Italian Phrase
Ci sono segni di parassiti?
Meaning
The sentence asks whether any evidence of pests is present. It is a direct, neutral way to inquire about infestation in plants, stored food, or any environment where pests might cause damage.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are inspecting a garden, a greenhouse, a pantry, or a house for possible pest problems. It is common among gardeners, farmers, pest‑control technicians, and homeowners doing a routine check.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Cisonosegnidiparassiti?
Ci sono (impersonal)
‘Ci sono’ is the impersonal form of ‘essere’ used to indicate existence of something plural, equivalent to ‘there are’ in English.
Segni (plural noun)
‘Segni’ is the plural of ‘segno’, meaning ‘signs’ or ‘indications’.
di (preposition)
‘di’ links the noun ‘segni’ to what they refer to, here ‘parassiti’ (pests).
Parassiti (plural noun)
‘Parassiti’ is the plural of ‘parassita’, meaning ‘pest’ (insects, rodents, etc.).
Yes‑no question
In spoken Italian the intonation rises at the end; the written form simply adds a question mark.
🗨In Conversation
Ci sono segni di parassiti?
Are there any signs of pests?
Sì, ho trovato alcune foglie rosicchiate e piccoli bozzoli sul tronco.
Yes, I found a few chewed leaves and tiny cocoons on the trunk.
✕Common Mistakes
c’è segni di parassiti?
‘c’è’ is singular; you need the plural ‘ci sono’ when talking about multiple signs.
Ci sono segno di parassiti?
Using the singular ‘segno’ changes the meaning to ‘a sign’; the question usually expects any number of signs.
Ci sono segni di parassita?
‘Parassita’ is singular; the phrase asks about any pests in general, so the plural ‘parassiti’ is appropriate.
↔Alternatives
Ci sono tracce di insetti?
Are there traces of insects?
Ci sono evidenze di parassiti?
Is there evidence of pests?
Ci sono segni di infestazione?
Are there signs of infestation?
Cultural Tip
In Italian the impersonal ‘ci sono’ is mandatory for plural nouns; using the singular ‘c’è’ would be grammatically wrong (e.g., *c’è segni*). In informal speech you might also hear ‘c’è qualche segno di parassiti?’, but the plural form sounds more natural when you expect multiple signs. Regional dialects may replace ‘parassiti’ with ‘insetti’ in agricultural contexts, but the structure stays the same.