Breakdown of Questo computer spicca per la sua affidabilità; non è un computer qualunque.
essere
to be
un
a / an (masculine)
questo
this (masculine)
non
not
suo
his/her/Your
per
for / in order to / because of
il computer
the computer
qualunque
any / whatever
spiccare
to stand out
l'affidabilità
the reliability (f)
Questions & Answers about Questo computer spicca per la sua affidabilità; non è un computer qualunque.
Why is qualunque placed after computer instead of before it?
Normally, qualunque (and qualsiasi) goes before the noun, meaning 'any' (e.g., qualunque computer = any computer). However, when placed after an indefinite noun, it takes on an emphasizing tone of indifference, meaning 'just any ordinary' or 'a run-of-the-mill' item. Here, non è un computer qualunque emphasizes that it is not just some mediocre, ordinary computer.
Could I use qualsiasi instead of qualunque here?
Yes, absolutely. Qualsiasi and qualunque are essentially synonyms in this context. Saying non è un computer qualsiasi would mean the exact same thing: 'it is not just any computer'. Both adjectives can be placed after the noun to create this 'just any' emphatic effect.
Why do we use per after spicca?
The verb spiccare means 'to stand out'. When you want to introduce the reason why something stands out, you use the preposition per (for / because of). It behaves just like the English 'stands out for'.
As a refresher, why is there a la in la sua affidabilità?
In Italian, possessives like sua generally require a definite article (like la) in front of them, unlike in English where we just say 'its reliability'. The main exception is for singular close family members, but for regular concepts like affidabilità (reliability), the article is mandatory.
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