"Fifty percent of them do not believe."
Translation:Il cinquanta per cento di loro non crede.
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"Cinquanta per cento di loro non credono." is also a correct translation.
EDIT: as wiplala said, when we have "IL cinquanta per cento" which is masculine singular then we use "crede". So the definite article makes a difference.
I think the definitive article makes it a singular amount, a percentage if you like, instead of fifty single items. "Cinquanta per cento di loro non credono" could also be translated as "Fifty out of a hundred of them do not believe".
Percento, or per cento is an invariable adverb or noun word/expression, with the same meaning: percent (per hundred).
The noun is treated as masculine singular, regardless of the actual number involved, which is why the definite article matches and, less intuitively, why the act of believing (or not) - for that 50% of the people - is also conjugated as singular (crede instead of credono).
From the Encyclopedia Treccani:
"pér cènto (o percènto) locuz. usata come avv. e come s. m. invar. "
"pér cènto (or percènto) expression used as adverb and as singular masculine [noun] invariable."
"Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good!" I left off the 'il' but put in 'credono' and it was correct! Whew! But I learned a lot from dnovinc's response, so thanks for that.
It was accepted "Cinquanta per cento di loro non credono." As dnovinc said, the article makes the difference, Without article, the verb concords with the pronoum - I think...
Maybe because they say: "IL cinquanta per cento" which is not plural? I am not sure, I am also messing around with this
While hovering above the word 'percent', the suggested italian translation is 'percent', instead of the correct 'per cento'. Missed a heart for that.
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How can I avoid sending my answer, when accidentally I picked the bottom? Is there any way of doing it?
Pick it again and it should unpick.
Although the numbers no longer appear (why?), the number keys also provide shortcuts to do the same.
Duolingo thought I said "Cinquanta per 100 di non crede", and marked it as correct.
- 1007
Can anyone confirm the following is correct?
Percento = per cent (as in €0.02) Per Cento = percent (as in %)
According to my Webster's New World Italian Dictionary, 'percento' is percent(age) (%). Did you perhaps swap what you meant to say?
Any native / experienced speakers round? I was wondering whether one would usually go for "il cinquanta per cento" or "cinquanta per cento" without the "il" as it seems both are accepted. Thank you :)
