Learn Italian: La matematica è difficile ma utile. - Mathematics is difficult but useful.

La matematica è difficile ma utile.

Mathematics is difficult but useful.

Breakdown of La matematica è difficile ma utile.

Questions & Answers about La matematica è difficile ma utile.

Why is there a La before matematica when we just say "Mathematics" in English?

In Italian, you generally use definite articles (il, la, etc.) before broad categories, general concepts, and fields of study. So while in English you just say "Mathematics is...", in Italian it must be La matematica è... (literally "The mathematics is...").

Matematica is a feminine noun. Why don't the adjectives end in "-a" like difficila or utila?

Difficile and utile belong to a specific group of adjectives that always end in -e in their singular form. These adjectives use the exact same -e ending for both masculine and feminine nouns. They only change when the noun is plural, where the ending becomes -i (difficili, utili).

In English, "mathematics" ends with an "s" and looks plural. Is matematica plural in Italian?

No, matematica is strictly a singular feminine noun. That is why it uses the singular article la and the singular verb è (is).