stella splendente
/ˈstel.la splenˈdɛn.te/word by word
The English phrase "shining star" is translated into Italian as stella splendente.
stella splendente is used to describe a star in the sky that gives off a bright light.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the noun stella (star) and the present participle splendente (shining/radiant).
Which one should you use?
While stella splendente emphasizes the act of shining, stella luminosa is a common alternative used to describe a star that is particularly bright or luminous.
How does it change in a sentence?
In standard Italian word order, the adjective splendente follows the noun stella. To make the phrase plural, both the noun and the adjective must agree in gender and number, changing from stella splendente to stelle splendenti.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of stella splendente is /ˈstel.la splenˈdɛn.te/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word stella is used in the common Italian expression fare le stelle, which means to show off or act like a big shot.
- The Italian word stella is a 'doublet' of the French word étoile, meaning they both evolved from the same ancient root but changed their sounds differently over time.
- The word splendente is often used in Italian religious texts and hymns to describe the divine radiance of the Virgin Mary or the saints.
Examples in context
- Guarda quella stella splendente in alto.Look at that shining star up high.
- C'è una stella splendente nel cielo stasera.There is a shining star in the sky tonight.
- La stella splendente illumina la notte.The shining star illuminates the night.
Example conversation
Matteo and Sofia are sitting in the garden at night looking at the sky.
- MatteoVedi quella stella splendente, Sofia?Do you see that shining star, Sofia?
- SofiaSì, è bellissima e molto luminosa.Yes, it is beautiful and very bright.
- MatteoSembra quasi una piccola luce magica.It looks almost like a little magical light.
- SofiaHai ragione, Matteo, è incantevole.You are right, Matteo, it is enchanting.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (stella, splendente) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries stella, CC BY-SA 4.0.
