Question 1

Why is there no article before mio fratello? Shouldn't possessives usually have one, like il mio cane?

Accepted Answer

In Italian, you drop the definite article (like il or la) when using a possessive adjective with a singular, unmodified family member. That is why it is just mio fratello instead of il mio fratello. If the family member were plural (i miei fratelli), modified (il mio fratellino), or used with loro (il loro fratello), the article would return.

Question 2

The English translation says 'has been married'. Why does the Italian sentence use the present tense è?

Accepted Answer

When a state started in the past and is still ongoing, Italian uses the present tense combined with da. Because he is still married now, Italian literally says he 'is married since ten years'. Using a past tense like è stato sposato would imply the marriage is over.

Question 3

Why do we use da here instead of per for 'for ten years'?

Accepted Answer

You use da to indicate the duration of an ongoing state, showing how long it has been happening up to the present. You would use per for the duration of an action that is completely finished in the past. Since the brother is still married, da dieci anni is required.

Question 4

Could I use avere instead of essere here, like ha sposato?

Accepted Answer

In this sentence, sposato acts as an adjective describing his current relationship status, so it takes the verb essere. If you use avere (ha sposato), it refers to the active event of marrying someone and requires a direct object, such as ha sposato Maria (he married Maria).

Mio fratello è sposato da dieci anni.

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