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Io restituisco il libro alla biblioteca.

Io restituisco il libro alla biblioteca.
I return the book to the library.
FromLesson 38inHardcore Italian
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Breakdown of Io restituisco il libro alla biblioteca.

io
I
il libro
the book
a
to
la biblioteca
the library
restituire
to return

Questions & Answers about Io restituisco il libro alla biblioteca.

Why is io used when the verb ending already shows the subject?
In Italian the subject pronoun is usually optional because the verb ending tells you who is acting. io is included here for emphasis or clarity. You could perfectly say Restituisco il libro alla biblioteca and it would still mean “I return the book to the library.”
What tense and person is restituisco, and what does it mean?
restituisco is the present indicative, first-person singular form of restituire. It literally means “I give back” or “I return” (an object).
Why do we use restituire here instead of ritornare or tornare?
restituire means to give back something to its owner or place. In contrast, tornare/ ritornare mean to come back (referring to a person or thing moving). You wouldn’t say “Torno il libro” if you want to hand something back—you’d use restituire.
Why is it il libro and not un libro?
il is the definite article used for a specific, known book. un would be the indefinite article meaning “a book” in general. Since you’re talking about returning one particular book, you use il libro.
What does alla in alla biblioteca represent?
alla is the contraction of the preposition a (to) + the definite article la (feminine singular). So alla biblioteca means to the library.
Could I say in biblioteca instead of alla biblioteca?
Yes. in biblioteca (literally “in the library”) is commonly used to indicate going to or being at a public place. Vado in biblioteca = “I’m going to the library.” With restituire, both alla biblioteca and in biblioteca work, though in biblioteca is very frequent.
How does restituire handle its objects in this sentence?

restituire is a transitive verb that takes a direct object (the thing being returned) and an indirect object (the recipient or destination) introduced by a. Here you have: • Direct object: il libro
• Indirect object: alla biblioteca
Order: Restituisco (verb) + il libro (DO) + alla biblioteca (IO).

How can I replace il libro and alla biblioteca with pronouns?

To replace the direct object il libro, use lo:
Lo restituisco alla biblioteca.
You can also replace the location alla biblioteca (as a place) with the locative pronoun ci, but it usually follows the verb:
Lo restituisco lì.
Many learners prefer to keep in biblioteca instead of using ci, saying:
Lo restituisco in biblioteca.

How would I say “I return the book to Maria” or “I return it to her” using pronouns?

For a person as indirect object you use a clitic pronoun.
• Full form: Io restituisco il libro a Maria.
• With the indirect object pronoun (le for “to her”): Le restituisco il libro.
• Combining direct and indirect object into one clitic: Glielo restituisco. (literally “I return it to her”).

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