Italian Phrase
Un libro ha 20 francobolli.
Meaning
The sentence states that a book contains twenty stamps. It is a simple declarative statement used to describe the contents of a book, often in the context of a stamp album or a collection.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to tell someone how many stamps are inside a book, such as describing a stamp album, explaining a gift, or answering a question about the book's contents.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Unlibroha20francobolli
Indefinite article (Un)
Use 'un' before masculine singular nouns to mean 'a' or 'one'.
Noun gender (libro)
'Libro' is a masculine singular noun meaning 'book'.
Verb 'avere' (ha)
'Ha' is the third‑person singular present of 'avere' (to have) and expresses possession.
Cardinal number (20)
Numbers are placed before the noun they quantify; '20' is read as 'venti'.
Plural noun (francobolli)
'Francobolli' is the masculine plural of 'francobollo' (stamp).
🗨In Conversation
Quanti francobolli ci sono in questo libro?
How many stamps are there in this book?
Un libro ha 20 francobolli.
A book has 20 stamps.
✕Common Mistakes
Un libro è 20 francobolli.
Use 'avere' (ha) for possession, not 'essere' (è).
Un libro ha 20 francobollo.
The noun must agree in number with the quantity; use the plural 'francobolli' for 20.
Un libro ha 20 francobolli.
If you write the number as digits, keep the verb agreement; the mistake is mixing digits with the word form inconsistently.
↔Alternatives
Il libro contiene 20 francobolli.
The book contains 20 stamps.
Ci sono 20 francobolli in questo libro.
There are 20 stamps in this book.
Cultural Tip
Stamp collecting ('filatelia') is a popular hobby in Italy, and many families keep albums of 'francobolli' as a way to preserve history. When talking about possession of inanimate objects, Italians use 'avere' (ha) rather than 'essere'. Also, remember that 'francobollo' is masculine, so its plural is 'francobolli'.