Learn Italian: La nuova chirurga è la primaria del reparto. - The new surgeon f. is the head physician f. of the department.

La nuova chirurga è la primaria del reparto.

The new surgeon (f.) is the head physician (f.) of the department.

Breakdown of La nuova chirurga è la primaria del reparto.

Questions & Answers about La nuova chirurga è la primaria del reparto.

Is chirurga widely accepted now, or do Italians still say la chirurgo?

Both are still heard, but la chirurga is the modern, recommended form. Historically, masculine nouns were used for prestigious professions regardless of gender. Today, it is standard practice to change the -o to an -a for female professionals, matching the grammar rules for standard nouns.

How do you form the plural of la chirurga?

The plural is le chirurghe. Just like other feminine words ending in -ga (such as la strega or la collega), you must insert an h to maintain the hard "g" sound before the plural -e ending.

I know primario as an adjective meaning "primary". How does it work as a noun here?

In medical contexts, il primario is a noun meaning the "head physician" or "chief of medicine" of a hospital ward. Because the doctor in this sentence is a woman, the historically masculine title is updated to the feminine noun, la primaria.

Why use reparto instead of dipartimento for "department"?

In Italian, reparto is the specific word for a hospital ward or a physical section of a store (like the maternity ward or the shoe department). Dipartimento is typically reserved for university faculties, corporate divisions, or government agencies.