"Fifty percent of them do not believe."

Translation:Il cinquanta per cento di loro non crede.

June 27, 2013

21 Comments
This discussion is locked.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/magofa

Why not credono?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/dnovinc

"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.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/mangoHero1

Why is il involved in the first place?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/CarolineJanaitis

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".


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/lucianadleme

I have the same doubt... Why the il here?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/MintySciurus

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."


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/CharlesPit19

"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.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Chrispayne326337

I didn't have this accepted


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Teresinha

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...


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/wiplala

Maybe because they say: "IL cinquanta per cento" which is not plural? I am not sure, I am also messing around with this


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/BillofKempsey

Why "di loro" and not "ne"?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/EliavLavi

While hovering above the word 'percent', the suggested italian translation is 'percent', instead of the correct 'per cento'. Missed a heart for that.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Tommaso27gz

Why is it not: Ne cinquanta per cento non credono.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/DavidRoby1

How can I avoid sending my answer, when accidentally I picked the bottom? Is there any way of doing it?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/BillofKempsey

Pick it again and it should unpick.

Although the numbers no longer appear (why?), the number keys also provide shortcuts to do the same.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/speaktorob

Duolingo thought I said "Cinquanta per 100 di non crede", and marked it as correct.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Chel451498

Can anyone confirm the following is correct?

Percento = per cent (as in €0.02) Per Cento = percent (as in %)


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/CharlesPit19

According to my Webster's New World Italian Dictionary, 'percento' is percent(age) (%). Did you perhaps swap what you meant to say?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/McSquirrelly

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 :)


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/bethbiasca

Wow, the hints on this were terrible


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/moehooper

Why is it ‘non crede’ and not ‘credono’ ...where it is ‘them’

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