Log inSign up

Ci sono problemi con i lucernari di vetro.

Ci sono problemi con i lucernari di vetro.
There are problems with the glass skylights.
From Lesson 435:Plurals of nouns ending in -io·Italian

Questions & Answers about Ci sono problemi con i lucernari di vetro.

Why does lucernari only have one i at the end instead of two, since the singular is lucernario?
The rule for masculine nouns ending in -io depends on where the stress falls. In the singular lucernario, the stress is on the a (lu-cer-nà-rio). Because the i is unstressed, the plural just ends in a single i: lucernari. If the i were stressed, as in zio (uncle), the plural would have two: zii.
Wait, why is it i problemi? Doesn't the singular word problema end in -a, making it feminine?
Problema is a masculine noun, despite ending in -a. Many words derived from Greek follow this pattern, such as il sistema and il programma. Because it is a masculine noun, its plural changes the -a to an -i, resulting in i problemi.
Why is 'glass skylights' translated as lucernari di vetro instead of using an adjective?
Italian doesn't usually use nouns as adjectives the way English does (like 'glass' in 'glass skylight'). To say what material an object is made of, you use the preposition di followed by the material. So, 'glass skylights' becomes 'skylights of glass' (lucernari di vetro).
Could I use finestre instead of lucernari here?
You could, but it changes the meaning slightly. Finestre just means windows in general. Lucernari refers specifically to skylights or roof windows. You can see the word luce (light) in the root of lucernario, as its main purpose is to let light in from the roof.

Learn Ci sono problemi con i lucernari di vetro 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 →