"Il gatto è sopra il tavolo."

Translation: The cat is on top of the table.

[chatee]

What is the difference between " il gatto e' sul tavolo " and " Il gatto e' supra il tavolo" both indicate that the cat is on the table.

[trick_master]

Sul is more related to simply being on top of something, to simply be on the surface of something. i personally use it for objects like a key on a table or a pillow on the bed. on the other hand, you say supra when you want to be sure the person you're talking to understands that theres something above something else. in fact, i'd even consider translating supra to above instead on top of, so its more used with things that are alive or very big, like a cat.

[Jae633849]

It's 'sopra', not 'supra'.

[dmmaus]

Down!! Bad cat!

[Jae633849]

Non è permesso che il gatto si arrampichi sul tavolo!

[Joy403911]

I have no problem with the distinctions between the Italian words su and sopra. However, I strongly protest having to translate sopra as "on top of" here. In my part of the English-speaking world at least, we would definitely say the naughty feline is "on the table"! If it were on a shelf or suspended from a light fixture it could possibly be "above" or "over" the table, but that is clearly not the case here.

[safibta]

How do you define the 'top of a table'? 0_o

[gologramme]

Just in a previous sentence it was under the seat... He moves too fast...

[gimb]

I also agree that "sopra" should be accepted.

[Tarach]

I thought the table was la tavola?

[Giuliaccia]

Same here. I'm very confused.

[MartyHulskemper]

'La tavola' is used when referring to the act of going to dinner, to the situation of having dinner. 'Il tavolo' is used when referring to the plain object 'table'.

[NancyDaRos]

Not at my place! Il gatto e sotto il tavolo

[dlienert]

Why not "the cat is upon the table"?

[starwatcher]

the cat is above the table should work. If you wanted to say the cat is on top, you should have said "sul tavolo"! right?

[Klaque]

E il gatto cheshire

[MariaIramendy]

As prepositions, both over and above can mean "at or to a place that is higher than someone or something," but over is somewhat more common: A light hangs over/above the table. He raised his arms over/above his head. She rents an apartment over/above a bookstore. http://www.learnersdictionary.com/qa/above-and-over.
Would DL please accept over as well as on top?

[RobertEddy]

Not like the cat hadn't been told!

[annamere]

It never matters how many times you tell them, does it?

[ronaldsantoro243]

I used "the cat is on the table" which was not accepted. I'm confused--where on the table would the cat be except on the top? Requiring "sopra" suggests that the cat is not only on the table, but perhaps floating just a bit above it. Maybe a Cheshire Cat! Anyway, I did report it (btw, the prompts give "on" as a translation of sopra.)

[Jazger]

sometimes I see il tavolo and sometimes la tavola. Why?

[The_Machine31]

Tavolo is a table and Tavola is when the Tavolo is set.
So for example, in a restaurant you get a Tavola.
Cheers

[Lingofant]

Il gatto è sopra la tavola. Mangiamo mentre è caldo!