Learn Hardcore Italian: Stasera passo in biblioteca e prendo in prestito un nuovo libro. - Tonight I am stopping by the library and borrowing a new book.

Stasera means “this evening” or “tonight.” It’s a compound of sta (from questa, “this”) and sera (“evening”). Use it when referring to something happening later today, after the afternoon.

Why is there no io before passo?

Italian is a pro-drop language, so subject pronouns (like io for “I”) are often omitted because the verb ending already indicates the subject. Passo clearly means “I stop by” or “I’ll drop in,” so io is unnecessary.

What does the verb passare mean in passo in biblioteca, and how would you translate that phrase?

Here passare means “to drop by” or “to stop in.” So passo in biblioteca literally translates as “I drop by the library.” It’s more casual than vado in biblioteca (“I go to the library”) and suggests a quick visit.

Why is in used before biblioteca? Could you use a instead?

Many Italian nouns for places take in rather than a. With biblioteca you say in biblioteca, not a biblioteca. As a rough rule: think in + place where you go in or into (e.g. in farmacia, in ufficio, in chiesa), and a + places like cities or events (e.g. a Roma, a cena).

What does prendere in prestito mean, and how is it different from prestare or prendere un prestito?

Prendere in prestito means “to borrow.”
• Prestare means “to lend.”
• Prendere un prestito (without in) can mean “to take out a loan” (usually from a bank).
So to borrow a book at the library, you use prendere in prestito un libro.

Why is the phrase in prestito placed between prendo and un nuovo libro? Could it go elsewhere?

Prendere in prestito is a multi-word verb (a collocation). The parts stay together: prendo + in prestito + l’oggetto. You cannot split in prestito from prendo, so prendo in prestito un libro is the natural order.

Why is it un nuovo libro and not un libro nuovo? Does word order change the meaning?

Adjectives like nuovo can go before or after the noun with a shift in nuance:
• Un nuovo libro (adjective before noun) often means “a brand-new book” or “another book I haven’t read.”
• Un libro nuovo (adjective after noun) emphasizes the state of newness, as opposed to used or old. In everyday speech un nuovo libro is the most common way to say “a new book.”

Why is the present tense used for an action happening tonight? Wouldn’t Italian use a future tense?

Italian speakers often use the present indicative to talk about planned or scheduled events in the near future, much like English (“I go to the gym tomorrow”). So stasera passo… e prendo… is perfectly natural for plans happening later today.