Learn Hardcore Italian: La valigia leggera entra bene nel vano sopra il sedile. - The light suitcase fits well in the compartment above the seat.

In Italian, most descriptive adjectives follow the noun they modify. La valigia leggera is the neutral, default order. You could also say la leggera valigia, but that order often sounds more poetic, emotive, or emphasizes the adjective.

How does leggera agree with valigia?

Italian adjectives must match the gender and number of the noun. Valigia is feminine singular, so we use leggera (the feminine singular form of leggero). If you had two light suitcases, you’d say le valigie leggere.

Why is nel used instead of in il or nello?

Italian prepositions often contract with definite articles. In + il becomes nel because vano is masculine singular and starts with a consonant that doesn’t require the special nello contraction (which is reserved for masculine singular nouns beginning with z, s+consonant, gn, ps, x or y).

What does entra bene mean, and why don’t we say entra buono?

Here, bene is an adverb meaning “well,” modifying the verb entra (“it fits/enters”). Adverbs (bene, male, facilmente) describe how an action happens. Buono is an adjective and can’t modify verbs, so entra buono would be ungrammatical.

Why is there a definite article in sopra il sedile, instead of saying sopra sedile?

When specifying a particular location, Italian uses the definite article. Sopra il sedile means “above the seat.” Omitting the article (sopra sedile) would sound unnatural except in very telegraphic contexts (e.g., on a diagram).

What is the difference between sedile and sedia?

Sedia refers to a chair you might find at home, in a classroom, or at a dining table. Sedile is the term for a seat in a vehicle (car, bus, plane) or in fixed installations. Since we’re talking about the overhead compartment above a seat on a bus or plane, sedile is the correct word.

Could we use scomparto instead of vano?

Yes. Scomparto also means compartment or section and is perfectly fine here: La valigia leggera entra bene nello scomparto sopra il sedile. Vano is a bit more general and emphasizes the empty space; scomparto feels slightly more structured (“the bin” or “the section”).

How would you say this sentence in the plural?

You’d make both noun and adjective plural and adjust the prepositions/articles. It becomes: Le valigie leggere entrano bene nei vani sopra i sedili.