Breakdown of Credo che la sagra sarà un grande successo.
essere
to be
un
a / an (masculine)
grande
big
credere
to believe
il successo
the success
che
that (conjunction introducing a clause)
la sagra
the local festival
Questions & Answers about Credo che la sagra sarà un grande successo.
Since we say credere a (to believe someone or something), why isn't there an a before che in this sentence?
This is exactly what the current lesson covers! While you use a before a noun or pronoun (like credo a questa storia for "I believe this story"), Italian strictly forbids using prepositions directly before the declarative conjunction che (that). Therefore, the preposition is mandatorily dropped, leaving just credo che.
Doesn't the verb credere trigger the subjunctive? Why are we using the future indicative sarà?
You are completely right that verbs of opinion like credere normally require the subjunctive mood. However, Italian does not have a future tense in the subjunctive. To express an action that will happen in the future ("will be"), you drop the subjunctive and simply use the regular future indicative (sarà).
What makes a sagra different from a festa or a festival?
A sagra is a specific type of local, traditional outdoor festival in Italy, almost always centered around celebrating a regional food product (like truffles, wine, or chestnuts) or a patron saint. A festa is a more general word for any party or holiday, while a festival usually refers to a larger cultural or arts event (like a film or music festival).
Why does grande come before the noun successo instead of after it?
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