Metto la borsa accanto alla sedia.

Metto is the first-person singular present tense of mettere, which means to put or to place.

So metto means:

• I put
• I am putting

In Italian, the present tense often covers both the simple present and the present continuous, depending on context.

Italian often leaves out subject pronouns when they are not needed, because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

• metto = I put / I am putting

So Io metto la borsa accanto alla sedia is possible, but io is usually omitted unless you want emphasis, contrast, or extra clarity.

For example:

• Metto la borsa accanto alla sedia. = neutral
• Io metto la borsa accanto alla sedia. = I put the bag next to the chair

In Italian, nouns usually need an article unless there is a specific reason to leave it out.

So:

• la borsa = the bag
• una borsa = a bag

Here, la borsa suggests a specific bag, not just any bag.

Borsa usually means bag, but depending on context it can also mean:

• handbag
• purse
• shopping bag

So the exact English translation depends on the situation. In a basic sentence like this, bag is the safest general meaning.

Accanto means next to or beside.

It shows position relative to something else.

So:

• accanto alla sedia = next to the chair / beside the chair

A very important point: accanto is normally used with a when followed by a noun:

• accanto a qualcosa = next to something

Because accanto is followed by the preposition a.

So the full structure is:

• accanto a la sedia

But Italian usually combines a + la into alla.

So:

• a + la = alla

That gives:

• accanto alla sedia

This is a very common contraction in Italian.

Alla is the contraction of:

• a
  • la

It can mean different things depending on context, such as:

• to the
• at the
• next to the when used after expressions like accanto a

In this sentence, it is part of accanto alla sedia, meaning next to the chair.

La sedia means the chair, so it refers to a specific chair that the speaker has in mind.

If you said una sedia, it would mean a chair, more indefinite or nonspecific.

Compare:

• Metto la borsa accanto alla sedia. = next to the chair
• Metto la borsa accanto a una sedia. = next to a chair

The given word order is very natural:

• Metto la borsa accanto alla sedia.

Italian word order is often flexible, but some orders sound more natural than others.

You might also hear:

• La borsa la metto accanto alla sedia.
  This emphasizes the bag.
• Accanto alla sedia metto la borsa.
  This emphasizes the location.

But the original sentence is the most straightforward and neutral way to say it.

Yes. Vicino a can also mean near or next to.

So you could say:

• Metto la borsa vicino alla sedia.

The difference is small:

• accanto a often feels more like right next to / beside
• vicino a can be a little broader, more like near

In many everyday situations, both are acceptable.

It is in the present tense, but in Italian the present tense can often translate in two ways in English:

• I put the bag next to the chair
• I am putting the bag next to the chair

Context tells you which one is meant.

If you want to be more explicitly progressive in Italian, you could say:

• Sto mettendo la borsa accanto alla sedia. = I am putting the bag next to the chair

But metto alone is very common and natural.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

MET-to la BOR-sa ak-KAN-to AL-la SE-dya

A few helpful points:

• tt in metto is pronounced more strongly than a single t
• cc in accanto before a sounds like a hard k
• sedia sounds like SEH-dya, not see-dee-a

The stress falls roughly on:

• MÉT-to
• BÓR-sa
• ac-CÁN-to
• SE-dia