table" is il tavolo, the preposition a combines with the article il to create the joined word al.
Could I say intorno alla tavola instead?
You could, but it changes the meaning slightly. Tavolo refers to the physical piece of furniture. Tavola is used for a table that is set for a meal, like when you call the family to dinner. Since the children are just using the furniture as an obstacle, tavolo is the most natural choice here.
What is the base verb for corrono and is it regular?
It comes from correre (to run). It is completely regular in the present tense. The -ono ending is the standard "they" ending for verbs belonging to the -ere group.
Which syllable gets the stress in the word corrono?
The stress falls on the first syllable: COR-ro-no. English speakers often want to stress the middle syllable, but most "they" forms of Italian verbs in the present tense are stressed on the third-to-last syllable.