Learn Hardcore Italian: Il prezzo del libro è basso.

The sentence translates as "The price of the book is low." Breaking it down: il prezzo means "the price", del libro is a contraction of di + il libro meaning "of the book", and è basso translates as "is low."

How is “del” formed in this sentence, and why is it used instead of just “di”?

In Italian, del is a contraction of di (of) and il (the). It is used here because libro (book) is a masculine singular noun. The contraction simplifies the phrase by merging di il into del to indicate possession.

Why is the adjective basso placed after the verb è in this sentence?

In Italian, predicate adjectives typically follow the verb. In this sentence, basso comes after è (is) to describe the subject il prezzo. This placement is standard for expressing attributes or states in Italian declarative sentences.

How do the adjective basso and the noun prezzo agree in this sentence?

Italian adjectives must match the noun in gender and number. Here, prezzo is a masculine singular noun, so the adjective basso is also in the masculine singular form. This agreement ensures the sentence is grammatically correct.