Breakdown of Conservo le foto sullo scaffale in soggiorno.
io
I
su
on
in
in
il soggiorno
the living room
la foto
the photo
lo scaffale
the shelf
conservare
to keep
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Italian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Conservo le foto sullo scaffale in soggiorno.
What does conservo mean in this sentence?
Conservo is the first-person singular present indicative of conservare, which means “to keep,” “to store,” or “to preserve.” Here it simply states “I keep/store the photos.”
Can I use tengo instead of conservo, and what’s the difference?
Yes, tengo (from tenere) also means “I keep” or “I hold.”
• Tenere often emphasizes possession or physically holding something.
• Conservare highlights storing or preserving over time.
In casual speech tengo le foto is fine, but conservo feels a bit more formal or technical.
What is sullo exactly?
Sullo is the contraction of the preposition su (“on”) and the article lo (“the”). You get su + lo → sullo, meaning “on the.”
Why lo and not il before scaffale?
In Italian, singular masculine nouns beginning with s + consonant (like scaffale), z, gn, ps, x, or y take lo instead of il.
Hence: lo scaffale, not il scaffale.
Why isn’t there an article after in before soggiorno?
When referring to rooms in a house, Italians typically use in + room name without an article: in soggiorno, in cucina, in camera da letto. Omitting the article sounds more natural for general statements.
Could I say nel soggiorno instead of in soggiorno?
Grammatically yes: in + il → nel, giving nel soggiorno. However, without specifying ownership or additional detail, Italians prefer in soggiorno.
Can I say sopra lo scaffale instead of sullo scaffale?
Sopra also means “on” or “above,” so sopra lo scaffale is understandable. But in everyday usage, Italians favor su + article (hence sullo scaffale). Sopra can feel more formal or literary.
Is the word order flexible? Could I say Conservo le foto in soggiorno sullo scaffale?
Yes, you can swap the two prepositional phrases: Conservo le foto in soggiorno sullo scaffale is correct. Placing sullo scaffale right after the verb often sounds slightly more natural, but both orders work.
What about nello scaffale—is that possible?
Nello is in + lo, so nello scaffale would mean “inside the shelf.” Since you usually place photos on a shelf, you use su + lo → sullo scaffale, not nello.
What’s the difference between soggiorno and salotto?
Both translate to “living room.”
• Soggiorno often refers to a combined living and dining area or a more general lounge.
• Salotto traditionally denotes a more formal parlor or sitting room reserved for guests.