Sposto la cassetta sul ripiano superiore.

I move the box to the top shelf.

Breakdown of Sposto la cassetta sul ripiano superiore.

• io: I
• su: on
• il ripiano: the shelf
• spostare: to move
• superiore: top
• la cassetta: the box

Questions & Answers about Sposto la cassetta sul ripiano superiore.

What tense and person is sposto?

It’s the present indicative, first person singular of spostare, meaning “I move” or “I am moving.”

What does the verb spostare mean?

It means “to move,” “to shift,” or “to relocate” something from one place to another.

Why do we write sul instead of su il?

In Italian, certain prepositions contract with the definite article. su + il becomes sul, so sul ripiano means “on the shelf.”

Is la in la cassetta an article or an object pronoun?

Here la is the feminine singular definite article (“the”), not a pronoun. It simply makes cassetta feminine singular.

What is a cassetta in this context?

Cassetta usually refers to a small box or crate—like a plastic or wooden container for storing or carrying items.

Why use superiore rather than alto to mean “upper”?

Superiore is the standard adjective for “upper” in set phrases (e.g. ripiano superiore). Alto means “tall” or “high,” not specifically “upper.”

Could you replace la cassetta with a pronoun?

Yes. You can use the feminine singular object pronoun la:
La sposto sul ripiano superiore.
That means “I move it onto the upper shelf.”

What’s the difference between su and sopra?

Both can mean “on” or “above.” Su is more common and versatile; sopra is slightly more formal or emphatic. Often they’re interchangeable (e.g. su il tavolo = sopra il tavolo).