Learn Italian: Il cinema è di fronte alla libreria. - The cinema is opposite the bookstore.

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?

They are very similar, but have a slight difference in meaning! Di fronte a specifically means "opposite" or "facing" (like two buildings facing each other across a street). Davanti a simply means "in front of". In this sentence, the cinema is directly across from the bookstore.

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.