Sentence in Italian

Sentences are made up of one or more clauses. A clause consists of a subject (a noun or pronoun) and a predicate (what is said about the noun or pronoun). The predicate always contains a verb. For example, in the simple sentence:

Il re ama la regina » The king loves the queen.

re is the subject and ama is the predicate.

The Direct Object of a verb is a noun or pronoun which receives its action. In the sentence:

Il re ama la regina » The king loves the queen.

"regina" is the Direct Object of the verb.

Some verbs take an Indirect Object. For example, in the sentence:

Il re dà un regalo alla regina » The king gives a gift to the queen

"regalo" (gift) is the direct object and "alla regina" (to the queen) is the indirect object.

Types of Sentences:

Declarative sentences are statements; these sentences are sometimes referred to as positive sentences to distinguish them from negative sentences. Examples:

Parlo con Andrea » I’m talking with Andrea
I libri sono su un banco » The books are on a desk
Compra la frutta e la mangia » He buys the fruit and eats it
Parlo bene l’italiano » I speak Italian well
Domenica studio » I’m studying on Sunday

Negative sentences express a negation. Examples:

Joselo non voule dormire » Joselo doesn't want to sleep
Loro non parlano cinese » They don't speak Chinese
Non ho paura di chiccessia » I'm not afraid of anybody

Interrogative sentences are questions. Examples:

Che cos’è la semiotica ? » What is semiotics?
Sarà grigio e piovoso il mese ? » Will the month be dull and rainy?
Sarà un esame difficile ? » Will it be a difficult exam?
Qual è il numero di Roberto ? » What is Roberto’s number?