Log inSign up

Dov'è il cimelio che ha nascosto la nonna?

Dov'è il cimelio che ha nascosto la nonna?
Where is the heirloom that grandmother hid?
From Lesson 414:Subject inversion in relative clauses·Italian

Questions & Answers about Dov'è il cimelio che ha nascosto la nonna?

Why is la nonna at the end of the sentence instead of before the verb?
In Italian relative clauses, it is very common to invert the subject and the verb to put the natural focus on the subject. By saying che ha nascosto la nonna, the sentence places slight emphasis on the fact that the grandmother (and not someone else) hid it.
Is it grammatically correct to say che la nonna ha nascosto?
Yes, it is perfectly correct. However, putting the subject before the verb in this type of clause can sound a bit flat. Moving la nonna to the end gives the sentence a more natural, conversational rhythm in Italian.
Does the relative pronoun che refer to the heirloom or the grandmother?
It refers to il cimelio (the heirloom), acting as the direct object of the clause. Because the subject (la nonna) is inverted and placed after the verb, the sentence looks literally like 'the heirloom that hid the grandmother.' Context tells us that the grandmother is the one who did the hiding.
Why does nonna have the definite article la here? Don't family members drop the article?
The rule about dropping the article for singular family members only applies when you use a possessive adjective, like mia nonna (my grandmother). Since there is no possessive adjective here, you just use the normal article to say 'the grandmother'.

Learn Dov'è il cimelio che ha nascosto la nonna and more in Italian

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Italian →