Il libro danneggiato è prezioso, ma complesso da leggere.

to be

Breakdown of Il libro danneggiato è prezioso, ma complesso da leggere.

• il libro: the book
• leggere: to read
• ma: but

Questions & Answers about Il libro danneggiato è prezioso, ma complesso da leggere.

Why is danneggiato in the masculine singular form?

Because danneggiato is an adjective (a past participle of danneggiare) modifying libro, which is a masculine singular noun. Adjectives in Italian must agree in gender and number with the nouns they describe.

Why does danneggiato come after libro? Could I say “il danneggiato libro”?

Most participle-based adjectives in Italian follow the noun they modify. So “il libro danneggiato” is the standard order. Putting danneggiato before would sound odd or poetic; it’s best to keep it after the noun.

What role does ma play in the sentence?

Ma means but and introduces a contrast. Here it links two qualities of the same subject (the book): on one hand it’s prezioso, on the other hand it’s complesso da leggere.

Why isn’t there a second è before complesso da leggere?

Italian often shares the verb across coordinated phrases. We have one copula è (is) before prezioso, and then coordinate the second adjective phrase with ma. Repeating è (“…è prezioso, ma è complesso…”) is not wrong, but it’s more concise to omit it.