Italian Phrase
L'acqua non scende.
Meaning
Literally, 'The water does not go down.' It is used to describe a situation where water is not draining or decreasing, such as a bathtub, sink, or a leaking pipe that isn’t losing water.
When to use
Use this sentence when you notice that water is staying at the same level, when a drain is clogged, or when you want to comment on a lack of flow in a plumbing context.
✦Grammar Breakdown
L'acquanonscende
Elision (L')
The definite article 'la' drops the vowel and becomes 'l'' before a vowel sound, as in 'l'acqua'.
Noun gender & number
'Acqua' is a feminine singular noun, so it takes the feminine article 'la' (elided to l').
Negation with non
In Italian, the negation word 'non' is placed directly before the verb.
Verb scendere (present)
'Scendere' means 'to go down, to descend'. In the third‑person singular present indicative it becomes 'scende'.
🗨In Conversation
Perché la vasca è ancora piena?
Why is the bathtub still full?
L'acqua non scende.
The water isn’t going down.
✕Common Mistakes
L'acqua non sceso.
Use the present tense 'scende' for a current situation; 'sceso' is the past participle and would be incorrect here.
L'acqua non scendeva.
The imperfect 'scendeva' describes a past habitual action, not a present problem.
L'acqua non scende!
While the exclamation mark isn’t grammatically wrong, it changes the tone to a surprised or urgent one; the neutral statement uses a period.
↔Alternatives
L'acqua non scorre.
The water does not flow.
L'acqua non scende più.
The water no longer goes down.
L'acqua non sta scendendo.
The water is not going down.
Cultural Tip
In many older Italian apartments, drainage problems are common, so locals often talk about 'l'acqua non scende' when a sink, shower, or toilet is clogged. The phrase is informal but perfectly acceptable in everyday conversation; avoid using overly formal constructions unless you’re speaking to a plumber you don’t know well.