"They are not men."

Translation: Loro non sono uomini.

[ZeTook]

I wrote "Loro non sono gli uomini" - that wasn't accepted on the basis the correct answer is "Loro non sono i uomini". But I thought the definite article of plural masculine words starting with a vowel is "gli"?

[ipesando]

I uomini is wrong. Gli uomini is right

[nictheman]

Loro = "they are", right? Should "non loro sono uomini" be accepted? Or is it "loro non sono uomini" -- How does one decide?

[Elena18]

Actually, I'm pretty sure "Loro" is just "they"- not "they are". "Sono" is the verb.

[doughudlud]

the non or no should always be before the subject, but I am confused as to why "Non loro sono uomini" wouldnt be acceptable. It would be nice if Duolingo put in a sentence structure lesson somewhere early on.

[Coccinelle]

I think it is because "non" belongs to the verb, you can't put another word between those two. Also, because of the typical sentence structure. Like in English, where the structure always has to be in this order: subject-verb-object. Here it is the same: loro - non sono - uomini. "Non sono" together form the verb part of the sentence.

[christopher]

This is mostly correct. In a nuanced way, which is not common though sometimes useful, saying "non loro sono gli uomini" is centering the negation on "they." It's like being in a crowded room of many groups of people. You are trying to tell the cops who attacked you. The cops points to the wrong group, and you say, (THEY are not the men, but THEY are) "non LORO sono gli uomini, ma LORO," pointing to a different group.

It's all in what you intend to say.

[marziotta]

Good example, christopher, but to sound smoother I would say, anyway, "Non sono loro gli uomini, ma loro"

[josh2934]

I had sono and non reversed. How are you supposed to know the order?

[littleskylark]

The negation of a sentence is placed before the main verb. Sono, in this case, is the main verb. For this answer I wrote, "Non sono uomini".