GRAMMAR PILLS

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13 Most Common Irregular Verbs in Italian

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Regular verbs

The rules I just mentioned about conjugation only apply to regular verbs. What’s a regular verb? It’s a verb whose conjugations follow standard patterns. Its conjugation is fairly simple. All you need to do is memorizethe standard conjugations and use them.

Typical regular verbs in Italian are: studiare, mangiare, lavorare, ballare, cominciare, terminare, etc

Regular vs. Irregular Verbs

However, there are “irregular verbs” and you should get familiar with this notion.

Irregular verbs are those that don’t follow the same conjugation patterns as regular verbs (which, by the way, are the vast majority of verbs).

How to Conjugate Irregular Verbs in Italian

When you conjugate irregular verbs, the stem to which you must attach the conjugation patterns changes.

For example, the verb ‘dire‘ (to say, to tell) is an irregular verbs. The root of the verb is ‘dic-‘ and not just ‘d’. Another common irregular verb is ‘volere’ (to want). The stem of the verb is not ‘vol-‘, but ‘vogl’ or ‘vuo-‘ depending on the person. You’ll need to add the regular endings to irregular stems. .

Making a list of the most common irregular verbs and memorizing them is the best way to deal with them.

In the following page, you’ll find the most common irregular verbs in Italian conjugated in the present tense.

How to Conjugate a Verb in a Question?

This depends on whether you’re addressing a person formally or informally or if you’re addressing two or more people.

You should conjugate with “tu” if you’re asking a question to someone in an informal setting (second person singular).

Scusa, parli inglese? – Excuse-me, do you speak English? (parli = do you speak?)

You should conjugate with “Lei” (third person singular) which is used in Italian to address a person you don’t know or one to whom you want to show respect) and if you’re asking a question to a person in a formal setting.

Scusi, parla inglese? – Excuse-me Sir/Madam, do you speak English? (parla = do you speak, Sir/Madam)

You should conjugate with “voi” (second person plural) if you are asking a question to two or more people, regardless of the setting..

Scusate, parlate inglese? – Excuse-me, do you (all) speak English?

3 Useful Tools for Learning and Memorizing the Forms of Italian Verb Conjugations

Finally, if you’re looking for an Italian verb conjugation chart, you can use any of these tools to look up the conjugations of Italian verbs. Don’t get overwhelmed by trying to master all of them; you’ll never need to.

What Are The Most Common Conjugations To Use as A Beginner?

While there are several tenses in Italian, you don’t need to use them all as a beginner. In everyday Italian; even most native speakers use only a few tenses / conjugations.

With the present simple (presente indicativo) and present perfect (il passato prossimo) You can be conversational, at least at a beginner level, if you master these two tenses.

Mastering The Italian Present Subjunctive : A Step-by-Step Guide

When learning Italian, you’ll surely come across a few challenging topics. Among these, one of the most notorious is the Italian subjunctive mode. Rest assured. Although it might seem difficult to grasp, it’s easier than you think.

When to Use the Subjunctive in Italian?

The subjunctive (il congiuntivo) is an Italian verb form used to express opinions, feelings, uncertainty, possibility, wishes, or doubts.

Most of the time, the subjunctive is used in a dependent clause, which comes after a main clause. Knowing what a dependent clause is will open the door for you to understand how to use the subjunctive.

Main vs. dependent clauses

If you’re not familiar with the idea of the main clause and dependent clause, let’s have a look at it together.

A main clause is a sentence like this:

Penso che… (I think that)

Voglio che… (I want that)

Spero che.. (I hope that)

Sono felice che…(I’m happy that)

In other words, we can say that a main clause is a sentence that introduces another sentence to which it’s related. A ‘main’ clause always stands at the beginning of a sentence.

A dependent clause is what’s following the ‘che’.

Let’s have a look at a couple of sentences where you can see a typical use of the subjunctive.

Penso che (main clause), l’Italia sia un paese bellissimo (dependent clause with the subjunctive) – I think Italy is a beautiful country
Spero che (main clause), che domani non piova (dependent clause with the subjunctive), successo negli studi (dependent clause) – I hope tomorrow it will not rain

In 99, 9 % of Italian phrases, the subjunctive is used as a depended clause and for this reason is introduced by a main clause introduced by one of the verbs of phrases that I’ll talk go in this article.

Italian vs. English

What make it a little complex is that in English there’s no subjective. And the translation of the Italian present subjunctive is made with the present simple.

How to Determine if we Need to Use the Subjunctive or Not

It’s easier than you think: the rule of thumb is that the use of the Italian subjunctive is determined by what comes before, in the main clause.

Luckily, there’s a list of verbs and phrases that express opinions, wishes, doubts, feelings, and uncertainties that we can easily memorize.

Once you learn that a certain verb, like ‘credo’ or ‘penso’ or ‘spero’, defaults to using the subjunctive (or congiuntivo, in Italian), it’ll become easier and automatic to use the subjunctive in the right place.

In the following lists, you’ll see the most common verbs or phrases that are naturally followed by a subjunctive in Italian.

Subjunctive Prompts

Subjunctive prompts are all those verbs that, when used in a main clause, are followed by the subjunctive.

Verbs to express opinion, uncertainty, possibility, or doubt:

Penso che – I think that
Credo che – I believe that
Immagino che – I imagine that
Ho l’impressione che – I have the impression that
Suppongo che – I suppose that
Dubito che – I doubt that
Non sono sicuro che – I’m not sure that
Non sono certo che – I’m not certain that

Verbs to express feelings, such as happiness or fear:

Sono felice che – I’m happy that
Sono dispiaciuto/a che – I’m e sorry that
Ho paura che – I’m afraid that
Temo che – I’m afraid that

Verbs to express wishes:

Voglio che – I want that
Desidero che – I wish that
Preferisco che – I prefer that
Spero che – I hope that

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The Subjunctive after Impersonal Forms and Expressions

Another use of subjunctive occurs when it’s used after impersonal forms (e.g. verbs that are conjugated that in third personal singular), like the ones that don’t have an explicit subject.

Basta che… – it is sufficient (that) .
Bisogna che… – it is necessary (that)
Vale la pena che… – it is worth (that)
Si dice che… – it’s said (that)
Dicono che… – they say(that)
Sembra che… – it seems (that)

Examples:

Si dice l’Italia sia il più bel Paese al mondo – they say Italian is the most beautiful country in the world
Sembra che stia per piovere – it seems like it’s about to rain

The subjunctive is also frequently used after impersonal expressions. An impersonal expression is a phrase made of the verb “to be” and any adjective.

è bene che… – it is good (that)
è difficile che… – it is hard (that)
è facile che… – it is easy (that)
è giusto che… – it is right (that)
è importante che… – it is important (that)
è male che… – it is bad (that)
è meglio che… – it is better(that)
è necessario che… – it is necessary (that)
è peccato che… – it is a pity (that)
è possibile che.. .- it is possible (that)
è raro che… – it is rare (that)
è urgente che… – it is urgent (that)

Example:

è raro che un bambino studi il cinese – it’s rare for a kid to study Chinese
è possibile che Anna sia in ritardo – it’s possible that Anna is late

When impersonal expressions point out certainty, the indicative is used instead of the subjunctive. The following expressions require the indicative, for example.

è certo che… – it is certain (that)
è evidente che… – it is evident (that)
è ovvio che che… – it is obvious (that)

Examples:

è ovvio che mente – it’s obvious that he lies (and NOT è ovvio che menta)
è sicuro che viene – it’s sure that he comes (and NOT è sicuro che venga)

When Not To Use The Subjunctive in Italian (or when to use the infinitive instead of the subjunctive)

All the above verbs and expressions require the subjunctive only when the subjects of the two phrases (main clause and dependent clause) are different, like in the following two phrases (where the subject of the main clause is “io” and the subject of the dependent clause is “lei”).

Penso che lei sia molto intelligente – I think she’s very smart

Sono felice che lei abbia superato l’esame – I am happy she’s passed the exam

If the subject is the same in the main clause and in the dependent clause, we can’t use the subjunctive in the dependent clause. Instead, we would use an infinitive construction.

Lei pensa di essere molto intelligente – she thinks she’s very smart
Lei è felice di aver superato l’esame – she’s happy she has passed the exam

The Present Subjunctive (Regular verbs)

The regular conjugation of the present subjunctive is very easy because the first three persons (io, tu, lei) are the same and the ‘noi’ conjugation is identical to the one of the present tense indicative.

Edit
PARLARE (-ARE verbs)	RIDERE (-ERE verbs)	Domire (-IRE verbs)
che io parl-I	che io rid-A	che io dorm-A
che tu parl-I	che tu rid-A	che tu dorm-A
che lui/lei parl-I	che lui/lei rid-A	che lui/lei dorm-A
che noi parl-IAMO	che noi rid-IAMO	che noi dorm-IAMO
che voi parl-IATE	che voi rid-IATE	che voi dorm-IATE
che loro parl-INO	che loro rid-ANO	che loro dorm-ANO

The Irregular Forms of the Present Subjunctive

I have been asked often in my classes, what is that SIA there? Or, what is that ABBIA there? What about VADA or FACCIA?

They are the irregular subjunctive conjugations of essere, avere, andare, and fare, in that order.

It’s crucial to learn the irregular Italian subjunctives as they are very common in the spoken language. Remember also that the verbs that are irregular in the indicative are also irregular in the subjunctive.

This is a list of the most common irregular forms of the present subjunctive.

Essere → sia
Avere → abbia
Andare → vada
Fare → faccia
Dire → dica
Dare → dia
Volere → voglia
Dovere → debba
Potere → possa
Tenere → tenga
Stare → stia

Of course, there are more than these. For a more thorough list, I suggest referring to your grammar books. If you don’t have it yet, I recommend using this excellent textbook: Italian verb tenses.

How many forms of the Italian subjunctive exist?

Is the present subjunctive the only subjunctive? No, but it’s the most common one.

The Italian subjunctive is a mode made of four tenses: the present subjunctive, the past subjunctive, the imperfect subjunctive, and the past-perfect subjunctive. Knowing all these tenses will help you master the Subjunctive Tense Consistency (or Consecutio Temporum), which I will tackle in a different article.

In conclusion,

Using the subjunctive is a sign of education. There are also native Italian speakers that misuse or don’t use the subjunctive correctly. You can tell they don’t have a high level of education.

Verbs that are irregular in the present indicative are also irregular in the present subjunctive.

The use of subject pronouns (io, tu, lui, noi, voi, loro) is often required, as the first three persons of the conjugation are the same (io vada, tu vada, lui vada).

The Italian Indirect Object Pronouns Explained

Yes, pronouns are not easy to grasp, but they’re worth mastering. Why? It’s simple. We use them all the time. We use them to avoid repeating things and be concise, typically in a conversation. It’s the same in English and in many other languages.

Knowing the Italian pronouns will not only help you speak better Italian, but especially improve your listening skills in Italian.

I promise, next time you‘ll her gli-la-lo, etc you won’t have a hard time figuring out what they stand for!

**What is a pronoun?**

A pronoun is a word like you, her, him, them that we use to see who is affected by the verb’s action. Or, in simpler terms, it’s a little word we use to replace something (a thing or a person) that was mentioned before in a conversation and we don’t want to repeat. For example,

Vuoi il caffè? Sì, lo voglio
Prendi lo zucchero? Sì, lo prendo
Telefoni a Chiara? Sì, le telefono

In the first two sentences, the direct pronoun lo stands for “it” and it‘s replacing the words“caffè” or “zucchero“. In the last one, the indirect pronoun le stands for “to her” and it’s replacing “a Chiara”.

Direct pronouns and indirect pronouns: what’s the difference?

There are two types of pronouns in Italian: direct object pronouns and indirect object pronouns.

What makes indirect pronouns different from direct pronouns?

The direct pronouns answer the questions “what?” or “who?”

The indirect pronouns answer the questions “to whom” or “for whom“

Edit
DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS	INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS
mi (me)	mi (to me, for me)
ti (you)	ti (to you, for you)
lo (it m., him)	gli (to him, for him)
la (it f., her, you polite)	le (to her, for her, for you polite)
ci (us)	ci (to us, for us)
vi (you pl.)	vi (to you pl., for you pl.)
li (them m.)	gli (to them, for them)
le (them f.)

That’s important to notice:

As you can see in the pronouns chart above, the forms of mi, ti, ci, vi are the same for direct and indirect pronouns. It means, that you’ll only only need to think of a difference between direct and indirect pronouns just for the third person singular and plural (lo, la, li, le, gli, le).

Examples of phrases using DIRECT pronouns

La mangio sempre – I often eat it

Li chiamo sempre – I always call them

L’ho cucinato oggi – I cooked it today

Examples of phrases using INDIRECT pronouns

Le mando una mail – I send her an email

Ti voglio bene – I love you

Gli telefono tutti i giorni – I call them every today

Direct pronouns and indirect pronouns: the difference explained

The million dollar question is when to use direct pronouns and and when to use indirect pronouns.

Direct Pronouns (pronomi diretti)

Direct pronouns are used with verbs that trigger the use of a “direct object” and replace people or things there were mentioned before in the conversation.

Compro il latte – I buy the milk (What are you buying? Milk!)
Lo compro – I buy it [“lo” and “it” replace “il latte”]

Vedi Luigi? – Do you see Luigi? (Who are you seeing? Luigi!)
Sì, lo vedo – I see him [“lo” and “him” replace “Luigi”]

Preferiamo la cucina italiana – we prefer Italian food (What food do we prefer? Italian food!)
La preferiamo – we prefer it [“la” and “it” replace “la cucina italiana”]

Typical verbs using a direct object are all those verbs which answer the questions “what?” or “who?”. For example, comprare qualcosa, mangiare qualcosa, leggere qualcosa, ascoltare qualcuno, vedere qualcuno, incontrare qualcuno etc.

Indirect pronouns (pronomi indiretti)

Indirect pronouns are used with verbs that trigger the use of an indirect object, and are used to replace only people; they also can be used in conjunction with a direct object.

Mando una mail a Marco – I’m sending to Marco a letter (To whom am I sending an email? To Marco!)
Gli mando una lettera – I’m sending to him a letter [“gli” replaces “a Marco”]

Insegno italiano agli studenti – I teach to students Italian (To whom am I teaching Italian? To my students!)
Gli insegno l’italiano – I to teach them Italian [“gli” replaces “agli studenti”]

Do una mano a Lucia – I give to Lucia a hand (To whom am I giving a hand ? To Lucia!)
Le do una mano – I give to her a hand [“le” replaces “a Lucia”]

Typical verbs using an indirect object are all those verbs which answer the questions “for whom?” or “to whom?”. For example, chiedere a qualcuno, dire a qualcuno, telefonare a qualcuno, scrivere a qualcuno, etc.

Smart tip

How do you know when to use indirect object pronouns instead of direct object pronouns in Italian?

The best way is to memorize and practice the verbs that typically use indirect pronouns. It can also help to remember that indirect pronouns are meant to replace people, not things.

This is a list of common verbs using indirect object pronouns in Italian

Dire – to say / to tell
Dare – to give
Chiedere – to ask
Telefonare – to phone
Scrivere – to write
Offrire – to offer
Insegnare – to teach
Mandare – to send
Prestare – to lend
Rispondere – to answer

Now, put this list in your flashcards and remember that in Italian these verbs are used with indirect object pronouns.

For example:

“I answer her” should be le rispondo (not la!)

“I answer him” should be gli rispondo (not lo!)

Other examples:

Ho detto a Luisa di comprare il pane – I said to Luisa that she should buy some bread
Le ho detto di comprare il pane – I said to her that she should buy some bread

Ho prestato la bicicletta a te la settimana scorso – I lent the bike to you last week
Ti ho prestato la bici la settimana scorso – I lent you the bike last week

Ho telefonato a Lucia e Michele – I phoned (to) Lucia e Michele
Gli ho telefonato – I phoned them

Scrivi sempre a Marco? – Do you write often to Marco?
Gli scrivi sempre? – Do you write to him often?

You should also know that…

Unlike in English, the pronouns usually precede the verb.

Some verbs, like piacere, such as: interessare, succedere, sembrare, servire, bastare, use indirect object pronouns in their conjugations.

The pronouns are attached at the end of the verb in its infinitive, gerund, and imperative form.

English vs. Italian pronouns: main differences

What leads to confusion is that some verbs that use a direct object in English would use an indirect object in Italian, or vice versa. For example, the verb “insegnare (to teach)” uses the indirect object in Italian; in fact, we say “insegnare a qualcuno,” while in English, the verb “to teach” uses the direct object. In English, you say “to teach someone”.

Most of the time, however, this is not the case, and there’s a parallel between English and Italian.

The rule of thumb is to consult a dictionary to see if the verb needs a direct or indirect pronoun.

Examples:

Maria insegna italiano agli studenti americani
Maria gli insegna l’italiano – Maria teaches Italian to them

The same occurs with the verb “phone/call”. In English, one calls someone, but in Italian, “someone calls to someone” and so we need an indirect object pronoun.

Marta telefona a Lucia
Marta le telefona – Marta calls (to) her

You should also know that…

Unlike in English, the pronouns usually precede the verb.

Some verbs, like piacere, such as: interessare, succedere, sembrare, servire, bastare, use indirect object pronouns in their conjugations.

The pronouns are attached at the end of the verb in its infinitive, gerund, and imperative form.

English vs. Italian pronouns: main differences

Most of the time, however, this is not the case, and there’s a parallel between English and Italian.

The rule of thumb is to consult a dictionary to see if the verb needs a direct or indirect pronoun.

Examples:

Maria insegna italiano agli studenti americani
Maria gli insegna l’italiano – Maria teaches Italian to them

The same occurs with the verb “phone/call”. In English, one calls someone, but in Italian, “someone calls to someone” and so we need an indirect object pronoun.

Marta telefona a Lucia
Marta le telefona – Marta calls (to) her

What’s the position of the pronouns in Italian?

The rule of thumb is that the pronouns are placed before the conjugated verb (which is exactly the opposite of English). For example,

Lo mangio (I it eat)
Ti chiamo (I will you call)
Ci vediamo (we us see)

However, there are a number of exceptions (not too many) where the pronouns (direct, indirect, reflexive) are attached to the infinitive or placed at the end of the verb. The most common cases are when we use the pronouns with modal verbs or imperative forms.

Indirect Pronouns and Modal Verbs

(This is a rule valid for all types of pronouns, not just the indirect ones)

With the modal verbs (volere, potere, dovere), the pronouns can be placed either at the back of the infinitive verb (following the modal verb) or just before the modal verb. There’s no difference between these two, and it’s up to you which pattern to use.

Examples:

“Ti devo dire una cosa” o “devo dirti una cosa (I have to tell you something)
“Lo puoi ripetere?” o “puoi ripeterlo?” (Can you repeat it?)
“Li vuoi chiamare?” or “vuoi chiamarli” (Do you want to call them?)

Indirect Pronouns and Imperative Form

(This is a rule valid for all types of pronouns, not just the indirect ones)

In some imperative forms (when you’re urging someone to do something) the pronouns are placed at the back of the verb.

Examples

Digli la verità – Tell him the truth
Non dirgli la verità – Don’t tell him the truth
Telefonagli più tardi – Call her later
Mandale il contratto – Send her the contract

If you need a refresher on the imperative in Italian, check out this article:

The Imperative Form

Having a hard time with Italian pronouns? These textbooks might be useful.

What does “CI SI” mean in Italian?

If you have come across “ci si” in Italian and felt confused, this post is for you.

The Impersonal Form

“Ci si” is a very peculiar form of Italian that occurs when a reflexive verb (a verb like rilassarsi, divertirsi, or annoiarsi) is used in the impersonal form.

The impersonal form is used when we want to speak generally about something in Italian and is formed by using ‘si’ + a verb conjugated in the 3rd person singular. For example:

In Italia si mangia bene → In Italy, one eats well or you eat well in Italy.
In Italia si vive bene → In Italy, you have a good life
Quando si viaggia, si impara molto → When travelling, you learn a lot

Reflexive Verbs and Impersonal Forms

So, if we want to use a reflexive verb in the impersonal form and say something like “one always has fun while traveling”, we should use two “sis”: one belonging to the impersonal form and the other belonging to the 3rd person of the reflexive verb divertirsi=to have fun. Hence, we should then say something like this:

“si si diverte quando si viaggia”

Why “CI SI“?

However, saying twice “si” (the first indicating the reflexive pronoun, the second one indicating the impersonal form) would result in a cacophony (a difficult/bad sound to pronounce), so we change the first “si” into “ci”.

Example: ~~si si diverte quando si viaggia~~ becomes “ci si diverte quando si viaggia” = you have a good time, when traveling

More examples:

In viaggio in Sicilia…

Ci si diverte (you have fun)
Ci si rilassa in spiaggia or in collina (you relax at the beach or in the hills)
Ci si perde tra le stradine dei centri storici (you get lost in the narrow street of the old towns)
Ci si gode la vita lenta (you enjoy slow life)
Ci si muove in macchina o in treno (you move around by car or train)

All the “yous” in the above stances stand for “one does something”, which means “you” in a general sense or “we”.

How To Use the Particles “Ci” and “Ne” in Italian

Have you been learning Italian for a while? Then, I am sure you have been faced with the quirky usage of the Italian particles ci and ne (also known as particelle pronominali in Italian).

And you’ve been wondering dozens of times how to use ci and how to use ne.

Maybe you have also decided to neglect ci and ne, thinking their use is not essential; but it is. Italians use ci and ne in conversations all the time, simply because they help them be more concise and convey a message faster.

That’s why mastering these two little words will take your Italian very far, in addition to making your Italian sound ten times more natural when you use them. Guaranteed.

Let’s break this topic down into simple bites for you.

How to Use “NE”

What does ne mean?

“Ne“, in Italian, has two main meanings.

1. the “NE pronominale”

The “ne pronominale” is simply a pronoun, which means that its function is to replace something that was previously mentioned and that, in the case of the pronoun “ne,” was introduced by the preposition “di”.

A typical example is the verb “parlare.” “Parlare” is always followed by the preposition “di.”

“Parlare di” means “talk/speak about.”

For example:

Parlo spesso di studio delle lingue (I often talk about language learning)
Ne parlo spesso (I often talk about it)

In sentence number 2, the function of “ne” is to replace the part “di studio delle lingue” from sentence number 1.

That’s why the easiest way to use “ne” correctly is to memorize which verbs tend to use “ne” as a pronoun. These verbs are those that are followed by the preposition “di,” like “parlare,” and some other common verbs like in the list below.

Common verbs using the pronoun “ne”.

Parlare di – to speak/talk about
Essere sicuro di – to be sure about
Avere bisogno di – to need
Avere nostalgia di – to feel nostalgia

As you can see, all these verbs trigger the preposition “di”. That’s why we can say that “ne” can replace a sentence introduced by “di” after any of these verbs.

Examples that illustrate the use of the “ne pronominale” .

Che pensi di Maria? – What do you think of Maria?
Che ne pensi? – What do you think of her?

Noi parliamo di politica – We talk about politics
Ne parliamo – We talk about it

Hai bisogno di una macchina per andare a lavoro? – Do you need a car to go to work?
No, non ne ho bisogno – No, I am not in need of it

Sei sicuro di quello che hai detto? – Are you sure about what you said?
Sì, ne sono sicuro – Yes, I am sure about it

In short, the Italian pronoun/particle “ne” means (and replaces) “of it” or “of them” or “about it” or “about them”.

2. The “NE partitivo”

The use of the “ne partitivo” occurs when “ne” means “some of it,” “some of them,” and indicates quantities and amounts. This use of “ne” is often triggered by questions such as “Quanto (How much)” or “Quanti (How many)” or by the verb “volere” in sentences like “Vuoi del…? (Do you want some/any…).”

Vuoi del formaggio? (Do you want some cheese?)/ Sì, ne voglio un po’ (I want some of it)
Vuoi un pezzo di torta? (Do you want a piece of cake?) / No, ne voglio due (I want two of them)
Quanti figli hai? (How many sons do you have?) / Ne ho due ( I have two of them)
Quante libri hai letto? (How many books did you read) / Ne ho letto uno (I have read just one)

In this case “ne” indicates some of something else (some of it or some of them).

How “Ce ne sono” is different from “ci sono”?

Ci sono means there are
Ce ne sono means there are some of them

In Italian, “ce ne sono” is used to refer to something that has already been mentioned. Usually, these sentences are used as a reply to a question starting with “Quanti/e?” and followed by “ci sono.”

Quante finestre ci sono in questa stanza? – how many windows are there in this room?
Ce ne sono tre – there are three of them

What’s the position of ne in a sentence?

Ne usually comes before the verb (ne parlo = I speak about it), except when the verb is an imperative (order) or an infinitive.

When “ne“ comes with an infinitive, the final -e of the verb is dropped.

Voglio parlarne – I want to talk about it
Parlane! – Talk about it! (imperative)

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How to Use “CI”

What does ci mean?

“Ci” has several different meanings and functions in Italian. Let’s explore them, one by one.

1. CI: there, in that place, in there

Ci is also used with the meaning of “there”, when there has already been mentioned. For example,

Sei stato a Londra? – Have you been to London?
Sì, ci sono stato – Yes, I have been there
Quando vai in montagna? – When are going to the mountains?
Ci vado domenica – I’ll go there on Sunday
Vai a Milano ogni venerdì? – Are you going to Milan every Friday?
Sì, ci vado – Yes, I go there

In the foregoing sentences, the “ci” has been used to replacing Londra, la montagna and Milano in the answers.

2. Ci=us

Ci means also “us”, whet it has the function of direct and indirect object pronouns.

For example,

Ci chiami? – Can you call us?
Ci dai una mano? – Can you give us a hand?
Dicci – Tell us

3. Ci with reflexive verbs

Ci is also one of the reflexive pronouns typically used in the conjugations of reflexive verbs, with the 1st person plural (=noi).

For example,

ci svegliamo = we wake up
ci facciamo la doccia = we take a shower
ci rilassiamo = we relax

4. CI: about it, on it, in it, with it

This use of the particle ci is similar to the use of ne when followed by the preposition “di”. What is different is that ci is associated with the verbs followed by prepositions “a”, “in”, “su”, “con” (while ne is associated with verbs followed by the preposition di).

Most common verbs using the particle “ci”:

Pensare a – to think about/of
Credere in/a – to believe in
Contare su – to count on
Andare a/in – to go to
Riuscire a – to manage
Fare caso a – to notice

We use the particle ci to replace something that has already been mentioned in the conversation.

Pensi a Maria? – Are you thinking about Maria?
Sì, ci penso sempre – Yes, I always think about her

Credi in Dio? – Do you believe in God?
Ci credo – Yes, I believe in him

Conti su di me? – Are you counting on me?
Sì, ci conto – Yes, I count on you

Smart tip

An easy way to get a good grasp of ci and ne is to memorize the recurring combinations of verbs and particles in which they appear. For example, ne is frequently associated with the verb parlare, and ci is frequently associated with the verb pensare and credere. This will save you a lot of time and frustration.

Ne parliamo (we speak about it)
Ci penso (I’ll think about it)
Ci credo (I believe it)
Ci vado (I’ll go there)

*For the sake of simplicity, all of the verbs have been conjugated in the first person of the present tense.

Lì vs. Ci

Lì or ci are often mixed up by students.

The reason for this is that l can also mean there. However, it has a whole different function in the sentence.

Lì (or là) is an adverb of place and not a pronoun, like “ci.”

Lì doesn’t have the function of replacing a place it has mentioned before, but it does have the function of specifying where something is.

For example,

Il gatto è lì = the cat is there (here, use of the adverb)
Vado là = I’m going over there (here, use of the adverb)
Ci vado = I’m going there (here, pronoun : “ci” means in that place that it was mentioned previously in the conversation)

Pronominal verbs with CI & NE

There are a number of verbs in Italian known as “verbi pronominali” that incorporate ne, ci or both. Some examples of pronominal verbs are:

Tenerci
Andersene
Riuscirci
Farcela

This a rather advanced topic. If you have a good level of Italian you can learn about the pronominal verbs in the next article. If you’re a beginner or intermediate learner, you can skip it for now.

Having a hard time with Italian pronouns? These textbooks might be useful.

The Italian Prepositions Explained

What’s a preposition in Italian?

I like to describe prepositions as the glue that holds words together in a sentence. A preposition is a small word that connects different parts of a sentence and affects the meaning of a noun, adjective, or verb. Common prepositions in English include “in,” “at,” “by,” and “for,” among others. Similarly, common Italian prepositions include “di,” “a,” “in,” “tra,” and others.

Simple prepositions vs. Articulated prepositions

In Italian, we distinguish between simple and articulated prepositions. Simple prepositions are standalone words that do not change their form based on the gender or number of the noun they modify. The simple prepositions in Italian are “di,” “a,” “da,” “in,” “con,” “su,” “per,” “tra” (or “fra”).

Articulated prepositions, on the other hand, are formed by combining a simple preposition with a definite article, such as “il,” “lo,” “la,” “l’,” or “i,” “gli,” “le,” depending on the gender and number of the noun that follows. For example, “a” + “il” becomes “al,” “di” + “la” becomes “della,” and “su” + “i” becomes “sui.” Articulated prepositions can be modified depending on the gender and number of the noun that follows. However, “tra” (or “fra”), “con,” and “per” are not combined to form articulated prepositions.

Italian Simple Prepositions Chart

Italian Articulated Prepositions Chart

*In some parts of Italy, it’s possible to hear the contracted forms of the preposition “con” with the definite articles, such as “col,” “colla,” “coll’,” “coi,” “cogli,” and “colle. The prepositions “tra” and “fra” are interchangeable and have the same meaning.“Tra,” “fra,” and “per” do not merge with definite articles to form articulated prepositions.

How to Learn Italian Prepositions

I have been teaching Italian to native English speakers for over 10 years, and these are my best pieces of advice on learning Italian prepositions.

Don’t try to learn all prepositions at once as it may not make sense. Instead, focus on learning general patterns such as using the preposition “a” before names of cities and “in” before names of countries. Don’t try to learn all the different uses of “di” or “da” as a beginner, as that will come with time and years of studying and language use.

Learn prepositions in context or chunks. A chunk is a recurring combination of an adjective and a preposition (such as “pieno di = full of”, pronto a = ready to”) or a preposition and a verb (such as “parlare con=to talk with”, “venire da = to leave from”, and “consigliare di=to recommend to”).

Every preposition has several translations in English, and the rules are defined by the context. For example, “tra” means “between” when indicating spaces, but it means “in” when indicating future time.

Lastly, learn prepositions through reading simplified Italian, like short stories. When you read, you will naturally be exposed to combinations of nouns and prepositions or verbs and prepositions. If you do this consistently, you will learn the order of words and the place of prepositions naturally.

The preposition “di”

Main meanings: of, “s”, some.

The most common use of “di” is when it corresponds to the English possessive “‘s” and the noun + noun structure. For example:

Il libro di italiano (The Italian book)
La casa dei miei nonni (My grandparents’ house)
La lezione di Serena (Serena’s lesson)
Il corso di italiano (The Italian course)

“Di” is also used in partitive constructions with the meaning of “some” or “any,” indicating an indefinite quantity. For example:

Vorrei del pane (I would like some bread)
Vorrei dello zucchero (I would like some sugar)
Hai delle uova? (Do you have any eggs?)

Typically, in this type of sentence, we use articulated prepositions (di + definite article).

“Di” is sometimes used after certain verbs that are typically followed by a second verb. In this case, it works like a connector. For example:

Finisco di lavorare (I finish work)
Spero di passare l’esame (I hope to pass the exam)
Ho voglia di fare una passeggiata (I feel like going for a walk)

“Di” is also used in a number of common expressions, like:

di giorno, in the daytime
di notte, at night
di mattina, in the morning
di pomeriggio, in the afternoon
di tanto in tanto, from time to time
di più, more [used after verbs]
di fronte, in front of
di fretta, in a hurry
d’estate, d’inverno, in the summer, in the winter
di niente, you’re welcome

The preposition “a”

Main meanings: in, at, to

The preposition “a” can mean “in” or “to” when referring to a location you are going to, and “at” when referring to a place where you currently are.

There are no clear rules when it comes to usage, but there are a few trends to follow:

We use “a” when the verb “andare” (to go) is followed by another verb. In these sentences, “a” means “to”:

Vado a studiare (I’m going to study)
Vado a prendere il pane (I’m going to get some bread)

“A” means in or to when used before the name of a city or a town.

Vado a Roma (I’m going to Rome)
Sono a Roma (I’m in Rome)

We use “a” or its contracted forms (articulated prepositions) when we are going to place or you’re at a place. For example:

Vado al cinema/sono al cinema (I’m going to the cinema I’m at the cinema)
Vado al lavoro/sono al lavoro (I’m going to work/I’m at work)
Vado al mare/sono al mare (I’m going to the sea/ I’m at the sea)

Whether to use “a” or “al/alla/ai” depends on the gender and number of the following noun. It’s helpful to learn the most common combinations (e.g., vado al mare) by heart.

“A” or “alle” is used to indicate time:

Alle 8 (at 8 o’clock)
A mezzogiorno (at noon)

Common expressions using the prepositions “a”:

a sinistra, to the left
a destra, to the right
al centro di, in the middle of
a volte, at times
al mare, to the beach
al lavoro, to work
al teatro, to the theater
al cinema, to the movies
a poco a poco, little by little
a letto, to bed
all’estero, abroad
a memoria, by heart
a causa di, because of

The preposition “da”

What does “da” mean in Italian?

Main meanings: from, for, since, by, to

“Da” mainly means “from” when indicating place and is combined with certain verbs like “partire da” (to leave from) and “venire da” (to come from). For example:

Vengo da Milano (I’m coming from Milan)
Parto da Roma (I’m leaving from Rome)

“Da” also means “since” or “for” when indicating how long (since when) you’ve been doing something. For instance:

Vivo a Roma da due anni (I’ve been living in Rome for two years)
Vivo a Roma dal 2018 (I’ve been living in Rome since 2018 )
Comincio a studiare da domani (I start studying from tomorrow)

In passive forms, “da” means “by.” For example:

Questa azienda è stata fondata da mio padre (This company was founded by my father)
Questo libro è stato scritto dalla mia insegnante (This book was written by my teacher)

“Da” means “to someone” or “at the house of someone” when used with the verbs “andare” and “essere.” The typical mistake here is to use “a” or “in” instead of “da.” For instance:

Vado dai miei amici (I’m going to my friends) and not vado ai miei amici
Vado dal medico (I’m going the doctor’s) and not vado al dottore

Finally, “da” is also used before an infinitive and after “molto“, “poco“, “niente“, “troppo“, “qualcosa“, and “nulla“.

Non c’è molto da fare (There isn’t much to do)
Hai qualcosa da dire (Do you have anything to say)

“Da”, together with “a”, is also used in time expressions, such as:

da lunedì a venerdì (Monday through Friday)
dalle 14 alle 15 (from 2pm to 3pm)
da marzo a giugno (from March to June)

Common expressions using the prepositions “da”:

da domani, starting tomorrow

da oggi, starting today

da quanto tempo..=, how long…?

da molto tempo, for a long time

da un lato, dall’altro lato, on one side, on the other side

The preposition “in”

“In” means “in” before the names of countries, regions, or states.

Example:

Vado in Italia (I’m going to Italy)
Vado in Toscana (I’m going to Tuscany)
Vado in Texas (I’m going to Texas)

“In” means “to” when referring to a location we are going to. This is a similar use of the preposition “a,” which is why it’s sometimes difficult to decide whether to use “a” or “in.” Unfortunately, there are no clear rules for using “in” and “a” when referring to going to a place. The best approach is to learn them in combination with the noun they are followed by.

Common expressions with “in”:

in chiesa (to church)
in palestra (to the gym)
in spiaggia (to the beach)
in montagna (to the mountains)
in centro (to the city center)
in ufficio (to the office)
in vacanza (on vacation)
io bagno (to the bathroom)
in piscina (to the swimming pool)

If you want to learn more about the use of “in” and “a,” I go into further detail in this article (the difference between “in” and “a”).

“In” means “by” when talking about transport.

Example:

in treno (by train)
in macchina (by car)
in aereo (by plane)
in treno in bici (by train and bike)

The preposition “con”

The preposition “con” has only one meaning and corresponds to the English word “with”.

Example sentences with correct grammar:

Parlo con mia madre (I talk with my mother)
Vado al cinema con i miei amici (I go to the cinema with my friends)

The preposition “su”

Main meanings: on, about

The preposition “su” means “on” when indicating location in space. For example:

Il libro è sul tavolo (The book is on the table)
Il gatto è sulla sedia (The cat is on the chair)

Another common use of “su” is when indicating the subject of something. In this case, it means “about“. For example:

Un film sull’Italia (A film about Italy)
Un libro su Michelangelo (A book about Michelangelo).

In both cases, the preposition “su” is typically used in the form of articulated prepositions (su + definite article: sul, sulla, sui, etc.).

The preposition “per”

Main meanings: for, to

The preposition “per” corresponds to the English word “for“, when indicating a time frame. For instance:

Vado in palestra per due ore (I go to the gym for two hours)
Vado in Sicilia per due settimana (I’m going to Sicily for two weeks)

“Per” also means “to + verb” when used with the meaning of “in order to do something” and indicates an aim. For example:

Studio per migliorare il mio italiano (I study to improve my Italian)
Faccio una dieta per perdere peso (I’m on a diet to lose weight)

The prepositions “tra/fra”

Main meanings: in, between, among

The most common use of “tra” or “fra” is when they are used to indicate a future time. In this case, tra or fra mean “in” For example:

Tra due giorni (In two days)

In this case, “tra” is always followed by a period of time.

Typical mistake: using “in” instead of “tra”.

Vado in vacanza in una settimana. (Wrong)
Vado in vacanza tra una settimana. (Right)

Another use of “tra” or “fra” is when indicating space and meaning “between” or “among“. For example:

Firenze si trova tra Roma e Milano. (Florence is located between Rome and Milan.)

“Tra” and “fra” have the same use and are interchangeable.

2 helpful textbooks to learn Italian prepositions:

The Most Common Italian Interrogative Words (+exercises)

The Most Common Italian Question Words (+exercises)

Questions words are also those words that use at the beginning of a question to form a question. In English, they are words like “who?”, What? “When”, in Italian it’s words like Chi, Cosa, Quando, etc…

The table below feature the most common interrogative words in Italian:

Edit
English	Italian
What?	Che cosa? Cosa? Che?
Who?	Chi?
Why?	Perché?
Where?	Dove?
When?	Quando?
Which?	Quale? Quali?
What time?	A che ora?
How?	Come?
How much? How many?	Quanto/a? Quanti/e?
Whose?	Di chi?
How long?	Da quanto tempo? Da quando?

How to say “What?” in Italian?

There are three ways to say “what” in Italian and whether to use or another depends on the context of the conversation.

Che cosa fai? (What do you do?)
Cosa fai? (What do you do?)
Che fai? (What do you do?)

Note that “che cosa?” and “cosa?” are interchangeable in most contexts, but “che?” is only used in informal settings.

How to say “Who?” in Italian

When “who” is used at the beginning of a question, it always translates to “Chi?”.

For example:

Chi ha chiamato? (Who called?)
Chi viene a cena? (Who’s coming for dinner?)

It’s important to note that when “chi?” is preceded by a preposition, it can have a slightly different meaning depending on the preposition used. For example,

“Di chi” means “Whose” as in “Di chi è questa macchina?” (Whose car is this?)
“A chi” means “To whom” as in “A chi devo mandare questa mail?” (To whom should I send this email?)
“Per chi” means “For whom” as in “Per chi è questo regalo?” (For whom is this gift?)

How to say “Why?”

“Why” translates into “Perché?” in Italian, and “perché” can also be used to mean “because”.

Perché non parli? (Why aren’t you speaking?)
Perché non viene? (Why isn’t she/he coming)

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How to say “Where?”

Dove vai? (Where are you going?)

Typically, you drop the last “e” when dove is followed by an essere verb, for example:

Dov’è? (where is it?)
Dov’era? (where was it?)

When “dove?” is preceded by the prepositions “da” or “di”, it’s used to ask someone where are they from.

Da dove vieni? (Where do you come from?)
Di dove sei? (Where are you from?)

How to say “When?”

When translate into “quando?”.

Quando arrivi? (When are you arriving?)
Quando parti? (When are you leaving?)

When “quando?” is preceded by the prepositions “da”, it means “how long”

Da quando studi italiano? (How long have you been studying Italian?)

How to say “Which?”

“Which” can be translated into “Quale” in Italian when referring to singular nouns, “Quali” when referring to plural nouns, and “Qual” when followed by certain forms of the verb “essere” (to be).

For example:

Quale vuoi? (Which one do you want?)
Qual è? (Which one is it?)
Quale colore preferisci? (Which color do you prefer?)

How to say “What time?”

A che ora inizia la lezione? (What time does the class start?)
A che ora parti? (What time are you leaving?)

If you want to ask about the time in a more general sense, you can use “Che ora è?” or “Che ore sono?” which translates to “What time is it?” in English.

How to say “How?”

How is typically translated into “Come?”, like in the common question “Come stai?” and is used to ask information about what something or someone is like or how to do something.

Come si fa la pizza? (How do you make pizza?)
Come si dice in italiano…? (How do you say in Italian…?)

Like dove?, in “come?” the last “e” is dropped when combined with some “essere verbs”, for example:

Com’è andato il viaggio? (How was your trip?)
Com’era il tempo ieri? (How was the weather yesterday?)

A common Italian question using come? is “Come mai?”, which means “How come?”.

How to say “How much?, How many?”

“How much” and “how many” both refer to quantities, and they can be translated respectively into “quanto/a” for singular nouns or “quanti/e” for plural nouns. Note that “quanto” must agree in gender and number with the noun being quantified.

Examples:

Quanto sale ci vuole in questa pasta? (How much salt is needed in this pasta?)
Quante persone vengono alla riunione? (How many people are coming to the meeting?)

A common question using “quanto” is “quanto costa?” (How much does it cost?)

How to say “Whose?”

“Whose?” is typically translated as “Di chi?”-

“Di chi?” is used to ask about possession or ownership of something. For example:

Di chi è questo libro? (Whose book is this?)
Di chi sono questi documenti? (Whose documents are these?)

How to say “How long?”

“How long” is translated as “Da quanto tempo” or “Da quando” in Italian, and unlike English, it is always followed by a verb conjugated in the present perfect tense.

Examples:

Da quanto tempo studi italiano? (How long have you been studying Italian?)
Da quando abiti a Torino? (How long have you been living in Turin?)

Note that in Italian, the present perfect tense is used to talk about actions that started in the past and continue up to the present moment.

English vs. Italian

What’s important to take into account is the order of words in these types of questions. In English the questions words are followed by the auxiliary do, does, did or an inversion verb (why are you here). In Italian, questions words are followed by verbs conjugated in the appropriate subject and tense/mood. For example.

English: “Where did you go?” vs Italian: “Dove sei andato?”
English: “When will she arrive?” vs Italian: “Quando arriverà?”

How to ask questions in Italian

Unlike in English, questions in Italian don’t require the use of auxiliaries (do, does, did can’t be translated in Italian) or the inversion of the subject and verb. To phrase a question in Italian, all it takes is to raise the pitch of your voice towards the end of the question.

For a more in-depth explanation, check out my article here.

Exercise

The Italian Numbers: A Guide for Beginners

My English teacher at university was an Irish woman who had lived in Italy for over a decade. One day, she admitted to us that numbers were still a pain for her. Having learned several languages myself, I know firsthand how difficult it is to master numbers in a foreign language. But whether you visit Italy on vacation or live here, you will notice that numbers are everywhere: departure dates, prices, bills, ticket numbers, and so on. That is why you should try to master them from the beginning of your learning journey.

Italian Numbers 1 – 100

Numbers 0 – 20

The first 19 numbers have to be learned by heart.

0 – zero

1 – uno

2 – due

3 – tre

4 – quattro

5- cinque

6 – sei

7 – sette

8 – otto

9 – nove

10 – dieci

11 – undici

12 – dodici

13 – tredici

14 – quattordici

15 – quindici

16 – sedici

17 – diciassette

18 – diciotto

19 – diciannove

20 – venti

Numbers 20 – 100

To learn the numbers from 20 to 99, it’s preferable to learn the tens first.

20 – venti

30 – trenta

40 – quaranta

50 – cinquanta

60 – sessanta

70 – settanta

80 – ottanta

90 – novanta

Once you’ve memorized these numbers, all you have to do now is match them to the numbers 1 through 9.

Examples:

21- ventuno

22 – ventidue

23 – ventitré

24 – ventiquattro

25 – venticinque

26 – ventisei

27 – ventisette

28 – ventotto

29 – ventinove

Now repeat the pattern through number 99. With a couple of exceptions, this is a fairly consistent pattern.

When using the numbers 1 (uno) and 8 (otto), the decimal numbers will drop the last vowel. The reason for this is to avoid using two vowel sounds at the same time.

So you’ll say:

Vent-uno, instead of venti–uno (21)

Vent-otto, instead of venti-otto (28)

The same pattern applies for all numbers with 1 and 8 through 99.For example:

58 is cinquantotto
71 is settantuno
81 is ottantuno
etc…

Italian Numbers 100 – 999

Unlike English, we don’t say “One Hundred” in Italian; instead, we say “cento,” which means “hundred” by itself. “Cento” is an invariable word, so it’s always the same.

To express a multiple of “cento”, add numbers 1-9 before “cento”.

100 = cento (NOT un cento)

200 = duecento

300 = trecento

400 = quattrocento

500 = cinquecento

600 = seicento

700 = settecento

800 = ottocento

900 = novecento

How to read the hundred in Italian:

To read the hundreds in Italian, follow this pattern.

hundreds + decimals

for example:

112

cento + dodici = centododici

345

trecento + quarantacinque = trecentoquarantacinque

450

quattrocento + cinquanta = quattrocentocinquanta

The pattern is the same through 999!

Italian Numbers 1000 – 1 million

The Italian word for a thousand is “mille”.

When it comes to multiples of a thousand, mille becomes “mila”.

1000 = mille (NOT un mila)

2000 = duemila

3000 = tremila

4000 = quattromila

5000 = cinquemila

6000 = seimila

7000 = settemila

8000 = ottomila

9000 = novemila

10000 = diecimila

20000 = ventimila

70000 = settantamila

100.000 = centomila

How to read the thousands in Italian

To read the thousands in Italian you will follow this order

thousand + hundred + decimals

For example:

1654

mille + seicento + cinquantaquattro

5647

cinque + mila + seicento + quarantasette

10.220

dieci + mila + duecento + venti

600.410

seicento + mila + quattrocento + dieci

The pattern is the same through 999999!

The word for million is milione

the word for billion is miliardo

How to say “the years” in Italian

English speakers divide the year into two parts, so 2022 is read as twenty-two. This is not possible in Italian.

To read a year, you should read it as a regular number.

So, 2022 is read duemilaventidue

How to say a date in Italian

Let’s use the day of the Unification of Italy, as an example:

17 marzo 1861 (diciassette marzo milleottocentosessantuno)

Unlike English, where you have month + number + year, the Italian pattern goes like this: number + month + year .

Another significant difference from English is the use of ordinal numbers rather than cardinal ones (17 and not 17th)

Useful expressions with numbers

Una decina – a dozen
Centinaia di – hundreds of
Migliaia di – thousands of

The Passive Voice in Italian

The passive form in Italian (or English) is used when we want to focus on the object of the action, rather than the agent who carries out the action. For example:

Serena teaches the class [active form, focus on the agent = Serena]
The class is taught by Serena [passive form, focus on the object = la classe]

Passive forms can only be used with transitive verbs (verbs that take a direct object). In fact, every transitive verb can be used in both active and passive constructions, as in this example:

Mio nonno ha costruito questa casa [active form]
Questa casa è stata costruita da mio nonno [passive form]

How to Make the Passive Voice

To form the passive form in Italian, use the verb “essere” (conjugated in the corresponding tense of the active voice), followed by the past participle of the main verb, and the preposition “da” (which introduces the agent carrying out the action).

Let’s see the difference between passive and active voices in italian in a few examples

Active forms

Anna prepara i biscotti – Anna bakes cookies
Marco cucina la lasagna – Marco makes the lasagna
I bambini fanno il puzzle – The children do the puzzle
I romani hanno costruito questo ponte – The Romans built this bridge

Passive forms

I biscotti sono cucinati da Anna – The cookies are baked by Anna
La lasagna è cucinata da marco – The lasagna is made by Marco
Il puzzle è fatto dai bambini – The puzzle is done by the children
Questo ponte è stato costruito dai romani – This bridge was build by the Romans

English vs. Italian

The passive voice is more common in romance language, e.g. italian then in English. So, although you’re not using the passive form in English that much, be prepared to listen to it a lot in Italian.

When the Passive Construction is used in Italian:

The passive voice is especially used:

To emphasize the object of the action
In news articles
Scientific papers
Legal documents
To narrate facts and events past

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What’s the Meaning of “Ce l’ho” and How to Use It

The mysterious combination of the pronoun ci and the verb avere

Everybody agrees that the pronoun ci is, probably, one of the most mysterious words in Italian, and thus, I thought it would be great to dive, in this post, into the use of ci when used in conjugation with the verb avere: this is a very peculiar and common use of “ci” in Italian.

1. Ce l’ho. Non ce l’ho – I have it / I don’t have it

You may have heard the phrase “Ce l’ho” and wondered what it means, or more specifically, what the “ce” means in that sentence. Well, you’ll be relieved to know that it doesn’t actually have a specific grammatical function.

“Ce l’ho” translates to “I have it,” so if you’ve been using “l’ho” up to this point, you’ve been mistaken.

Although the extra “ce” doesn’t serve a particular grammatical purpose, it’s added to improve the sound of the sentence. This use likely originated from a desire to avoid a cacophony (an unpleasing phonetic sound) when using just “l’ho/le ho/li ho” or its extreme brevity.

This rule applies every time the verb “avere” is preceded by a direct object pronoun (e.g., lo, la, li, le). Therefore, the sentences “ce l’ho” and “non ce l’ho” indicate whether you have something or not.

Hai un cane? – Do you have a dog?
Ce l’ho – I have it
Non ce l’ho – I don’t have it

Of course, the ce is also added in front of all the different forms of the verb, like in the following examples:

Hai una macchina? Sì, ce l’ho! – Do you have a car? Yes, I do (I have it)
Hai le chiavi? No, non ce le ho! – Do you have your keys? No, We don’t (I don’t have them)
Avete tempo? Non ce l’abbiamo! – Do you guys have time? – No, we don’t (we don’t have it)

Note that in Italian, the pronoun “l’,” which stands for “lo” (masculine singular) and “la” (feminine singular), changes to “li” (masculine plural) and “le” (feminine plural) when referring to objects in the plural form. For example, when saying “I have them” or “I don’t have them,” we would use “li” or “le” instead of “l’.” The apostrophe is used just in the singular forms with “it”.

Examples:

Ce l’ho (I have it) – ce li/le ho (I have them)
Ce l’hai (you have it) – ce li/le hai (you have them)
Ce l’ha (he/has has it)- ce li/le ha (he/she has them)
Ce l’abbiamo (we have it) – ce li/le abbiamo (we have them)
Ce l’avete (you all have it) – ce li/le avete (you all have them)
Ce l’hanno (they have it) – ce li/le hanno (they have them)

English vs. Italian

In English, when someone asks if you have something, it’s typical to reply using auxiliaries, like in the example “Do you have the keys? Yes, I do.” In Italian, however, the same structure is not used, and instead, the verb used in the question is repeated in the response, as in “Hai le chiavi? Sì, ce le ho” (do you have the keys? Yes, I have them).

2. Avercela con qualcuno – to be mad at someone

Let’s go one step further; by adding the preposition “con” to ce l’ho, we have created a completely new sentence.

In fact, the informal Italian phrase “ce l’ho con qualcuno” means “I’m upset or I’m angry with someone.”

Ce l’ho con il mio vicino di casa, perché parcheggia la sua macchina davanti al mio portone – I am angry with my neighbor because he parks his car in front of my door.

Avercela is not to be confused with the form of avere indicating possession, because it is always followed by the preposition con.

Ce l’ho – I have it
Ce l’ho con te – I’m mad at you

The other meanings of the particle “ci”

Don’t forget that ci has many different other functions, as follows:

“Ci” as a reflexive pronoun → Ci svegliamo alle 6 – we wake up at six
“Ci” as a direct object pronoun → Ci conosci? – Do you know us?
“Ci” as an indirect object pronoun → Ci ha regalato un biglietto gratis per il concerto – she gave us a free ticket for the concert
“Ci” as an adverb of place → Ci vado il prossimo mese – I’m going there next month
“Ci” as in the forms there is, there are → C’è, ci sono

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Far fare? Fammi vedere! – Three Different Uses of “Fare” with the Infinitive Verb

1. The “fare” causativo

Are you struggling to understand the construction of the Italian language that uses “fare” and infinitives? Don’t worry, it can be a bit confusing at first, but with some practice, you can easily learn to recognize and use it.

“Fare” is one of the most commonly used verbs in the Italian language and can be used in combination with another infinitive verb (such as “fammi vedere” or “lo faccio fare”). However, the translation of these phrases into English can be difficult, as it is not always straightforward.

Let’s take a look at an example to better understand this construction:

Faccio riparare il frigo a mio fratello translates to I will have the fridge repaired by my brother.

You may have noticed the unique use of the verb “fare” and the infinitive in this sentence.

This combination is commonly referred to as the “fare causativo,” and it is frequently used in conversational Italian to express the idea of having something done by someone else.

There are two possible constructions:

Verb “fare” + action verb + “a” + person carrying out the action (e.g., “Faccio riparare il frigo a mio padre” – “I will have my fridge repaired by my father.”)
Indirect object + action verb + “da” + person carrying out the action (e.g., “Mi faccio riparare il frigo da mio padre” – “I am having my fridge repaired by my father.”)

With a bit of practice, you can easily learn to recognize and use this construction in your own Italian conversations.

More examples :

Ho fatto pulire l’appartamento a mio marito – I had the flat cleaned by my husband
Mi faccio tagliare i capelli da mia zia – I have my hair cut by my auntie
Non preoccuparti! Lo faccio fare a mio marito – Don’t worry! I’ll have hassled do it

Of course, this specific construction of fare+infinitive can occur in all the different Italian tenses.

Mi faccio tagliare i capelli (present tense)
Mi sono fatto tagliare i capelli (passato prossimo)
Mi facevo tagliare i capelli (imperfect)
Mi farò tagliare i capelli (future tense)
Mi farei tagliare i capelli (present conditional)
Mi faccio tagliare i capelli (present tense)
Fammi tagliare i capelli, mamma! (imperative)

2. Fare = make someone to do something

Another use of the construction “fare + infinitive” expresses the idea of getting someone to do something and is a translation of the English ‘get or make someone to do something”. For example:

Fa’ leggere tuo figlio – Get your/tell your son to read
Fa’ fare sport a tuo figlio – Get your/tell your son to do sport
Fa’ giocare tuo figlio – Get your/tell your son to play

*in the above phrases the verb fare appears in the imperative mood.

3. Fare = Let

Another common use of the verb “fare” and the infinitive is a translation of the English “let”

Fammi vedere – Let me see
Fammi provare – Let me try
Fammi sentire – Let me hear
Puoi farmi vedere? – Can you let me see?
Mi fai sentire? Can you let me hear?

The Difference between: Bene, Bravo, Bello and Buono

In a nutshell…

Bene is an adverb and is used only after verbs – Paolo parla inglese bene (Paolo speaks English well).
Bravo is used just with people and means “skilled, talented, good at” – Paolo è molto bravo a lavoro (Paolo is very good at his job).
Buono refers to the interior qualities of things or people – Paolo è buono, questo piatto è buono (Paolo is good at heart, this dish is good).
Bello refers to the exterior qualities of things or people – Paolo è bello, questo tavolo è bello (Paolo is handsome, this table is beautiful).

How to use bene

One of the most common mistakes I hear from English native speakers when speaking Italian is misusing the word “bene.” While it is often used to mean “good,” this usage is incorrect. In fact, “good” only translates to “bene” in the phrase “sto bene,” which means “I’m good.”

Never say: il libro è bene ❌

Otherwise, “bene” should be used as an adverb and only after a verb, such as in the sentences:

Marco cucina bene – Marco cooks well
Lucia disegna bene – Lucia draws well

Intensifiers of “bene”

Molto bene, benissimo = very well

How to use bravo

Bravo is an adjective which is often misused too.

Bravo means, indeed, good. But, it’s just used for a person and with the meaning of talented, skilled, or good at something.

Luca è bravo a disegnare (or Luca è bravo in disegno) – Luca is good at drawing
Luca è bravo a cucinare (or Luca è bravo in cucina) – Luca is good at cooking

Note that you can use the adverb bravo in two different ways, like the above phrases.

Essere bravo + a + verb – Luca è bravo a cucinare

Essere bravo + in + noun – Luca è bravo in cucina

In other words, we can say that bravo is used when someone has a talent, a skill, or is simply good at doing something.

Bravo has a secondary meaning too.

Bravo is also used to indicate the moral qualities of a person.

Una brava persona, a person with ethical values and a good morale.

Common Italian expressions using “bravo”

Che bravo! – Well done!

Bravo! – Well done!

Bravissimo – Way to go!

How to use bello

Bello is a versatile Italian adjective that can describe both people and things. When applied to things, it can mean “nice” or “beautiful,” while when applied to people, it can mean “beautiful” or “handsome.” In either case, bello denotes the external qualities of the person, thing, or place being described.

Questo tavolo è così bello – This table is so beautiful
Marta è una bellissima dona – Marta is a beautiful woman
Firenze è bellissima – Florence is very beautiful

Intensifiers of bello

Molto bello, bellissimo – very beautiful, awesome, gorgeous
Strabello (colloquial) – super beautiful

More examples with bello

Quel palazzo è bellissimo – That building is gorgeous
Che bella città! – What a nice city!
Che bella casa! – What a beautiful home!

Popular Italian expressions using “bello”

Che bello! – That’s lovely!
Bello! – Lovely!
Bellissimo – Awesome!

For intermediate learners, did you know that bello can sometimes change to begli, bei or bel? In this article, I will explain why this happens. Bel? Begli? Bei? What do they mean?

How to use buono

Buono means good and is used to give an opinion about the interior qualities of something or someone.

If a person is buona, we mean that this person has ethical qualities.

Marco è buono – he is good-hearted or a person with good moral qualities

If something is buono, we mean that this thing has a good quality.

Quella pasta è buona – That pasta is good
Questo prodotto è buonissimo – This product is very good
Questo legno è buono – This wood is good

Intensifiers of buono

Molto buono, buonissimo – very good
Strabuono (colloquiale) – super good

Popular Italian expressions using buono.

Che buono! – It’s delicious! (when referring to food or drinks)
Buono a sapersi – good to know

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The Italian Direct Object Pronouns

What’s a pronoun?

Pronouns are an essential part of speech that allow us to replace something that has already been said and avoid repeating ourselves. Pronouns are widely used in conversation as they help us to be more concise and speak faster. Italian, just like English, makes extensive use of pronouns.

For instance, in the sentence “I know it”, the word “it” represents a pronoun that replaces something that was already mentioned. Similarly, in the sentence “let’s meet them”, the word “them” is a pronoun that replaces the people who were mentioned before.

In Italian and many other languages, there’s a clear distinction between direct and indirect object pronouns. In this post, we’ll touch on the direct ones.

What’s a direct object pronoun?

Direct object pronouns are used to replace a direct object, which is a part of the sentence that answers the question “what?” or “who?” For example, in the sentence “I want a coffee,” the phrase “a coffee” is the direct object because it answers the question “what?” Similarly, in the sentence “I’m going to meet my friends,” the phrase “my friends” is the direct object because it answers the question “who?”

Sometimes, when we speak we don’t need to repeat something that was previously said, and so we use a pronoun.

For example,

Vuoi il caffè? Sì, lo voglio → Do you want some coffee? Yes, I want it.
Vedi i tuoi amici stasera? Sì, li vedo → Are you seeing your friends tonight? Yes, I’m seeing them.

For instance, instead of saying “Yes, I want some coffee” in response to “Do you want some coffee?” we can use the direct object pronoun “it” and say “Yes, I want it.” Similarly, when asked “Are you seeing your friends tonight?” we can respond with “Yes, I’m seeing them,” using the direct object pronoun “them” to replace the noun phrase “my friends.

The Direct Object Pronouns in Italian

Edit
IT / EN pronouns	Examples
Mi – “me”	Mi chiami? – Can you call me?
TI – “you”	Ti chiamo – I’m calling you
Lo – “him” or “it masc.”	Lo chiamo – I’m calling him
La – “her” or “it fem.”	La chiamo – I’m calling her
Ci – “us”	Ci chiami? – Can you call us?
Vi – you “pl.”	Vi chiamo – I’ll call you all
Li – “them pl. masc.”	Li chiamo – I’ll call them
Le – “them pl. fem.”	Le chiamo – I’ll call them

The direct object pronouns MI / TI / CI / VI

Pronouns can be used in statements, questions, and answers. It’s important to pay attention to the use of mi, ti, ci, and vi, as they often get mixed-up.

Here are some examples to help understand their usage in questions and answers:

Mi vedi? Sì, ti vedo. (Do you see me? Yes, I see you.)
Ci vedi? Sì, vi vedo. (Do you see us? Yes, I see you all)
Mi sentite? No, non ti sentiamo. (Do you all hear me? No, we don’t hear you.)
Ci sentite? No, non vi sentiamo. (Do you all hear us? No, we don’t hear you all)

Stressed vs. unstressed direct object pronouns (pronomi tonici vs.pronomi atoni)

Italian distinguishes between stressed and unstressed direct object pronouns or pronomi tonici and pronomi atoni (see the table below). The stressed forms are typically placed after the prepositions.

Stressed forms (pronomi tonici)	Unstressed forms (pronomi atoni)
Me	Mi
Te	Ti
Lui / Lei	La, Lo
Noi	Ci
Voi	Vi
Loro	Li, Le

The stressed forms are typically used with prepositions.

For example,

“I’m speaking with you” becomes “Parlo con te” and not “parlo con ti”
“I’m eating with her” becomes “Mangio con lei” and not “mangio con la”

What’s the position of the direct object pronoun in a sentence?

The general rule is that the pronouns always precede the conjugated verbs, which is the opposite of English. For example:

Lo prendo – I it take
Lo vedo – I him see
Mi chiami? – Can you me call?

However, there are a few exceptions to the general rule when the pronouns are placed after the verb. This happens with modal verbs, infinitive verbs, and the imperative form.

If you are a beginner, you can skip this part for now.

The direct pronouns and the modal verbs

With modal verbs (dovere, potere, volere), the direct pronouns can take two different positions: either before the modal verb or at the end of the infinitive following the modal verb, after dropping the last “e” of the infinitive.

Let’s see it in practice.

“La voglio vedere ” is the same as “Voglio vederla” – I want to see her
“Ti posso chiamare? is the same as “Posso chiamarti?” – Can I call you?
“Lo vogliamo comprarlo” is the same as “Vogliamo comprarlo” – We want to buy it

Either way works perfectly in Italian, and there is no preference between the two forms. Italians use both equally.

The direct pronouns and the infinitive

Another exception concerns the infinitive verbs. When a verb is not conjugated, the direct pronouns are joined to the end of the infinitive after dropping the last “e.” The typical example is with modal verbs or with unconjugated verbs used after a preposition.

Ho bisogno di ripeterlo – I need to repeat it
Ho finito di leggerlo – I finished reading it
Ho cominciato a studiarlo – I started studying it

The direct pronouns and the imperative

Informal imperative: the pronoun goes at the back of the verb → mangialo! (eat it!)
Negative informal imperative: two possibilities, either before or at the end of the verb → non lo mangiare! / non mangiarlo! (don’t eat it!)
Formal imperative: the pronoun goes in front of the imperative → lo mangi! (eat it!)
Negative formal imperative: the pronoun goes in front of the verb → non lo mangi! (don’t eat it!)

The Direct Object Pronouns with the Passato Prossimo

If you are a beginner, you can skip for now.

If you’ve studied the passato prossimo in Italian, you’ll know that the past participle of the “avere” verbs remains the same (e.g., Ho mangiato, abbiamo finito, etc.). However, there’s a big exception to this rule when it comes to direct object pronouns.

Let’s take a look at some examples:

Ho preparato un dolce – L‘ho preparato (I prepared it – the object, il dolce, is masculine singular)
Ho preparato una torta – L’ho preparata (I prepared it, the object, la torta, is feminine singular)
Ho preparato gli spaghetti – Li ho preparati (I prepared them, the object, gli spaghetti masculine plural)
Ho preparato le tagliatelle – Le ho preparate (I prepared them, the object, le tagliatelle, is feminine plural)

As you can see from the examples, the past participle changes and agrees with the gender and number of the direct object pronoun when used with the passato prossimo of verbs that use “avere” as the auxiliary verb.

It’s important to note that singular direct object pronouns always use an apostrophe, while plural forms do not. By understanding this exception and practicing with examples, you can improve your use of direct object pronouns in the passato prossimo in Italian.

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The Italian Modal Verbs Explained for Beginners

What’s the Difference Between the Italian Modal Verbs and Other Types of Verbs?

When your teacher (or your book) is telling you “this is a modal verb,” there’s no need to panic! Saying a verb a is “modal” is just a label to remind you that, in Italian, there are three (modal) verbs that have a lot in common and are kind of different from the other verbs.

Voglio – I want

Posso – I can

Devo – I have to, I need, I must

What do they have in common? Simple. They are followed by infinitive verbs (e.g. non conjugated verbs)

An infinitive verb is a base form of any verb, the way you look it up in a dictionary.

So, we can say that modal verbs are always followed by infinitive verbs.

Voglio vivere in Italia – I want to live in Italy

Posso aprire la porta? – Can I open the window?

Devo andare – I must go or I need to go or I have to go

A common mistake made by beginner Italian learners is to use a conjugated verb after a modal verb, such as in the incorrect phrase “Voglio vado = I want I go,” which should be corrected to “Voglio andare”. The correct way to say “I want to go” in Italian, is by using the infinitive form of the verb “andare” after the modal verb “voglio”.

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