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Sul bancone della pasticceria c’è una fila di pasticcini.

Sul bancone della pasticceria c’è una fila di pasticcini.
On the pastry shop counter there is a line of pastries.
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Questions & Answers about Sul bancone della pasticceria c’è una fila di pasticcini.

What does the word sul mean here?

Sul is the contraction of su + il and means “on the.” Other forms are:

  • su + lo → sullo (sullo scaffale)
  • su + la → sulla (sulla sedia)
  • su + i → sui (sui tavoli)
  • su + gli → sugli (sugli scaffali)
  • su + le → sulle (sulle sedie)
Why is it della pasticceria and not di la pasticceria?
Italian contracts prepositions with articles. di + la = della. It means “of the,” indicating possession/association: the counter of the pastry shop.
Why is it c’è and not ci sono?

Because the grammatical subject is singular: una fila (a row). Use:

  • Singular: c’è una fila di pasticcini
  • Plural: ci sono due file di pasticcini or ci sono dei pasticcini (if you drop “fila” and make “pasticcini” the subject).
What exactly is c’è, and how do I write and pronounce it?
C’è is the contraction of ci è (“there is”). It’s written with an apostrophe and a grave accent: c’è (not “ce,” “c’e,” or “c’é”). Pronunciation: roughly “cheh,” with the “ch” sound as in “church.”
Can I change the word order?

Yes. All are natural:

  • Sul bancone della pasticceria c’è una fila di pasticcini.
  • C’è una fila di pasticcini sul bancone della pasticceria.
  • Una fila di pasticcini c’è sul bancone della pasticceria. (slight emphasis on “fila”)
What does fila mean here, and how is it different from coda?
Fila means a row/line of objects or people. Coda usually means a queue of people/vehicles. You “wait in line” with either: fare la fila or fare la coda. Here, una fila di pasticcini is a row of pastries.
Why is it di pasticcini and not dei pasticcini?
With collective nouns like fila, di introduces what it’s made of: “a row of pastries.” Dei = “of the/some” and points to a specific, previously known set: e.g., la fila dei pasticcini che hai preparato (“the row of the pastries you made”). In your sentence, di is the neutral, correct choice.
How do gender and number work in this sentence?
  • bancone: masculine singular → il bancone, so sul (su + il)
  • pasticceria: feminine singular → la pasticceria, so della (di + la)
  • fila: feminine singular → una fila
  • pasticcini: masculine plural (plural of pasticcino) The verb is singular (c’è) because the head noun is fila.
What’s the difference between bancone and banco? And is al banco the same as sul bancone?
  • Bancone is a big counter you stand at in a bar/pastry shop.
  • Banco is a counter/desk/bench (school desk, market stall).
  • Al banco = “at the counter” (location of service).
  • Sul bancone = “on the counter” (on top of its surface).
Does pasticceria mean “bakery”? How is it different from panetteria or forno?
  • Pasticceria: pastry shop (cakes, pastries, mignons); also the craft of pastry-making.
  • Panetteria/forno: bakery (bread). Many places are both, but the words distinguish the focus.
Any pronunciation tips for tricky parts?
  • c’è: “cheh” (ch as in “church”).
  • pasticcini: pas-teech-CHEE-nee (double “cc” + “i” = long “ch” sound).
  • pasticceria: pas-teech-cheh-REE-ah.
  • bancone: ban-KOH-neh (the “nc” sounds like “nk”).
How do adjectives agree in a phrase like this?

Adjectives modifying the head noun fila are feminine singular; those modifying pasticcini are masculine plural.

  • C’è una lunga fila di pasticcini freschi e colorati.
    • lunga → agrees with fila
    • freschi, colorati → agree with pasticcini
Could I use ecco instead of c’è?
Yes, to point something out: Ecco una fila di pasticcini sul bancone. It’s more deictic (“Look, here’s…”). C’è is neutral “there is.”
Is sopra il bancone different from sul bancone?
  • Sul bancone implies contact (“on the counter”).
  • Sopra il bancone is “above/over the counter” and may or may not imply contact. In everyday usage they often overlap; sul is the safest for “on top of.”
Can I drop della pasticceria?
Yes, if context already makes the location clear: Sul bancone c’è una fila di pasticcini. Adding della pasticceria specifies which counter.
If I want to focus on the pastries rather than the row, what can I say?

Use a plural subject:

  • Sul bancone della pasticceria ci sono dei pasticcini in fila.
  • … ci sono pasticcini allineati.
Is it ever correct to write ci è instead of c’è?
In standard usage, no. You write and pronounce the contraction c’è. The full form ci è is only for very special emphasis or when “ci” is stressed (rare and stylistic).
How do I make this negative or a question?
  • Negative: Sul bancone della pasticceria non c’è una fila di pasticcini.
  • Question: Sul bancone della pasticceria c’è una fila di pasticcini? (Rising intonation)
Are there register or regional alternatives to c’è?
  • Formal/literary: vi è (e.g., Sul bancone vi è…).
  • Colloquial/regional (not standard everywhere): ci sta (e.g., Sul bancone ci sta una fila…). Stick to c’è in standard Italian.
Any common spelling pitfalls to avoid?
  • Use c’è (apostrophe + grave accent). Avoid “c’e,” “c’é,” or “ce.”
  • Double consonants matter: pasticcini, pasticceria.
  • Keep the contractions: sul (not “su il”), della (not “di la”).