Learn Italian: Molti non credono a questa nuova sagra. - Many do not believe in this new local festival.

Molti non credono a questa nuova sagra.

Many do not believe in this new local festival.

Breakdown of Molti non credono a questa nuova sagra.

Questions & Answers about Molti non credono a questa nuova sagra.

The lesson is about dropping the preposition a. Why do we keep a after credono here?

The rule about dropping a only applies when the verb is followed by the conjunction che (that) to introduce a new declarative clause. Here, credere is simply followed by a noun phrase (questa nuova sagra), so it keeps its normal preposition a. If you were to say 'Many do not believe that the festival is real,' you would drop the preposition and use the conjunction: Molti non credono che la sagra sia vera.

The English translation says 'believe in'. Why does the Italian use a instead of in?

In Italian, credere in is reserved for deep, fundamental faith, like religious belief (credere in Dio) or trusting in someone's potential (credere in se stessi). For believing a fact, a story, a person's words, or the legitimacy of an event like this one, you use credere a.

What is the difference between a sagra and a festa?

A festa is a general word for any party, holiday, or celebration. A sagra is a specific type of traditional local festival, usually held outdoors in an Italian town or village, which is almost always centered around celebrating and eating a specific local food or seasonal harvest.

Why is Molti used on its own without a noun like 'people' after it?