"Our cup is between the plates."

Translation: Il nostro bicchiere sta fra i piatti.

[bill_oneill51]

Again, "cup" should be translated as "tazza" and not "bicchiere" which means "glass"

[PazKe]

I think of tazza as more like a mug or a teacup (something with a handle) and bicchiere as a glass, or a "glass" that is made of plastic (like you would be served a soft drink in)

[CharlotteN7]

Exactly. We say a cup of coffee, even if it is really a plastic "glass"

[Elena18]

"fra" and "tra" are the same? No difference between "between" and "among"?

[marziotta]

No, exactly the same. They both mean "among 2 or more items" (I don't know if you can say that in English)

[clp007]

Why is it "sta" (meaning stay) as opposed to "e" (meaning is)?

[rsc55]

I translated "La nostra tazza e fra i piatti" and it was accepted.

[K.Alix]

Stare is the equivalent of the Spanish/Portuguese verb "Estar". This verb deals with location. Ex: Sto alla scuola.

[matanov]

However, in Spanish (and also in Portuguse, I believe) the two verbs, both meaning "be", are not interchangeable - am I right?

[jeslam1]

I think it's because the verb is referring to position.

[dlosada]

do you always have to have the article in front when it's singular, "la nostra tazza" vs. "nostra tazza"?
I thought it was optional when singular but required if plural "le nostre tazze"

[Teresinha]

You always have to use the article before the possessive pronouns, except before noums that indicate a member of your family:"mio figlio"( my son), "mia sorela" (my sister).

[jorfmam1]

What's the difference between tra and fra?

[MsCobb]

http://italian.about.com/od/grammar/a/italian-preposition-tra.htm
Someone gave us this site previously. It is excellent.

[livvy420]

why not nostre instead of nostro? don't why want to match up the ending to bicchiere?

[elainepinto]

Nostre is plural form of nostra. Bicchiere, although it ends with an "e", it's a singular form of a masculine word, hence the use of "nostro" (and "i nostri bicchieri" in its plural form).

[Teresinha]

Nostre is feminin. Bicchiere is masculin. Then, " il nostrO bicchiere" is the correct form.

[suebudden]

I can see a reason for confusing sentences if you know and speak the language. We are learning and all of this confusing stuff doesn't help. It is hard enough to learn and remember words and their three or more meanings without throwing in all of these exceptions to the rule stuff this early in the game