Questions & Answers about I piselli sono piccoli e verdi.
Why is there an i before piselli when the English translation just says "Peas"?
In Italian, when you make a general statement about a whole category or concept (like peas in general), you must use the definite article (il, la, i, le). While English drops the "the", Italian requires i piselli.
Why do both piccoli and verdi end in -i, even though their singular forms don't match?
It's because they belong to two different adjective groups. Piccolo ends in -o (masculine singular) and changes to -i for masculine plural. Verde ends in -e in the singular, and all -e adjectives change to -i in the plural, regardless of gender. Since i piselli is masculine plural, both adjectives end up with an -i.
How do I pronounce the double consonants in piselli and piccoli?
In Italian, double consonants are held slightly longer and pronounced with more force than single consonants. For piccoli, you pause for a split second on the "k" sound before saying "oli". For piselli, linger on the "L" sound before finishing with the -i.
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