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La mia pelle diventa rossa al sole.

La mia pelle diventa rossa al sole.
My skin turns red in the sun.
From Lesson 137:Il corpo (the body)·Italian

Questions & Answers about La mia pelle diventa rossa al sole.

Why is it rossa and la mia if pelle ends in -e?
Pelle (skin) is a feminine noun, even though it ends in -e instead of the typical -a. Because it is feminine and singular, the possessive must be la mia and the adjective describing it must be rossa.
Why do we use diventa for 'turns'? Can I use gira?
In English, we say skin 'turns' red, but in Italian, you must use diventare (to become) for a change of state or condition. Girare only means 'to turn' physically, like turning a steering wheel or turning a corner.
Why is it al sole instead of nel sole for 'in the sun'?
When talking about being exposed to the sun or weather, Italian uses the preposition a (at/to) rather than in. Here, a combines with the article il (il sole) to make al, so the phrase translates more literally as 'at the sun'.
Do I really need the article la before mia pelle?
Yes! In Italian, you almost always need the definite article (il or la) before a possessive word like mia. The main exception is with singular family members (like mia madre), but since pelle isn't a family member, it keeps the la.

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