Hello!
I was wondering what's the difference between bookcase and bookshelf, and painting and pictures. For example, if I say there is a painting/picture on the wall 😭

Question

Hello!
I was wondering what's the difference between bookcase and bookshelf,  and painting and pictures. For example, if I say there is a painting/picture on the wall 😭

Answer

Hey Cielo!

Bookcase vs. Bookshelf

Bookshelf:
- A single shelf for books
- Can be one tier of a bigger unit
- Can be fixed to the wall or part of a bookcase

Example:
“There are three bookshelves on the wall.”

Bookcase:
- A piece of furniture with multiple shelves
- Usually stands on the floor
- Bigger, like a small cabinet without doors

Example:
“I have a bookcase in my living room.”

Answer

Painting vs. Picture

Painting:
- Something created with paint
- Usually made by an artist
- More “artistic” by definition

Picture:
- A general word
- Can be a painting, photo, drawing, print, poster, etc.
- If you’re not sure what it is, “picture” is safer.

Answer

Hi Cielo,
In my opinion (as a US English native), this question is very interesting but not simple. I don’t think all English natives have the exact same thing in mind when we hear or use bookshelf vs. bookcase. It may also vary regionally.

Bookshelf: some may visualize one single shelf; others may think of a piece of furniture with shelves to hold books without any doors, so it is open.

Bookcase: I think some people imagine a nicer piece of furniture to hold books, generally with doors or maybe glass doors, but I’ve also seen nice bookcases without doors sold online and still described as bookcases. Not sure if that makes sense.

So, if you want a general answer:
Bookshelf: single or multiple shelves without doors
Bookcase: piece of furniture with multiple shelves, usually with doors

But my personal opinion is that natives may use the terms interchangeably depending on the region. Maybe it is similar to how, in Spanish, the words or descriptions change depending on the region or country (librero con/sin puertas, estantería, biblioteca, etc.).

Last thought: if you are asking because you want to speak correctly, I wouldn’t worry much about this. If you are studying for a formal test of some kind, I don’t think I can give you an exact answer. Maybe another teacher specialized in tests  will have better information for formal English tests (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.).

Answer

A bookcase is a free standing piece of furniture. You can move it to any position like any piece of furniture. A book shelf is one individual horizontal piece of wood (or similar material). A bookcase can contain multiple book shelves. A book shelf can also be attached to the wall.

A picture can be any medium - photograph, drawing, painting

A painting must be created using paint.

Answer

Bookcase vs. Bookshelf

A bookcase is a freestanding piece of furniture with multiple shelves, often enclosed with doors.

A bookshelf is usually a single set of shelves, or it can refer to one shelf within a bookcase.

Example: "I put the book back on the bookshelf in my bookcase."

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Painting vs. Picture

A painting is specifically created with paint (oils, watercolors, etc.) on a surface like canvas.

A picture is a general term for any visual representation. It could be a painting, a photograph, a drawing, or even a print.

For your example:

"There is a painting on the wall." This implies an original work of art made with paint.

"There is a picture on the 'wall.'" This could be a painting, photo, poster, etc. More casual and general.