Breakdown of Scusi, c'è un posto libero qui?
un
a / an (masculine)
qui
here
libero
free
c'è
there is / there are
Questions & Answers about Scusi, c'è un posto libero qui?
Why do we use scusi here instead of scusa?
Scusi is the formal way to say "excuse me." You use it when speaking to someone you don't know well, like a stranger on a train or a bus. This is part of the formal address register (dare del Lei). If you were asking a friend or family member, you would use the informal scusa.
Why is it c'è instead of just è?
C'è means "there is" or "is there". It is made by combining ci (there) and è (is), with an apostrophe replacing the 'i' because the next word starts with a vowel. If you just used è, the sentence would mean "Is it a free seat here?" instead of "Is there a free seat here?".
Does the word posto mean "seat" or "place"?
It means both! Posto literally translates to "place," but Italians use it as the standard everyday word for a "seat" on a train, at a table, or in a theater.
Why does libero come after posto?
In Italian, descriptive adjectives like libero (free, unoccupied, or available) almost always go after the noun they describe. So, instead of "a free seat," the Italian word order is "a seat free" (un posto libero).