Breakdown of Le cornici che ho scartate hanno un valore affettivo.
un
a / an (masculine)
avere
to have
che
who, that (relative pronoun)
la cornice
the frame
il valore
the value
scartare
to discard
affettivo
emotional
Questions & Answers about Le cornici che ho scartate hanno un valore affettivo.
Why does scartate end in -e even though the auxiliary verb is ho?
This is the optional agreement you are currently learning! Normally, when a compound tense uses avere, the past participle ends in -o. However, when the verb is preceded by the relative pronoun che acting as a direct object (referring here to le cornici), you have the option to make the past participle agree with that object's gender and number. Since le cornici is feminine plural, the participle can become scartate.
Would it be wrong to just say che ho scartato?
Not at all! In fact, che ho scartato is much more common in everyday Italian. Making the past participle agree with che (like ho scartate) is grammatically correct but sounds quite formal, elegant, or literary.
Cornici ends in -i, so why does the participle end in -e (scartate)?
It is important to remember the gender of the noun rather than just looking at its final letter. Cornice (frame) is a feminine noun that ends in -e in the singular (la cornice). In the plural, it becomes le cornici. Because the noun is feminine plural, the matching past participle ending is -e (scartate).
Is valore affettivo the standard way to say "sentimental value"?
Yes! While affettivo literally relates to affection or feelings, the fixed phrase valore affettivo is the exact equivalent of the English "sentimental value." You wouldn't use the Italian word sentimentale for objects in this specific context.
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