Breakdown of La gloria è diventata un'ossessione per lui.
essere
to be
lui
he
un
a / an (masculine)
per
for / in order to / because of
diventare
to become
la gloria
the glory
l'ossessione
the obsession (f)
Questions & Answers about La gloria è diventata un'ossessione per lui.
Why do we need the definite article 'La' before 'gloria'?
In Italian, abstract nouns like gloria (glory) require a definite article when discussed as a general concept, unlike in English where we often drop it.
Doesn't 'diventare' have a direct object here ('un'ossessione')? Why does it take 'essere'?
It looks like a direct object, but diventare (to become) is a copular verb. It connects the subject to a new state or identity rather than acting upon an object. Verbs expressing a change of state always take essere in compound tenses, which is why the past participle agrees with the feminine subject and becomes diventata.
How does the nuance change if I rewrite this as 'Gli è diventata un'ossessione'?
Learn La gloria è diventata un'ossessione per lui 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