L'edificio ha uno stile moderno.

Because lo is the masculine singular definite article used before certain sounds, and it contracts to l' before a vowel.

• lo edificio → l'edificio

This is the same kind of contraction you see in:

• l'uomo = the man
• l'amico = the friend

So l'edificio simply means the building.

Ha is the third-person singular form of the verb avere = to have.

• ha = he/she/it has

The letter h is written to distinguish it from a, which usually means to.

So:

• L'edificio ha... = The building has...
• a Roma = to/in Rome

The h is not pronounced.

In this sentence, Italian is saying the building has a modern style, not directly that it is modern.

Both ideas are possible in Italian, but they are slightly different:

• L'edificio ha uno stile moderno. = The building has a modern style.
• L'edificio è moderno. = The building is modern.

The first focuses on the building’s style. The second describes the building more directly.

Because stile begins with s + consonant (st), and masculine singular nouns starting with that pattern take uno, not un.

Use uno before nouns beginning with:

• s + consonant: uno stile
• z: uno zaino
• ps: uno psicologo
• gn: uno gnomo
• some other similar sound groups

Compare:

• un libro
• un amico
• uno stile
• uno studente

So uno stile is correct.

Because moderno is an adjective, not a noun. It describes stile.

• uno stile = a style
• moderno = modern

Together:

• uno stile moderno = a modern style

Italian normally does not put an article before an adjective in this kind of phrase.

In Italian, many adjectives commonly come after the noun they describe.

So:

• uno stile moderno = a modern style

This is a very normal word order in Italian. Sometimes adjectives can come before the noun, but after-the-noun placement is extremely common, especially for descriptive adjectives like moderno.

Usually yes. Edificio means building, especially in a general or somewhat formal sense.

In everyday Italian, you may also hear:

• palazzo = building, block, palace, large building

But edificio is a very standard and correct word for building.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

leh-dee-FEE-cho ah OO-noh STEE-leh mo-DER-noh

A few useful notes:

• ci in edificio sounds like chee
• h in ha is silent
• Italian words are usually pronounced clearly and fully, without reducing vowels as much as in English

Stile is masculine singular.

You can tell from the article:

• uno stile = a style

Its plural is:

• gli stili = the styles

And that is why the adjective is masculine singular too:

• uno stile moderno

Because adjectives in Italian must agree with the noun they describe.

Here, stile is:

• masculine
• singular

So the adjective must also be:

• masculine singular → moderno

Compare:

• uno stile moderno = a modern style
• una casa moderna = a modern house

No. Before a vowel, the article is contracted.

So you say:

• l'edificio

not:

• il edificio

This is standard Italian.

The plural is:

Gli edifici hanno uno stile moderno.

This means The buildings have a modern style.

Changes:

• l'edificio → gli edifici
• ha → hanno

If you wanted to say modern styles, then you would also change the noun and adjective:

• Gli edifici hanno stili moderni.

No. It must be uno stile, not un stile, because stile begins with s + consonant.

So the correct sentence is:

• L'edificio ha uno stile moderno.

This is one of the most common article patterns learners need to memorize.