Ho già spedito la cassetta con i libri antichi al restauratore.

I have already sent the box with the old books to the restorer.

Breakdown of Ho già spedito la cassetta con i libri antichi al restauratore.

• io: I
• il libro: the book
• con: with
• antico: old

Questions & Answers about Ho già spedito la cassetta con i libri antichi al restauratore.

Why is the past action expressed with ho spedito instead of the simple present spedisco or another tense?

In Italian, to talk about a completed action in the recent past you normally use the passato prossimo, which combines an auxiliary verb (avere or essere) with a past participle. Here:

• ho (from avere) + spedito (past participle of spedire)
  This corresponds to English "I have sent" or simply "I sent." Saying spedisco would mean "I send" (habitually or right now), not "I have already sent."

Where should già be placed in the sentence? Could I say “Già ho spedito…” or “Ho spedito già…”?

The most common position for già (meaning "already") is between the auxiliary and the past participle:

• Ho già spedito…
  You can also put it at the very beginning for emphasis:
• Già ho spedito… (means “Already, I have sent…,” more emphatic)
  Placing it after the participle (“Ho spedito già…”) is possible but less idiomatic.

What does con indicate in la cassetta con i libri antichi? Why not use di?