Question 1

Why use Ognuno here instead of Tutti if they both translate to "Everyone"?

Accepted Answer

Both mean "everyone," but ognuno emphasizes each individual person in a group (more like "each one"), whereas tutti refers to the group as a whole ("all"). Grammar-wise, remember that ognuno is singular and must take a singular verb (ha notato), while tutti is plural and takes a plural verb (hanno notato).

Question 2

Why does the sentence use the passato prossimo for ha notato but the imperfetto for era and faceva?

Accepted Answer

This is a classic example of how Italian mixes past tenses. Ha notato (noticed) is a completed, point-in-time event. However, era (was) and faceva (was making/made) describe the ongoing state of the structure and the continuous feeling it caused at that time. Background descriptions and ongoing states in the past require the imperfetto.

Question 3

The phrase così grande che introduces a consequence. Why doesn't faceva need to be in the subjunctive?

Accepted Answer

In Italian, a consecutive clause (a clause showing the result of an action, usually triggered by così ... che) takes the indicative mood when the result is presented as an actual, realized fact. Because the structure actually did scare people, the indicative faceva is correct here.

Question 4

Why is "it was scary" translated as faceva paura rather than using an adjective like spaventosa?

Accepted Answer

While you absolutely could say era spaventosa, Italians frequently use the verb fare (to make/do) combined with a noun to express feelings or reactions that something causes. Faceva paura literally means "it made fear." You'll see this pattern often in phrases like fare schifo (to be disgusting) or fare pena (to be pitiful).

Ognuno ha notato che la struttura era così grande che faceva paura.

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