GRAMMAR PILLS

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IMPERFETTO AND PASSATO PROSSIMO

What’s the difference between the imperfetto and the passato prossimo?

Both the imperfetto and passato prossimo are used to describe past situations. However, one is used when the action is finished, happens once, and has a time reference: the passato prossimo. The imperfetto, instead, as the name says, it is a “non-perfect” and describes an action that lasted for an indefinite time (we don’t know the start or end of the action) in the past or an action that was repeatedly happening.

THE USE OF THE PASSATO PROSSIMO

The passato prossimo is used to describe actions with a time reference. The action you are describing is not a repeated action, it happened at a specific time, and you know when it started and ended.

Examples:

Due anni fa ho partecipato ad una competizione sciistica
Ieri sera ho guardato il Titanic

Typical time expressions using the passato prossimo

Ieri, ieri sera, l’altro ieri
Due anni fa, 10 anni fa
L’anno scorso, il mese scorso, la settimana scorsa

THE USE OF THE IMPERFETTO

The are three main uses of the imperfetto in Italian

1. We use the imperfetto in Italian when talking about ongoing actions in the past without a time reference. In other words, you are describing a time of your life that went on for a while, being that when you were little, in school, or your twenties.

Quando frequentavo l’università, passavo molto tempo in biblioteca
Quando ero piccola andavo a trovare spesso i miei nonni di domenica
A trent’anni vivevo ancora con i miei genitori

2. The imperfect is also used to compare how life used to be and how it is now.

Prima le persone guardavano i film in TV, adesso guardano i film su Netflix
Prima i bambini giocavano fuori in strada, adesso giocano con i videogiochi

3. The imperfetto is also used to describe people, objects, situations, or places in the past.

Maria era una bambina allegro e vivace. Viveva in una casa piccola con i suoi genitori, che erano entrambi medici all’ospedale centrale di Roma. Aveva un piccolo criceto come animale, perché la sua casa era così piccola..

Common expressonions using the imperfetto

Some time expressions indicate that an action its repetition itself regularly when talk in the past, for example:

Ogni mattina / ogni settimana / ogni mese
Regolarmente / solitamente / di solito
Quando avevo “x” anni
Sempre
Tutti i giorni / tutti i mesi / tutti gli anni

💡Smart Tip

The Italian Imperfetto is often used to translate the forms:

I used to…
I would…
I was -ing..
I -ed

So, for example, IO STUDIAVO can be translated into English, like:

I used to study…
I would study…(in the past)
I was studying
I studied

When the passato prossimo and the imperfetto are used in the same sentence

Imperfetto + passato prossimo

We use both the imperfetto and the passato prossimo in the same sentence when describing an ongoing action interrupted by another vacation.

For example:

Mentre lavoravo al computer, ho ricevuto una chiamata dal mio capo.

Differences between the passato prossimo and imperfetto

How to practice the difference between the passato prossimo and imperfetto

I understand getting a good grip of how the imperfetto works in Italian can be a little of a challenge. Mastering the theory is one thing. Using it properly in Italian conversation is another.

If you would like to work on the imperfetto and passato with a professional coach, you can book a master class on my website.

If you prefer self-study, I suggest working on your Italian pasts using this textbook, focusing specifically on the differences between passato prossimo e imperfetto.

HOW TO USE QUALSIASI / QUALUNQUE / CHIUNQUE

QUALSIASI (ANY)

Qualsiasi is one of those words that can often lead to confusion. In this article you will learn how to use it properly when speaking Italian.

Qualsiasi is an indefinite adjective, and it is invariable: it means that it is not modifiable, in fact qualsiasi never changes in Italian.

The meaning of qualsiasi is “any”, meaning no matter which amongst many options and is always followed by singular nouns.

Quale di questi dolci vuoi? Qualsiasi! – Which pastries would you like? Any!
Quale tipo di pasta vuoi? Dammene uno qualsiasi – What shape pasta would you like? Any!

Puoi chiamarmi a qualsiasi ora – You can call me any time.
Puoi passare a trovarmi in qualsiasi momento – You can visit me at any time.

QUALSIASI (WHICHEVER or WHATEVER)

Qualsiasi can also be used as a conjugation, meaning whichever or whatever, and in these cases requires the subjunctive use (see further explanations below).

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “QUALSIASI” AND “QUALUNQUE”?

Always, “qualsiasi” can be replaced by “qualunque”. These two adjectives are synonyms and entirely interchangeable.

Other meaning of qualsiasi/qualunque

Note that when following a noun, qualsiasi and qualunque have a different meaning:

Oggi non è un giorgio qualsiasi (o qualunque). E’ il mio anniversario di matrimonio! – Today is not just any old day. It is my anniversary!
Non voglio un vino qualunque – I don’t want just any old wine!

In the above sentences, qualsiasi (or qualunque) havee the meaning of “ordinary” and has a pejorative nuance.

CHIUNQUE (ANYONE / WHOEVER)

Chiunque (anyone, or whoever) is the corresponding pronoun of the indefinite adjectives qualsiasi and qualunque. Chiunque is a pronoun and refers only to people. It means “anyone“, meaning no matter who amongst several people.

Chiunque può imparare l’italiano – Anyone can learn Italian.
Chiunque può partecipare a questo progetto – Anyone can join the project.

QUALSIASI and CHIUNQUE with the subjunctive

When qualsiasi is used with the meaning of whichever / whatever and chiunque means whoever the subjunctive follows them.

Qualsiasi cosa ti chieda, fallo – Whatever he asks you, do it.
Qualsiasi cosa succeda, stai tranquilla – Whatever happens, be calm.
Chiunque chiami al telefono, digli che non ci sono – Whoever phones, tell them I am not here.

Indirect Object Pronouns

THE ITALIAN INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS

Pronouns is one of the most challenging topics in Italian grammar. Having a solid knowledge of the Italian pronouns will help you speak better Italian and improve your Italian listening skills. You should know that Italians use pronouns all the time to avoid repeating things and be concise, typically in a conversation.

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.

There 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 to questions what or whom

The indirect pronouns answer the questions to whom or for whom

Examples of 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 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 day

The indirect object pronouns

Mi – to me / for me

Ti – to you / for you (familiar singular)

Gli – to him/ for him

Le – to her / for her (polite singular)

Ci – to us / for us

Vi – to you / for you (plural)

Gli – to them / for them

💡SMART TIP

How do you know where to use indirect object pronouns instead of the direct object pronoun in Italian?

The best way to go is to memorize the verbs that typically use indirect pronouns. It is really a matter of memory (and practice!).

This is a list of high-frequency verbs using the indirect object pronouns.

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 land

Rispondere – to answer

Memorizing the above list should help you remember that the correct pronouns to use with, saying, “RISPONDERE”, are indirect.

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 to buy some bread
Le ho detto di comprare il pane – I said to her to buy some bread

Ho prestato la bicicletta a te la settimana scorso – I lend 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 English, the indirect object pronouns usually precede the verb.
The indirect pronouns are used with intransitive verbs.
The verbs like piacere,such as, interessare, succedere, sembrare, servire, bastare use the indirect object pronouns.
The indirect pronoun is attached at the end of the verb in its infinitive, gerund and imperative from.

Some verbs that answer the questions what and whom in English respond to the questions for whom or to whom in Italian, and this is where it gets tricky.

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

Some examples

“Insegnare” in English is to teach someone, while in Italian is insegnare a qualcuno, that is to say, “to teach to someone.“

As a result, the correct Italian pronoun to use is the indirect one.

Maria insegna italiano agli studenti americani –
Maria gli insegna l’italiano

The same occurs with the verb “phone/call”. In English one calls someone but in Italian “someone calls to someone “.

Marta telefona a Lucia – Marta calls Lucia
Marta le telefona – Marta calls her

Conoscere vs Sapere : how to use them

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “SAPERE” AND “CONOSCERE”?

If you came across this page, it’s because you have been confused by using the Italian verbs sapere and conoscere. Fair enough!

English (and other languages) use only one verb, the verb to know, to cover knowledge’s meaning in all possible forms.

Italian uses two different verbs: sapere and conoscere.

Sapere and conoscere are rarely interchangeable and they express a different form of knowledge.

Let’s see now how to use the Italian verbs sapere and conoscere and what the difference is between the two of them.

WHEN TO USE “CONOSCERE”

Conoscere means to be acquainted with something or someone: a topic, a person, a place, or a subject.

Conoscere is used with people, places or things and means having good knowledge of something or someone because if you have previously experienced it.

If you are still not sure whether to use sapere or conoscere, try this:

Nouns always follow CONOSCERE

You will never see conoscere used with another verb (which instead, is likely to happen with sapere)

Examples:

Conosco la geografia italiana molto bene – I know Italian geography (topic/subject) very well.
Conosci Luciana? – Do you know Luciana? (person)
Conosci un buon ristorante a Roma? – Do you know a good restaurant in Roma? (place)
Conosciamo molto bene la città di Lucca, è incantevole. – We know Lucca very well… (place)
Conosci un buon dentista in città? Do you know a good dentist (place) in town?
Lucia conosce la grammatica molto bene – Lucia knows grammar (topic) very well.

WHEN TO USE “SAPERE”

The counter part of conoscere, is sapere. Sapere means to be aware of something. In short, sapere means knowing a fact, an event or a piece of information.

The clause che almost always follows sapere.

Ho saputo che Marco si è trasferito – I learned Marco moved away
Sai che Maria si è sposata? – Do you know that Maria got married?
Sai che Marco ha avuto un bambino? – Do you that Marco had a baby?

Sapere is also used in questions to ask for a specific piece of information:

Sai che ore sono? – Do you know what time is it?
Sai a che ora parte il treno? – Do you know at what time the train is leaving?
Sapete dov’è Maria? – Do you (guys) know, where Maria is?

SAPERE AS A MODAL VERB

SAPERE is also used as a modal verb when an infinitive verb accompanies it. In this case, it is used to say that you know HOW to do something, that you have an ability or a skill.

So parlare molto bene italiano, ma non so cucinare! – I can speak Italian, but I can’t cook!
Sai suonare la chitarra? – Can you play the guitar?

OTHER MEANINGS OF SAPERE

Sapere also covers other meanings in Italian colloquial expressions.

You can use sapere to:

tell the taste of something with the expression “SAPERE DI”
tell an opinion with the expression “MI SA CHE…”

SAPERE DI…

Questo drink non sa di niente – This drink tastes like nothing
Questo dolce sa di cannella – This cake tastes cinnamon

MI SA CHE…

Mi sa che rimango a casa stasera – troppo freddo! – I think I stay home tonight – it’s too cold!
Mi sa che non cucino oggi – sono troppo stanca – I think I won’t cook today – too tired!

Useful links to practice this topic

9 things about Italian pronominal verbs

9 THINGS ABOUT THE ITALIAN PRONOMINAL VERBS

1. Pronominal verbs mean “related to a pronoun”

in fact, the Italian pronominal verbs are a combination of a basic verb and one or two pronouns, for instance, the verb andarsene is a combination of andare+se+ne.

2. The pronouns are joined onto the infinitive of the verb

and slightly or entirely change the original meaning of the verb. That’s why sentirsela (to feel like, to have the courage) is different from sentire (to hear) or sentirsi (to feel)

3. Pronominal verbs are vastly used in conversational Italian and sometimes in slang

4. They are difficult to translate into your native language

as they don’t have a sole translation, and the meaning can slightly vary from one context to the next. Let’s take the example of the verb farcela (which is a combination of fare+ce+la). It has two principal meanings: to manage and not to manage

5. They are easy to conjugate verbs, yes they are!

How to conjugate a pronominal verb in Italian? First of all, make sure to separate the pronouns from the infinite. Then, conjugate the verb as usual. Place the pronouns before the verb. Lest’ use the verb FARCELA as an example:

FARCELA = FAR(E) + CE + LA

Ce la faccio

Ce la fai

Ce la fa

Ce la facciamo

Ce la fate

Ce la fanno

The pronouns CE, NE, LA do not change. However, when it comes to a pronominal verb including SE (sentirsela, bersela, andarsene), you will need to decline the reflexive pronouns in its double pronouns version (me, te, se, ce, ve, se)

ANDARSENE= ANDAR(E) + SI + NE

Me ne vado

Te ne vai

Se ne va

Ce ne andiamo

Ve ne andate

Se ne vanno

6. The Italian pronominal verbs ending in -sela or -sene use “essere” as an auxiliary verb in compound tenses. As a consequence, the past participle agrees with the pronoun or subject, like in the examples

non me la sono sentita (agreement with the feminine pronoun la)

me ne sono andata (agreement with the feminine subject)

7. If the pronominal verb ends in –ci, –ne, -cela, -cena the auxiliary verb to use in compound tenses is “avere”

non ce l’ho fatta (agreement with the feminine pronoun la)

me la sono presa (agreement with the feminine pronoun la)

8. Some verbs are matched with fixed prepositions

Farcela A

Sentirsela DI

Avercela CON

9. Using the Italian pronominal verbs will make you sound more natural.

Let’s see a few examples of colloquial Italian sentences using pronominal verbs:

Passarsela means “stare (bene/male)”

Come te la passi? – how are you doing?

Fregarsene means “not to give a damn about something”

Me ne frego di quello che pensi – I don’t care about what you think

Farcela (positive) means “to manage”

Ce la facciamo a finire questo lavoro entro oggi? – Can we manage to finish this work within today?

Arrivarci means “to understand something (colloquial)”

Me lo puoi ripetere? Non ci arrivo – Can you repeat it? I don’t get it

Farcela (negative) means “to be fed up, to be exhausted or to be unable to cope with something”

Non ce faccio più! – I am exhausted!

Spassarsela means “to have a blast”

Ce la siamo spassata l’altra sera- we had a blast the other night

Most common Italian pronominal verbs

Italian pronominal verbs with “CI”

ENTRARCI CON – to have to do with something
ENTRARCI IN – to fit in something
VOLERCI – to take time (with no subject, impersonal
METTERCI – to take time (with a subject)
ARRIVARCI – to understand

Italian pronominal verbs with “NE”

NON POTERNE PIÙ – can’t put up with something or someone anymore

Italian pronominal verbs with “SELA”

SENTIRSELA DI – to have the courage of doing something
CAVARSELA IN + nome / A + infinito – to be good enough in something
PRENDERSELA CON – to be irritated with someone
PASSARSELA (bene/male) – to be good or bad
SPASSARSELA – to have a blast
SBRIGARSELA – to sort out a situation in a short time
CAVARSELA – to come out of difficult situations, easily
TIRARSELA – to show off

Italian pronominal verbs with “CELA”

METTERCELA TUTTA – to do one’s best
AVERCELA CON – to be upset with someone

Italian pronominal verbs with “SENE”

FREGARSENE DI – to not care about something or someone
ANDARSENE – to go away somewhere

Italian pronominal verbs and the imperative tense

The rule of thumb is that, when it comes to giving a command or piece of advice (imperative tense), the pronouns follow the verb and are joint to it.

Smettila! – enough!
Metticela tutta! – do your best!
Vattene! – go away!
Non andartene! – don’t go!
Non avercela con me! – don’t be mad at me

HOW TO USE THE ITALIAN VERB METTERSI

Mettersi is an Italian verb that non-native speakers might find not so easy to use. However, it is widely used in conversational Italian and you might want to know how to use it.

Before learning the meaning of this peculiar verb, let’s have a look at conjugation of the verb in presene and passato prossimo.

Presente of mettersi

mi metto
ti metti
si mette
ci mettiamo
vi mettete
si mettono

Passato prossimo of mettersi

mi sono messo/a
ti sei messo/a
si è messo/a
ci siamo messi/e
vi siete messi/e
si sono messi/e

Now let’s work out the different meanings of the verb mettersi.

METTERSI = PUTTING ON

TO PUT ON a piece of clothing or accessories

Mi metto sciarpa e cappello per uscire oggi, fa proprio freddo – I ‘m putting on a scarf and a hat to go out today, it’s really cold
Ti metti una gonna o i pantaloni per la cerimonia? – Are you putting on a skirt or a pair of trausers for the cerimony?
Luca si mette gli occhi da sole anche in inverno – Luca is putting on shades even in the winter

METTERSI = TURNING OUT WELL (or BADLY)

Le cose si mettono bene per Franco, ha appena ricevuto una bella promozione a lavoro – Things are turning out well for Franco, he’s just got a promotion at work
Le cose si mettono male per Federica, ha perso il lavoro e ha finito i soldi – Things are turning out badly for Federica, she lost her job and finished the money

METTERSI = STARTING

Mettersi means to start doing something, but just when it is used with the preposition “a” followed by an infinite verb.

Domani mi metto a dieta – Tomorrow I am starting a diet
Patrizia si è messa a studiare russo – Patrizia started to learn Russian
Matteo si mette a fare i compiti – Matteo starts to do his HW

METTERSI = STAYING

Mettersi means also to stay and it is mainly used in the Italian slang.

Mettersi seduto – stay sit
Mettersi qui – stay here
Mettersi in piedi – stay still

METTERSI = IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

Also, the verb mettersi appears in man Italian idiomatic expressions. There are the most popular ones:

Mettersi in proprio: to set up one’s own business

Mettersi a letto: to go to bed

Mettersi in agitazione : to get worked up

Mettersi all’opera : to get down to

Mettersi da parte: to back away, to set oneself aside

Mettersi d’accordo su/con: to agree on/with

Mettersi in cattiva luce : to appear in a bad light

Mettersi in guardia: to take one’s guard

Mettersi insieme: to start having a love affair

Mettersi in malattia: to go on a sick leave

Mettersi l’anima in pace: to send one’s mind at rest

Mettersi nei panni di qualcuno: to put oneself in somebody else’s shoes

Mettersi nei guai: to get into troubles

Mettersi in contatto con qualcuno: to contact

Mettersi in fila: to start to queue

How to use dovere, avere bisogno and servire in Italian

DOVERE / AVERE BISOGNO DI / MI SERVE / BISOGNA

This week I want to unravel the mystery in using three different Italian verbs that have a similar translation into English. Because of this, they are sometimes tricky to use.

I am talking about the verbs dovere – avere bisogno di – servire.

They all express a need. Nevertheless, they can’t be used indifferently to say in Italian I need or I must. Hence, you need to know when it is correct to use one or another.

What’s the difference between dovere, avere bisogno and servire?

How to use the verb DOVERE

Dovere is a verb with different meanings.

When you must, need or have to do something, you should opt for the verb dovere. An infinite (non-conjugated) verb always follows dovere in this instance.

Obligation – I must – I need – I have to

Devo uscire in anticipio dall’ufficio – I need to get off work earlier
Ho dovuto cancellare la riunione perché stavo male – I had to cancel the meeting because I was sick

Responsibility – I am supposed to

You can use dovere when in English you would you “I am supposed to”.

Devo finire la relazione entro venerdì – I am supposed to finish the paper by Friday

Use dovere in the imperfect tense when you want to express that something was supposed to happen but didn’t for whatever reason.

Dovevo partire per il mare ieri, ma non ho potuto – I was supposed to leave for the sea tomorrow, but I couldn’t

How do you know when dovere implies an obligation or a responsibility? Well, it depends on the voice intonation.

Devo andare means both I must go, and I am supposed to go. So, pay attention to the intonation and gestures.

Warning or suggestion – I should, you should, etc…

The conditional of dovere is used to give a warning or a suggestion in Italian

Se vai a Roma, dovresti visitare il Giardino degli aranci – If you go to Rome, you should visit Il Giardino degli Aranci

HOW TO USE THE VERB “AVERE BISOGNO DI”

That being said, Italian has another common verb expressing a need, which is the verb avere bisogno di (literally: to have the need of)

No need to say I have listened to this verb misused countless times. Why so?

One is driven to think that avere bisogno dicorresponds to the English to need. It is…and it is not.

What is the difference between DOVERE and AVERE BISOGNO DI

Dovere is used when followed by another action, or verb.

Devo comprare una macchina nuova

Instead, when you need something, you can use avere bisogno di

Ho bisogno di una nuova macchina – I need a new car

Ho bisogno di fare una bella vacanza in una spa per rimettermi in forma – I need a to take a vacation at spa to get back in shape

Avere bisogno di is also used with the pronouns me/te/lui/lei/noi/voi/loro, like the in following example

Hai bisogno di me? – Do you need me?

HOW TO USE THE VERB ” SERVIRE“

It is not over. As wordy as they are, Italians have another way to express a need that implies the verb servire. The use of servire does not vary from the one of avere bisogno di.

If you want to say that you need “a thing”, you can say

Mi serve + singular noun → mi serve una mozzarella di bufala per fare la pizza napoletana – I need a bufala mozzarella to make a Neapolitan pizza
Mi servono + plural nouns → mi servono due uova per fare la torta – I need two eggs to make the cake

As you might have noticed, the verb, servire follows the same pattern as the impersonal verb piacere. Servire is conjugated just in the third person singular or plural and it is preceded by an indirect object pronoun.

Mi serve / servono
Ti serve..? servono…?
Gli serve / le serve / gli servono/le servono
Ci serve / ci servono
Vi serve… ? / vi servono…?
Gli serve/ gli servono

Some tips and trick to use the verbs dovere and avere bisogno di correctly in Italian

An infinite verb always follows dovere (when expressing a need)
A noun always follows servire
A noun can follow avere bisogno di
Avere bisogno di can be used with pronouns me – te – lui – lei – noi – voi – loro
Avere bisogno di can be followed by an infinite verb when it means that you need to do something in order to do something else

To recap:

I need to go → devo andare – it’s is CORRECT!

I need to go → ho bisogno di andare – it’s WRONG!

I need a hot bath to freshen up → ho bisogno di un bagno caldo per ricaricarmi – it’s CORRECT

Another common expression expressing a need is…

HOW TO USE THE VERB “BISOGNA“

Another common verb expressing a need or an obligation for some action to be performed is the strictly impersonal verb bisogna.

Bisogna exists just in simple tenses (simple future, simple conditional, etc..) and is used only in the third person singular. An infinite verb always follows it when the subject is not identified.

Bisogna pagare il conto prima di ordinare il caffe – it is necessary to pay the bill before ordering the coffee

If the subject is determined, bisogna is followed by che + subjunctive

Bisogna che mio figlio studi di più – It is necessary that my son study more

The Italian comparatives: using CHE or DI

The Italian comparatives: using “CHE” or “DI”

The Italian comparative expresses how to say MORE THAN, LESS THAN, THE SAME AS.

We call comparativo di maggioranza:

La casa di Maria è più grande di quella di Lucia – Maria’s house is bigger than Lucia’s

We call comparativo di minoranza:

La casa di Lucia è meno grande di quella di Maria – Lucia’s house is less big than Maria’s

We call comparativo di uguaglianza:

La casa di Maria è tanto grande come quella di Lisa – Lucia’s house is as big as Maria’s

In today’s post I will focus on the use of the term of comparison THAN – which in Italian can take two forms: DI or CHE

There are two ways to say more than in Italian: più … di / più … che

and there two ways to say less than in Italian: meno … di / meno … che

So, how do you know whether the term of comparison you need to use is CHE or DI?

You need to follow these rules…

WE USE “DI” WHEN…

we compare two different entities, or, in other words, we compare two different things or people:

Milano è più cara di Venezia – Milan is more expensive than Venice.
Luisa è meno alta di Carlo – Luisa is less tall than Carlo.
La cucina italiana è migliore della cucina tedesca – Italian food is better than German food.

WE USE “CHE” WHEN…

describing one entity with two different adjectives, nouns, or verbs:

adjective + adjective [same entity]

La città è più sporca che bella – the city is dirtier than beautiful.

verb + verb [same entity]

Studiare latino è più difficile che studiare italiano – learning Latin is more complicated than learning Italian.

noun + noun [same entity]

A Napoli ci sono più chiese che persone – In Naples, there are more churches than people.

We also use CHE when there is a preposition before the noun or the pronoun that are compared.

Vivere a Milano è meno caro che a New York – living in Milan is less expensive than living in New York City.

THE DOUBLE OBJECT PRONOUNS IN ITALIAN

GLIELO? GLIENE? TE LO? HOW TO USE THE DOUBLE OBJECT PRONOUNS IN ITALIAN

That’s a fun and somehow tricky topic that that many avoid – and you shouldn’t, because Italians use the double object pronouns (in Italian pronomi doppi or combinati) virtually all the time in our interactions?

The pronomi doppi are so common because they help us to make our speech more concise. The double object pronouns are vastly used in conversation.

The Italian double object pronoun in use

Hai detto a Luca quella cosa? – Have you told Luca that thing?
Gliel’ hai detto? – Have you told it him? (lit.)*

As you can see, the second sentence is way shorter and more natural than the first one. Of course, the double object pronouns are used when you know what you are talking about. As a rule, in Italian, the pronouns are used to replace something mentioned previously or that you can deduce from the context.

Other examples in use of the double object pronouns in Italian

Ti porto la bicicletta stasera – I will bring you the bike tonight
Te la porto stasera – I’ll bring it (the bike) to you tonight

Mi hai mandato la mail? – Have you sent me the email?
Me l’hai mandata? – Have you sent it to me?

Gli hai comporato l’acqua? -Have you bought him the water?
Gliel’hai comprata? – Have you bought (the water) it for him

Mi dai il tuo numero di telefono? – Can you give me your number?
Me lo dai? – Can you give it to me?

Ci presti la tua macchina? – Can you lend us your car?
Ce la presti? – Can you lend it to us?

6 things you should know about the double object pronouns

The double object pronouns are a combination of a direct and indirect object pronouns and that is a shortcut to express yourself more concisely when speaking Italian.
The indirect object pronouns mi, ti, gli, ci, and vi change to me, te, glie, ce, and ve when they are combined with the direct object pronouns, as in the above chart.
Glielo and gliela becomes gliel’ if they precede a vowel or “h” (gliel’ho detto – I told it to him)
In the negative form, the non comes right before the verb (non te lo dico – I am not telling you it)
The double object pronouns are written as two words, except for glielo, gliela, glieli, gliele and and all the pronoun combinations when they are attached to the infinitive (e.g in the imperative form)
When the pronomi combinati are used with the passato prossimo, the past participle must agree with the direct object pronoun incorporated in the double object pronouns (te l’ho scritta, glieli ho mandati..)

The double object pronouns with the passato prossimo

Me l’hai mandata? – “L'” can be una lettera, una mail, etc…
Me le hai mandate? – “Le” can be delle lettere, delle mail, etc..
Me li hai mandati? – “Li” can be dei biglietti, dei pacchi, etc..

THE PRONOUN “GLIENE”

How to use the NE in Italian

The double object pronouns incorporate also the NE. If you are familiar with the intermediate Italian grammar, you know that NE means some of it/some of them and tend to be used as answers to questions asking Quanti/How many?

Quanti pacchi gli hai dato? – How many packages did you give him?
Gliene ho dati 3 – I gave him 3 (of them)

Quanti biglietti mi dai? – How many tickets are you giving to me?
Quanti me ne dai? – How many of them are you giving (me)?

Quante fatture mi mandi? – How many invoices are you sending me
Quante me ne mandi? – How many of them are you sending (me)?

The double object pronouns and the imperative mood

The imperative mood explained

The double object pronouns are used, especially when giving a command in a concise way.

Dammelo! – Give me (it)
Dimmelo! – Tell me (it)
Mandaglielo! – Send him (it)
Non dirglielo! – Don’t tell him (it)

All the mentioned forms appear in the imperative mood, which is used to give a command in Italian. As you may notice, the imperative has the pronouns attached at the end of the verb. This is a particular feature of the imperative in Italian.

Do you want to practise with me the Italian double object pronouns? Take a master class with me.

Useful drills to practice your double object pronouns

The mysterious combination of the pronoun ci and the verb avere

Everybody agrees that the pronoun ci is, probably, one of the most mysterious word in Italian, and thus, I thought it would be great to discuss in the post, the use of ci when occurring with the forms of the verb avere.

1.Ce l’hai? Ce l’ho! Non ce l’ho!

I am sure you might already have heard the phrase ce l’ho and wondered what does it mean. Or better, what does the ce mean in that sentence. Well, you will be relieved to know that..it means nothing!

When someone asks you, if you have something, you can either answer by saying you have it or not. In the same way, in Italian, when indicating the possession of an object previously mentioned (in a question, for instance), the combination of the verb avere (to have) and the direct object pronoun (it), is required.

Hence, the sentences ce l’ho and non ce l’ho indicates that 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

What is the function of the ce in the examples? Well, it has not a specific grammar function. Nevertheless, it is obligatory to have it there when combining a form of avere with a direct objec pronoun.

ce le abbiamo – we have them
ce li avete – do you (all) have them?
non ce l’ho avuto mai – I haven’t ever had it

This use, probably, stems from a desire to avoid the cacophony of using simply l’ho/le ho/li ho or its extreme brevity.

The only rule to apply is, to transform ci in ce, as it always happens when a direct pronoun follows ci.

2. Avercela con qualcuno

There is another colloquial and common construction of the pronoun ci with avere and occurs, precisely, with the pronominal verb avercela, which means, to be angry with someone.

Con chi ce l’hai? – With whom are you angry?
Ce l’ho con il mio collega – I am angry with my colleague

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

Avercela has quite the same meaning of the verb arrabbiarsi, a verb you might already be familiar with. What’s the difference between the two? Well, I’d just say avercela is far more colloquial than arrabbiarsi. Thus, it’s up to you which one to use.

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

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

A brief guide to using the Italian modal verbs (volere, dovere, potere)

How to use the Italian modal verbs: volere, dovere, potere

In Italian, as in most languages, there is a number of irregular verbs that have to be learned by heart. Some of these are highly frequent like the Italian modal verbs volere, potere, dovere.

Conjugation of the present tense of VOLRE, POTERE, DOVERE

The Italian modal verbs dovere, potere and volere, respectively express necessity, possibility or a wish (AKA if you must do something, if you can do something or if you want to do something). These verbs are also used to do things like asking permission, making requests and offers and so forth.

Dovere, potere and volere are known as “modal verbs“.

The most important rule about the Italian modals verbs is that, they always precede the infinitive verb of another verb. We can also put it differently and say that the modal verbs are always followed by a non- conjugated verb (AKA infinitive).

Examples

Voglio andare al supermercato (modal verb + infinitive + object) – I want to go to the grocery. store
Devo comprare della cioccolata (modal verb + infinitive + object) – I need to buy some chocolate
Non posso aspettarti (modal verb + infinitive ) – I can’t wait for you

Let’s see now how to use the Italian modal verbs in-depth…

HOW TO USE DOVERE

Dovere + infinitive: must, to have to, to need to

Devo andare in palestra – I must (need, have to) go to the gym

Dovere is also used as a non-modal verb. In this case dovere has a different meaning and a noun follows it (not an infinitive verb) .

Dovere + noun: to owe

Ti devo 5 euro per la piazza – I owe you 5 euros for the pizza

Dovere has not a single translation in English. When English uses the verbs need, should, must, have to , Italian uses dovere. To find out how to correctly use dovere in Italian, check how to use dovere, avere bisogno and servire in Italian.

HOW TO USE POTERE

Potere means can or may when asking for permission or being allowed (or not allowed) to do something.

Posso uscire un momento? – Can I leave for a second?
I bambini non possono guardare la tv di sera tardi – Children are not allowed to watch TV late

Potere does not express the ability to do something, like in English.

Instead, in Italian, you should use the verb “sapere” to say that you can do something.

So cantare – I can sing
Sai cucinare? – Can you cook?
Sapete parlare russo? – Can you guys speak Russian?

Avoid the typical mistake of using potere in these types of sentences. If you ask someone – puoi cucinare? – you are actually requesting him or her to cook.

HOW TO USE VOLERE

Volere: to want, to wish

Voglio mangiare giapponese – I want to eat Japanese
Voglio il shushi e la tempura – I want sushi and tempura

Do you want to practice your Italian modal verbs? Use these drills!

Italian modal verbs in compound tenses

A compound tense is a verb resulting from the combination of an auxiliary verb and a past participle (e.g. condizionale passato, passato prossimo, futuro anteriore, congiuntivo passato, etc..)

Conjugating modal verbs in the passato prossimo (and other compound tenses) needs a special construction.

The helping verb (or auxiliary) does not depend on the modal verbs, but on the infinite verbs following.

If you want to say in the past – voglio uscire – in order to choose the correct helping verb you need to take into consideration the second verb (the infinitive one), that is to say – uscire.

As you know, the helping verb of uscire is essere, so that, you will use essere as an auxiliary.

Sono voluta uscire – I wanted to leave

If you wanted to say – voglio mangiare – in the past, the result would be:

Ho dovuto mangiare – I wanted to eat

The usage of the auxiliary avere depends on the fact that the verb mangiare use avere as a helping verb.

Let’s see another example…

Ho dovuto preparare la cena – I had to prepare the dinner

Preparare is one of those verbs using avere as a helping verb, for such reason the auxiliary of dovere is avere.

Non ho potuto preparare la cena – I could not prepare the dinner
Non sono potuta andare a pranzo – I could not go to the lunch

Note that if the auxiliary preceding the modal verb is essere, the past participle of the verbs dovere, potere and volere agree with the gender and number of the subject.

Sono dovuta andare via – I had to leave (dovuta , feminine singular)
Ci siamo alzati tardi – we got up late (alzati, masculine plural)
Non siamo potuti venire – we could not come (potuti, masculine plural)

Any questions? Leave a comment below!

GREAT TEXTBOOKS TO LEARN ITALIAN BY YOURSELF

The Italian Gerund Explained

USING THE GERUND IN ITALIAN

There are two ways to use the gerundio in Italian. It can be used by itself or in combination with the verb stare. In the letter, it expresses the continuous tenses.

The gerund is made by the combination of the stem of the infinite verbs and the endings –ando (for the – are verbs) and -endo (for the -ere and -ire verbs)

The gerund is a pretty regular tense. There are only a few irregular conjugations in the gerund.

Dire → dicendo
Fare → facendo
Bere → bevendo

THE GERUND WITH “STARE”

The gerund with the verb stare is used to make the continuous tenses, which are two. The present and past continuous.

The Present Continuous

The present continuous describes an action that happens at the time of speaking, and it’s expressed with the present tense of the verb stare + gerund verb.

Sto andando al lavoro – I am going to work
Sto parlando con Maria – I am speaking with Maria

The Past Continuous

The past continuous describes an action that happened at the time of speaking, and it is expressed with the imperfect tense of the verb stare + gerund verb.

Stavo andando al lavoro – I was going to work
Stavo parlando con Maria – I was speaking with Maria

THE GERUNDIO WITHOUT “STARE”

Even though you might be more familiar with the use of the gerund with stare, the Italian gerundio can be also used by itself with different meanings. Generally, it used to say why, how and while something happens or happened.

The gerund is used to tell WHY something happens

Studiando molto, è riuscita ad entrare in quell’università – Because I studied a lot, she was able to get into that school
Non avendo molto tempo, prenderò un taxi per l’aeroporto – Because I don’t have a lot of time, I will use a taxi to the airport

The gerund tells HOW something happens

Correndo ogni giorno, ho perso 3 kg in un mese – Because I run every day, I lost 3 kg in a month
Vivendo in Italia per due mesi, ho migliorato la mia pronuncia – By living in Italian for two month, I improved by Italian pronunciation

The gerund tells WHILE something happens

Cammina, parlando al telefono – She walks, while speaking on the phone
Ti ho visto, correndo al parco – I saw you, while running in the park

💡SMART TIP

✔️ The gerund never changes its form or agrees with the gender of the subject of the sentence.

✔️The gerund does not always translate the -ing form in English in Italian.

✔️ The gerund has no subject. The subject is explicit by the other actions in the sentences. For example: studiando ho imparato (io) / studiando, abbiamo imparato (noi) / studiano, hanno imparato (loro)

THE ITALIAN COMPOUND GERUND

In Italian, there is a past gerund or compound gerund (il gerundio composto). The Italian compound gerund is formed with the present gerund of the auxiliaries avere (avendo) and essere (essendo) and the past participle.

The past gerund is used when the described action happened in the past.

Avendo mangiato troppo ieri sera, ha deciso di saltare il pranzo oggi – Since I ate too much last night, he decided to skip the lunch today
Avendo viaggiato per molti anni in Brasile, adesso parla perfettamente portoghese – Because of travelling for many years in Brazil, she speaks a perfect Portuguese today

OTHER USES OF THE ITALIAN GERUNDIO

THE GERUND WITH “PUR”

When the gerund present or past is used with the conjugation pur (pur avendo, pur essendo, pur mangiando), it means “even though“

Pur facendo un dieta ferrea, non riesco a dimagrire – Even though I am following a strict diet, I can’t lose weight
Pur avendo studiato ogni giorno, non ho passato l’esame – Even though I studied every single day, I failed the exam

THE GERUND IN THE “IF CLAUSE”

Sometimes the gerund can be used to replace the “if clause” in Italian. It’s not very common, but it’s one of the many options for using the Italian gerundio.

Studiando, superarai l’esame = se studierai, supererai l’esame – If you will study, you will pas the exam

THE GERUND WITH “ANDARE”

There is another structure where the gerund is used with the verb andare, for example

Il numero di casi di Covid-19 va diminuendo – The number of Covid-19 cased is progressively decreasing
Il tasso di nascite in Italia va aumentando – The Italian birth rate is progressively increasing

This structure expresses the progressive development of an action.

GERUND IN ENGLISH VS. GERUND IN ITALIAN

Even though the Italian gerund shares similarities with the English gerund, there are some significant differences between them.

In English, the -ing form can follow another verb, like: he started playing. In Italian, it can’t. You should use a construction with a preposition and the infinitive in Italian, for example, lui ha iniziato a giocare (he started to play).
In English, the -ing form is used as a noun. For example: eating healthy is important. In Italian, you can’t use the gerund as a noun. Instead, you should you the infinitive: mangiare sano è importante (to eat healthily, is important)

ITALIAN GERUND AND THE PRONOUNS

In the present continuous form, the pronouns can be placed before the verb or joined onto the verb’s end. The first construction is more common and natural

Mi sto lavando i denti – I am brushing my teeth

When the gerund it’s used by itself, the pronoun is joined onto the verb’s end.

Guardandomi allo specchio, mi sono resa conto di avere qualche capello bianco – While looking at myself in the mirror, I realized I have some white hair

Use it or lose it. Here are some links to practice your gerund with exercises

My podcast: 7 minutes in slow Italian

I HAVE LAUNCHED A PODCAST SERIES FOR ITALIAN LEANERS!

WHY I CREATED 7 MINUTES IN SLOW ITALIAN

As a Language Coach, working with a large number of students, I have realized there is a shortage of content for listening comprehension for Italian beginners or intermediate learners.

As an avid language learner, the biggest obstacle I have always encountered is overcoming the plateau of listening comprehension in my target languages.

Being a visual learner I found out at my expenses that relying on the myth that putting on the Italian TV or Netflix in my target language was not helping me the way I needed.

And this is why I came out with 7 minutes in slow Italian. A podcast designed by an avid language learner to the benefit of students of Italian. A short and sweet Podcast in slow Italian, with transcript, that you can easily integrate into your routine as an independent Italian language learner or with your Italian course.

HOW 7 MINUTES IN SLOW ITALIAN CAN HELP YOU

My podcast in slow Italian is designed for advanced beginners and to intermediate learners and is thought to push the student to listen to an audio actively and take the time to reflect, memorize and eventually use the vocabulary in use.

The best way to improve your Italian listening comprehension, especially as a beginner, to listen to easy content, or comprehensible Italian content.

7 minutes in slow Italian is presented in two speeds: around 3 minutes in natural speed and 4 minutes in slow Italian. The purpose is to present you the language at a regular/fast pace and then allowing you the time to listen in slow motion, in order to pick up the words, tenses and sentences you missed in the first part.

7 minutes in slow Italian is short and easy to use: if you are a beginner or intermediate Italian learner, in order to make the most out of studying time, you should practice active listening. Active listening is not just listening for the sake of it. Instead, tt involves reflection on the language, the vocabulary in use and the ability to take notes. This why it must be short. Quality over quantity is the key.

7 minutes in slow Italian is interesting: when exploring a new place (let it be in Italy or abroad) I like to learn all about the interesting and quirky facts.. Cliché hasn’t ever picked my interests and I find it often downgrading. And this has led to the topics of my first Italiano Podcast.

7 minutes in slow Italian is memorable: the podcast talks about curiosities and interesting facts about Italy, I am sure you don’t know yet. This choice is not casual. Being exposed in a foreign language to something that is unusual or that you have heard for the first time, will help you better retain and internalize the information and memorize the vocabulary used. The input must be attractive to cement in your mind.

7 minutes in slow Italian isa podcast with transcript: I don’t expect you to know it all. I make sure there is a transcript for each podcast episode. There is evidence that most students learn visually – the transcript is a tool to help you out taking your notes and visualize the “missing parts”

7 minutes in slow Italian is a Podcast for beginners or intermediate learners seeking an actionable way to improve their listening comprehension in Italian and have wonderful conversations when in Italy. Remember, not only speaking, but especially understanding what is going around when you are in Italy will make the difference.

THE EPISODES - SEASON 1

Episodio #6 – La sindrome del viaggiatore (o sindrome di Stendhal) – INTERMEDIO

EPISODIO #5 – PERCHE’ ESISTONO I TRULLI IN PUGLIA

EPISODIO #4 – LA VALLE D’AOSTA

EPISODIO #3: IL MOVIMENTO SLOW FOOD

The best way to use this Italian Podcast for intermediate learners

Listen to the first part of the Podcast, in natural Italian
Focus on the second part in slow Italian
Listen to the entire audio and take notes of the vocabulary you want to retain
Use the transcript and the vocabulary section to double-check your understanding
Sprinkle your Italian conversations and lessons with the new learned vocabulary

The best way to use this Italian Podcast for beginners

Listen to the second part of the Podcast (the slow one) and use it as a prompt for a dictation. Once you have written down your transcript, confront it with my transcription. Listen to the Podcast with a natural speed again.
If it is still too difficult to understand, listen and read my transcript simultaneously.

Ciò and cioè explained

The question I want to reply to today regards the meaning of the word ciò.

I will also digress on the difference between ciò and cioè, another common and peculiar Italian word

HOW TO USE CIO’ IN ITALIAN

Ciò appears to have multiple meanings.

Ciò is a demonstrative pronoun, and it is often used instead of questo and quello, especially in formal or written Italian.

Examples with ciò

Ciò che mi fa arrabbiare è che (formal) – What drive me crazy is that…
Quello che mi fa arrabbiare (informal) – What drive me crazy is that…
Questo non è ciò che ti avevo detto di fare – This is not what I told you to do to (formal)
Questo non è quello che ti avevo detto di fare – This is not what I told you to do to (informal)
Ciò che voglio dirti…– What I want to tell you (formal)
Quello che voglio dirti… – What I want to tell you (informal)

Both quello che (informal) and ciò che (formal) means “that thing.”
The function of the pronoun is to replace something that was previously mentioned.

You should also know that ciò refers just to events or ideas, or to something that has just been said in the shape of a sentence.

HOW TO USE CIOE’ IN ITALIAN

Cio is often confused with the verb cioè, which has a different meaning and pronunciation.
Cioè is meanly a connector and is used in between two sentences in which the second one explains, corrects or rephrase the first one.

Examples with cioè

Ci vediamo alle 3, cioè alle 4 – Let’s meet at 3, I mean at 4
Vado in Belize, no cioè inn Guatemala – I am going to Belize, I mean, to Guatemala

In English, the most accurate translation of cioè would be “I mean.”

The formal pronoun referring to people is costei or costui.
It’s hardly ever used in spoken Italian and belongs to the written language.

Other related articles

1 2 3 4

GRAMMAR PILLS

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IMPERFETTO AND PASSATO PROSSIMO

What’s the difference between the imperfetto and the passato prossimo?

THE USE OF THE PASSATO PROSSIMO

Typical time expressions using the passato prossimo

THE USE OF THE IMPERFETTO

Common expressonions using the imperfetto

When the passato prossimo and the imperfetto are used in the same sentence

Differences between the passato prossimo and imperfetto

How to practice the difference between the passato prossimo and imperfetto

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

GET UPDATES ABOUT MY PODCAST, IMMERSION TRIPS AND SMART LEARNING PROJECTS

HOW TO USE QUALSIASI / QUALUNQUE / CHIUNQUE

QUALSIASI (ANY)

QUALSIASI (WHICHEVER or WHATEVER)

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “QUALSIASI” AND “QUALUNQUE”?

Other meaning of qualsiasi/qualunque

CHIUNQUE (ANYONE / WHOEVER)

QUALSIASI and CHIUNQUE with the subjunctive

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

GET UPDATES ABOUT MY PODCAST, IMMERSION TRIPS AND SMART LEARNING PROJECTS

THE ITALIAN INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS

Examples of direct pronouns

Examples of indirect pronouns

The indirect object pronouns

You should also know that…

Some examples

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

GET UPDATES ABOUT MY PODCAST, IMMERSION TRIPS AND SMART LEARNING PROJECTS

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “SAPERE” AND “CONOSCERE”?

WHEN TO USE “CONOSCERE”

WHEN TO USE “SAPERE”

SAPERE AS A MODAL VERB

OTHER MEANINGS OF SAPERE

SAPERE DI…

MI SA CHE…

Useful links to practice this topic

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

GET UPDATES ABOUT MY PODCAST, IMMERSION TRIPS AND SMART LEARNING PROJECTS

Use your Italian!

9 THINGS ABOUT THE ITALIAN PRONOMINAL VERBS

1. Pronominal verbs mean “related to a pronoun”

2. The pronouns are joined onto the infinitive of the verb

3. Pronominal verbs are vastly used in conversational Italian and sometimes in slang

4. They are difficult to translate into your native language

5. They are easy to conjugate verbs, yes they are!

8. Some verbs are matched with fixed prepositions

9. Using the Italian pronominal verbs will make you sound more natural.

Most common Italian pronominal verbs

Italian pronominal verbs with “CI”

Italian pronominal verbs with “NE”

Italian pronominal verbs with “SELA”

Italian pronominal verbs with “CELA”

Italian pronominal verbs with “SENE”

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

GET UPDATES ABOUT MY PODCAST, IMMERSION TRIPS AND SMART LEARNING PROJECTS

Use your Italian!

METTERSI = PUTTING ON

METTERSI = TURNING OUT WELL (or BADLY)

METTERSI = STARTING

METTERSI = STAYING

METTERSI = IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

GET UPDATES ABOUT MY PODCAST, IMMERSION TRIPS AND SMART LEARNING PROJECTS

DOVERE / AVERE BISOGNO DI / MI SERVE / BISOGNA

How to use the verb DOVERE

Obligation – I must – I need – I have to

Responsibility – I am supposed to

Warning or suggestion – I should, you should, etc…

HOW TO USE THE VERB “AVERE BISOGNO DI”

What is the difference between DOVERE and AVERE BISOGNO DI

HOW TO USE THE VERB ” SERVIRE“

HOW TO USE THE VERB “BISOGNA“

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

GET UPDATES ABOUT MY PODCAST, IMMERSION TRIPS AND SMART LEARNING PROJECTS

Use your Italian!

The Italian comparatives: using “CHE” or “DI”

WE USE “DI” WHEN…

WE USE “CHE” WHEN…

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT