Breakdown of Il tuo libro è su questo tavolo.
essere
to be
il libro
the book
il tavolo
the table
questo
this (masculine)
Questions & Answers about Il tuo libro è su questo tavolo.
Why is the preposition su alone here instead of combining into sul?
The preposition su means "on". Usually, when it is followed by "the", it combines with the article (for example, sul tavolo means "on the table"). However, because this sentence uses questo (this) instead of "the", there is no article for su to combine with. So, it stays as a simple, separate word.
Why do we say il tuo libro instead of just tuo libro?
In English, we just say "your book". But in Italian, possessive words like tuo (your) usually need a definite article like il or la in front of them. You are literally saying "the your book". The main exception is for singular family members (like mia madre), but for regular objects, always include the article!
What is the difference between tavolo and tavola?
Why is it questo tavolo instead of questa tavolo?