Metto il quaderno sul banco prima dell’esame.

In Italian, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• metto = I put / I place
• The -o ending tells you the subject is I

So Metto il quaderno... naturally means I put the notebook...

You could say Io metto il quaderno..., but io is usually only added for emphasis, contrast, or clarity.

Metto is the 1st person singular present tense of mettere.

• mettere = to put, to place
• metto = I put / I am putting

A few present-tense forms of mettere are:

• metto = I put
• metti = you put
• mette = he/she puts
• mettiamo = we put
• mettete = you all put
• mettono = they put

It is not completely regular, so it is worth memorizing.

Italian uses articles much more often than English. So where English may say I put notebook on the desk only in a very reduced or note-like style, Italian normally wants the article:

• il quaderno = the notebook

In ordinary Italian, leaving out the article here would sound unnatural.

Also, quaderno is a masculine singular noun, so the correct article is il.

Because quaderno is a masculine singular noun.

So:

• il quaderno = the notebook
• i quaderni = the notebooks

Even though English nouns do not have grammatical gender, Italian nouns do, and the article must match the noun.

Sul is a contraction of:

• su = on
• il = the

So:

• su + il = sul

This is the normal Italian form. Italian often combines prepositions with definite articles:

• su + il = sul
• di + il = del
• a + il = al
• in + il = nel

So sul banco means on the desk or onto the desk, depending on context.

Banco usually means a school desk or classroom desk/bench. That is probably the most natural meaning in this sentence.

It is different from some related words:

• banco = school desk, counter, bench-like desk
• scrivania = office desk, writing desk
• tavolo = table

So if this sentence is about school or an exam setting, banco is a very natural word.

Because after prima, Italian normally uses di, and when di is followed by the definite article l’, they combine:

• di + l’ = dell’

So:

• prima di = before
• prima dell’esame = before the exam

Di l’esame is not the correct form in standard Italian; it must contract to dell’esame.

Because esame begins with a vowel.

The full combination is:

• di + l’esame
• contracted: dell’esame

The apostrophe appears because the article is l’, the form used before singular nouns beginning with a vowel:

• l’esame
• dell’esame

If the noun began with a consonant, you would not see that apostrophe in the same way:

• del libro = of the book

Because the sentence refers to a specific exam, not exams in general.

• prima dell’esame = before the exam

Without the article, prima di esame would not be standard Italian in this context.

Italian usually uses the article when referring to a specific event or thing that both speaker and listener can identify.

It can mean either, depending on context. Italian present tense often covers both simple present and present progressive meanings that English separates.

So Metto il quaderno sul banco can mean:

• I put the notebook on the desk
• I am putting the notebook on the desk

Context tells you which is more natural.

It can also sometimes refer to a near future action, especially in informal speech, though the most direct reading here is simple present.

It can describe either, depending on context.

Italian present tense is flexible. So this sentence could mean:

• a habit: I put the notebook on the desk before the exam
• a current action / statement of action: I’m putting the notebook on the desk before the exam

If you wanted to make the habitual meaning clearer, context words could help, such as sempre:

• Metto sempre il quaderno sul banco prima dell’esame.
• I always put the notebook on the desk before the exam.

That is a very normal word order in Italian.

The basic structure is:

• Metto = verb
• il quaderno = direct object
• sul banco = place
• prima dell’esame = time

Italian word order is somewhat flexible, but this version sounds natural and straightforward.

You could also move the time phrase for emphasis:

• Prima dell’esame, metto il quaderno sul banco.

That puts more focus on before the exam.

It can express either location or movement, depending on the verb and context.

With mettere, there is usually an idea of placement, so in English we often understand:

• onto the desk

But Italian still uses su / sul in this kind of situation, where English may prefer onto.

So metto il quaderno sul banco naturally means I put the notebook on/onto the desk.

Yes, you could, but it is slightly different in feel.

• sul banco = on the desk
• sopra il banco = on top of / above the desk

In many situations they overlap, but sul banco is the most natural basic choice for physical placement on a desk surface. Sopra il banco can sound a little more emphatic about the position being on top.

No.

• quaderno = notebook / exercise book
• libro = book

A quaderno is something you write in, usually with blank, lined, or squared pages. A libro is a book for reading or study.

So il quaderno here specifically means the notebook, not just any book.