Breakdown of Il cinema è di fronte alla libreria.
essere
to be
di
of, from
a
to / at
il cinema
the cinema
la libreria
the bookstore
la fronte
the front (used in 'di fronte a')
Questions & Answers about Il cinema è di fronte alla libreria.
Why does it say alla libreria instead of just a libreria?
The phrase di fronte a (opposite/facing) ends with the preposition a. In Italian, you almost always need to use the definite article with places like the bookstore (la libreria). When the preposition a meets the article la, they combine to form the combined preposition alla.
What is the difference between di fronte a and davanti a?
Wait, doesn't libreria mean "library"?
No, libreria is a classic "false friend" for English speakers! It actually means "bookstore" or "bookshop" (a place where you buy books). If you want to go to the library to borrow books, the Italian word is biblioteca.
Why does cinema use the masculine article il when it ends in an 'a'?
Cinema is short for the older word cinematografo. Even though the modern, shortened version ends in an 'a', it keeps the masculine gender of the original long word. That's why it is il cinema.
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