"La banana è cattiva."

Translation: The banana is bad.

[OlzWolz]

Never trust a banana...

[kayzingzingy]

I like how 'the banana is mean' is valid but 'the banana is rotten' is not...

[jorgemslima]

Better yet: 'the banana is evil' is also valid.

[Duolessio]

"rotten" translates as marcia.
Yeah, cattivo can be used for bad tasting food, but I'm Italian and when I read "La banana è cattiva" I thought of an evil sentient banana. Personally I'd prefer La banana ha un cattivo sapore = the banana tastes bad

[lasgro]

I agree.

[erroid]

the banana is evil ]:-) do not eat banana

[Ispirac]

Maybe is better solution when we write "rotten"

[GirlRedE]

I tried rotten and I got the big red X. :-( The banana, evidently, is fresh but mean.

[C.lincoln]

That's marcia. This banana is a bad person not rotten

[CarissaS103]

Here lies the body of our dear Anna, done to death by a banana. It wasn't the fruit that made her go but the skin of the thing that laid her low.

[ann.b.torrey]

Any way for a banana to be bad other than being rotten?

[tango-alpha]

Yes, it could be green. Bad banana!

[treszter]

One of the suggested answers was "the banana is mean". where does it come from?

[ChrisMc73]

Yes; it's bad by being a banana. Nasty things are vile.

[xyphax]

... allora la è marrone

[marvincorea]

blame it on Mario

[HydraBianca]

it's interesting that the translations for 'good' (bene, buon, bravo e bello) are very specific while bad is very general.

[paulmacd]

Many years ago I mistakenly used to interpret "cattivo" as simply "naughty". Now I can't get the idea of a naughty banana out of my head!

[janfarndal]

The banana is rotten is more likely than it being mean. However, I don't have a very intimate knowledge of bananas.

[dewluca]

Does cattiva really mean bad/rotten fruit? The alternative meanings (mean, malevolent) don't seem to apply to produce.

[Eluzie]

Doesn't cattiva refer to behavior only? And marcio to rotten food?

[s84606]

No, it is used for bad tasting too. "Marcia" is only a way to be "cattiva".. for instance it might be unripe (acerba)

[alexburton4]

why is rotten not allowed?

[MABBY]

Molta, molta cattiva!!

[erdnaoluap]

It would be "molto, molto cattiva".

[David598296]

What is the etymology behind cattiva? Having trouble memorizing this word

[s84606]

"Cattivo" comes from latin "capitivus" (prisoner), in turn deriving from "capere" (to catch). It used to mean "prisoner", like "captive" in english. It has not this meaning anymore, though some words like "cattività" (captivity) still carry this meaning.

So why a "prisoner" is bad? Most probably it comes from latin expression "captivus diaboli" (prisoner of the devil).

[BampaOwl]

There is (so my dictionary tells me) an archaic English word "caitiff" which means a cowardly or base person. It comes from the same root as "cattiva" and can also be used as an adjective. This may or may not help David and others remember it!

[59191]

Yes, thanks! I should have thought of that. It's all over the place in Shakespeare.

[David598296]

Thank you!

[marissarn]

How you say pineapple?

[Duolessio]

Ananas. I've always found "pineapple" very odd.

[Nathan740070]

In every language, except for English, the word for pineapple is ananas.

[Tomasbernal20]

can you use that for any fruit/ vegetable?

[David197333]

Surely a banana cannot be naughty cattiva cannot be applied to food there has to be another word!

[Liana_Istriana]

Is cattiva better used as an adjective for a person?

[Duolessio]

Yes, I personally don't like it being used for food.

[Kim460039]

Ha! Oh, like it's rotten.....:-)

[CittadinoDuo]

duolingo e cattiva!?!?!?!

[GRH25]

I got, the banana is evil -- um, evil?? How about spoiled, which was not accepted as an answer :(

[CittadinoDuo]

The correct answer is THE BANANA IS MEAN!?!?!? Again we see the limitations of letting computers write these questions....

[lasgro]

Should be 'marcia' rotten

[FlorenceGr367564]

Evil doctor banana

[C.lincoln]

Yeh this means bad banana as in not a good character

[Sam833687]

What did it do?

[Nicole_0016]

Reminds me of the film Johnny Stecchino :D