Learn Hardcore Italian: La libreria vicina ha molti libri interessanti. - The nearby bookstore has many interesting books.

In Italian, libreria means bookstore. The Italian word for library is biblioteca. Although they look alike, they’re false friends: libreria is where you buy books, while biblioteca is where you borrow or consult them.

Why is la used before libreria vicina, and not una?

The definite article la (the) refers to a specific bookstore—the one that’s nearby. In Italian, definite articles are used more often than in English when the context or location makes it clear which thing you’re talking about.

Why does vicina end in -a?

Italian adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Libreria is feminine singular, so the adjective vicino (near) must take the feminine singular form vicina.

Why is vicina placed after libreria instead of before it?

Adjectives that specify “which one” (like vicino/a, meaning “nearby”) generally follow the noun in Italian. Placing vicina after libreria emphasizes its role as a limiting adjective, identifying which bookstore you mean.

What does ha come from, and why is it used here?

Ha is the third-person singular present tense of avere (to have). In this sentence, la libreria vicina ha means “the nearby bookstore has.” You use avere to express possession or availability—here, that the bookstore possesses many books.

Why is molti used instead of molto, and why does it come before libri?

Molto changes form to agree with the noun: molto (masc. sing.), molti (masc. pl.), molta (fem. sing.), molte (fem. pl.). Since libri is masculine plural, you use molti. Quantitative adjectives like molti typically precede the noun in Italian.

Why is interessanti plural and placed after libri?

Interessanti is the plural form of interessante, matching the masculine plural noun libri. Descriptive adjectives (such as interessante) usually follow the noun they describe in Italian, and they must agree in gender and number with that noun.