"They are fish."
Translation:Sono pesci.
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To quote:
It would be better as "Essi sono pesci." But Italian frequently drops the subject pronoun, so just "Sono pesci" is the most common way to say it.
https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/632883?comment_id=35012340
In Italian, "essi" is generally used instead of "loro" when talking about non-humans or objects.
https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/632883?comment_id=40734198
https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/632883?comment_id=41637144
It would be better as "Essi sono pesci." But Italian frequently drops the subject pronoun, so just "Sono pesci" is the most common way to say it.
Loro is only used with humans and not animals. For animals and inanimate objects you use essi.
In Italian, "essi" is generally used instead of "loro" when talking about non-humans or objects.
In these kind of phrases, like the famous "I'm an apple" in Dutch course, I see it like they're talking about a play were people act like stuff. Animals, food, whatever. If this what the case and there is a group of people acting like fish, would it be "loro sono pesci" or would you use another word?
Thanks in advance.
If that were the case, then yes, since you're talking about people "loro" would be the appropriate pronoun. But the subject pronoun is generally optional in Italian, so regardless whether you're referring to actual fish or people dressed up as fish, you can never go wrong with just "Sono pesci".
And before you ask, this sentence here is referring to actual fish.
Yes, yes, of course it's referring to actual fish. I was just curious if it would be "loro" or another word in this specific context. And yes, it's like in Spanish and you don't need to say "loro", "ellos/ellas" in Spanish.
Thanks for your reply!
According to f.formica, course contributor and native Italian speaker:
I wouldn’t accept “loro sono pesci” because it feels too unnatural to hear: it might work with something like “loro sono i miei pesci” - if someone was showing off their aquarium.
Therefore the best translation is simply "Sono pesci".
It's true that "not preferred" and "incorrect" are not synonyms, but there is overlap. At least one of the volunteer course contributors is a native Italian speaker, and he has confirmed that "loro" is only for people. If anything, it would be "Essi sono pesci", but it is far more common to leave the subject pronoun out entirely, and that is what this lesson is teaching.
it is called l'articolo partitivo (del, dello, della, dei, degli, delle). it is used when we don't know the amount. could be translated as 'some': 'prendi delle mele' - take some apples. 'compra del pane'; 'ho dei libri interessanti'
io sono = I am
tu sei = you are (s)
lui/lei è = he/she is
noi siamo = we are
voi siete = you are (pl)
loro sono = they are
In English, the plural "fishes" is only used when referring to different species of living fish. When referring to the food, it's always just "fish".
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/fish-or-fishes
Why we use pesci but the translate id fish? So what's the differences between peaci and pesce?
un pesce
due pesci
Please see the other comments on this page for more details.
I thought they was Loro. Why doesn't this one have a tip to show us why it is Sono instead of Loro?
It's not "instead of". The subject pronoun is optional in Italian, and "loro" is for people. "Essi sono pesci" is better, but simply "Sono pesci" is just fine. That way, you don't have to worry about using the wrong pronoun.