Learn Italian: Varie piazze stanno venendo riqualificate. - Various squares are being redeveloped.

Varie piazze stanno venendo riqualificate.

Various squares are being redeveloped.

Breakdown of Varie piazze stanno venendo riqualificate.

la piazza

the square

stare

to stay, to feel, to be

Questions & Answers about Varie piazze stanno venendo riqualificate.

Why do we use venendo instead of essendo to say "are being"?

In Italian, to form the continuous passive (meaning "is being done" or "are being built"), you use stare + the gerund of venire (venendo) + the past participle. You cannot say stanno essendo riqualificate—Italian doesn't use the gerund of essere for the passive voice. Using venire as the auxiliary verb here emphasizes the ongoing process.

Why does riqualificate end in -e?

In any passive construction (whether formed with essere or venire), the past participle acts like an adjective and must agree in gender and number with the subject. Since the subject here is varie piazze (feminine plural), the past participle riqualificato must change to riqualificate.

What exactly does riqualificate mean in this context?

It comes from the verb riqualificare, which means "to redevelop," "to upgrade," or "to regenerate." In Italian culture and news, la riqualificazione is a very common term for urban renewal projects, such as fixing up neglected neighborhoods, parks, or public squares.

Could I put varie after piazze, like piazze varie?