GRAMMAR PILLS

How to use (definite) articles in Italian

HOW TO USE THE (DEFINITE) ARTICLES IN ITALIAN

Building solid foundations is key in every foreign language you learn. Mastering the nitty-gritty of the basics will be your pathway to fluency, promise. That’s why today, we’ll cover the Italian definites (articoli determinativi) and especially, when using them and when not, and key difference with the English “the”

That’s one of those topics to master, and you know why? Because Italian throws in articles all the time with a few exceptions along the way.

Gli articoli indeterminativi (definite article)

The so-called articoli determinativi or definite articles is what in English is the.
In Romance languages and Italian, the takes different forms depending on the gender and number of the noun the article is preceding.

In Italian, all nouns (with few exceptions) use articles before. It’s a general rule.

It gatto – the cat
La casa – the house
I giardini – the gardens
Gli amici – the friends

Articles can be masculine or feminine, singular or plural.
Articles can take this form depending on the noun they are preceding.

Read the chart to understand how to use what.

When to use the definite articles

Italian puts articles in front of most of the nouns, with few exceptions, as in the following list.

When articles are not used in Italian

We don’t use articles in front of names of cities

Palermo, Napoli, Roma, Venezia

We don’t use definite articles in front of singular nouns of family preceded by possessive adjectives. However, you should use them for the plural nouns family.

mio fratello – i miei fratelli
mia cugina – le mie cugine
mio zio – i miei zii

We don’t use definite articles before names of people (Anna, Maria, Marco). However, in the North of Italy, it’s common to use them in a colloquial form of Italian.

Anna (standard Italian)
La Anna (colloquial northern Italian, northern dialects)

We don’t use definite articles in front of names of famous people.

Dante è padre fondatore della lingua italiana

We don’t use articles in front of small islands. Instead, we use them in front of big islands or for groups of islands.

Capri (small island)
Malta (small island)
La Sicilia (big island)
La Sardegna (big island)
Le Eolie (the Aeolian Islands)
Le Canarie (the Canary Islands)

When definite articles are used in Italian but NOT in English

Unlike English, we use articles with possessive adjectives:

la mia famiglia – my family
la mia casa – my house
il mio cane – my dog

Unlike English, Italian uses articles in front of abstract nouns.

l’amore – love
l’amicizia – friendship
la pace – peace

Unlike English, definite articles are used with titles

La Professoressa Rossi – Professor Rossi
Il signor Franchi – Mr. Franchi

However, you should omit the article if you are speaking to someone directly. For instance,

Buongiorno, Dottor Rossi!

Unlike English, we use definite articles when saying the time

sono le 8 e mezza – it’s 8.30

Unlike English, we use articles with clothes and parts of the body or, in other words, we don’t use the definite article if you are using reflexive verbs before.

Mi pettino i capelli – I brush my hair
Mi metto le scarpe – I put on shoes

Unlike English, Italian uses the articles in dates.

Oggi è il 14 aprile 2021 – today is April 14th

However, we don’t use it if we mention the day of the week

Oggi è mercoledì 14 aprile 2021

Unlike English, Italian uses the article in front of geographic terms, such as countries, islands, seas, lakes, mountains, volcanos or rivers.

L’Italia – Italy
La Sicilia – Sicily
Il Lago di Como – Lake Como
L’Etna – Etna Mt.
Il Monte Bianco – Mont Blanc
Il Tevere – the Tiber

However, definite articles are omitted when the prepositions IN or DI precede the name of the country or islands and the like. You should also omit the article if you are using the verb andare with names of places.

Abito in Sicilia and NOT abito in la Sicilia
Vado in Italiia and NOT vado in la Itala

The adverb ‘ANZI’. What does it mean? How to use it?

ITALIAN COMMON WORDS: ANZI

**WHAT DOES “ANZI” MEAN?**

Anzi is hard to translate in English, so its meaning can throw off non-native Italian speakers.

However, this adverb is very common in spoken Italian because it works as a shortcut to rephrase something previously mentioned.

Generally, we can say that anzi modifies or emphasizes something that was previously stated in sentences. It means, depending on the context and intonation…

instead
on the contrary
better
actually
rather

What is an adverb?

An adverb is a part of the speech that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another part of a sentence. Adverbs are an invariable part of the speech: it means that they can’t be modified. So, anzi, never changes.

HOW TO USE ANZI IN SENTENCES

Let’s in greater detail

Anzi is used to correct a previously denied statement with the meaning of “actually” or “on the contrary”

Marco non è un ragazzo superficiale, anzi, secondo me è molto intelligente – Marco is not naive, actually, I think he is very smart.

Non mi disturbi per niente, anzi, grazie per avermi chiamato- You are not disturbing me at all. Actually, thank you for calling.

Anzi is also used to modify something that we have just said and we want to rephrase. Technically, we want to change what we mentioned in the first part of the sentence. In this case, anzi has the meaning of actually, better, rather.

Facciamo l’esercizio numero 4….anzi no, il numero 5! – Let’s do exercise number 4 … actually no, number 5!
Stiamo adatta alla Pizzeria Borghese, anzi no, andiamo da Pippo – We are going to the Pizzeria Borghese, actually no, we are rather going to Pizzeria Pippo
Mi porta un Bloody Mary, per favore?Anzi no, un Mojito! – Can you bring me a Bloody Mary, please? … No, actually, I’d rather have a Mojito!

Anzi is used to emphasize or intensify something, previously mentioned: in this case, anzi has the meaning of actually, better or rather

Sei brava, anzi bravissima – you are good, actually very good.
Sei bella, anzi bellissima – you are beautiful, actually beautiful.

Anzi has a fourth meaning. When it’s is used in an answer and as an exclamation, anzi means something like figurati which is a colloquial way of saying you’re welcome or not at all in Italian

Ti dispiace se mi siedo qui? No, anzi! – Do you you mind if I sit here? Not at all!
Ti dispiace farci una foto? No, anzi!– Do you mind taking a picture of us? Not at all!

Fare bene & fare male: how to use them

FARE BENE and FARE MALE: how to use them

This article will explain the meaning and use of two common Italian expressions using the verb FARE.

Fare bene and fare male

These two often appear in colloquial Italian with different meanings.

The most common ones are

to show approval or disapproval to someone – hai fatto bene a prendere un giorno libero!
to mean that something is good or bad for us – passare troppo tempo seduti fa male!
to say that some part of our body is sore (just fare male) – mi fa male la schiena!

Let’s see them in context.

Showing approval and disapproval to someone

Hai fatto male a cambiare quartiere!
Abbiamo fatto bene a prendere alcuni giorni di vacanza!

FARE BENE

Fare bene expresses approval or satisfaction towards somebody. For example, a friend tells you that he quit his job because he could no longer put up with his boss.

Sai, ho deciso di lasciare il mio lavoro in ditta..non ce la facevo più! – You know, I decided to quit my job at the company…I couldn’t stand it anymore!
Hai fatto bene, si vedeva che non stai più bene – you did well, one could see you were not well anymore

Another example:

hai fatto così bene a cambiare casa, quel quartiere è diventato così pericoloso! – You did so well to change house, that area became so dangerous!

Also, depending on how much you want to emphasize your approval, you can change the sentences like in the following examples:

Hai fatto benissimo – you did incredibly well
Hai fatto molto bene – you did very well

Remember that fare bene is always followed by the preposition a and an infinitive verb.

Fare bene (accordingly conjugated) + a + infinitive

FARE MALE

Similarly, when you want to express disapproval or dissatisfaction, you can use the contrary expression fare male. Let’s see an example…

a) Sono andato a Cuba in bassa stagione e ha piovuto tutto il tempo… b) Hai fatto male a scegliere un periodo di bassa stagione, è vero che costa meno, ma è molto più probabile che piova – a) I went to Cuba, and it rained all the times….b) you made a mistake by choosing low season time to go there, it is true that cheaper, but there is a better chance to find a poor weather

Also,

ho fatto così male a comprare quel vestito così costoso…non ne valeva la pena! – I made a big mistake by buying that costly dress…it was not worth it!

Rember the correct pattern…

Fare male (accordingly conjugated) + a + infinitive

Depending on the level of your disapproval, you can say

Hai fatto malissimo – you made a huge mistake
Hai fatto molto male – you made a big mistake

WHEN SOMETHING IS GOOD OR BAD FOR US

bere troppo fa male alla salute
studiare una lingua fa bene alla mente

We can use fare bene (or male) in Italian in a different context to mean that something is good or bad for our physical and mental health.

In this case, the expressions are used in the third person singular e plural.

Let’s see some other examples

fumare fa male – smoking is not good for your health
fare attività fisica fa molto bene – working out is good for your health
mangiare almeno cinque frutti al giorno fa benissimo alla salute – eating at least five fruits a day it’s very good for your health

WHEN SAYING THAT A PART OF YOUR BODY IS ACHING

mi fanno male i denti!
mi fa male la gola!

Finally, if you want to say that a part of your body is sore or aching, the most common way to put it in Italian is by using the combination fare male, used in the third person singular and plural.

Learn the models…

mi fa male + singular body part

mi fa male la schiena – my back is sore (or I have back pain)

mi fa male la testa – I have a headache

mi fa male la pancia – I have a stomachache

mi fanno male + plural body parts

mi fanno male le gambe – my legs are hurtin

mi fanno male i piedi – my feet are sore

THA PAST CONDITIONAL MOOD IN ITALIAN

In Italian, there is a present conditional, and there is a past conditional.

The key difference between the present conditional and the past conditional is that the first comprises one element, and the second includes two elements, the auxiliary ) and past participle. The auxiliary will be the present conditional of avere or essere, according to the verb.

What is the key difference between the present conditional and the past conditional?

When you are using the simple conditional, you describe a situation that might or not happen and which hasn’t taken place yet. Instead, the past conditional describes a situation that has already taken place, it’s the past, and you can’t change it.

Generally speaking, the Italian past conditional corresponds to the English use of would have.

The past conditional can be referred to as “compound conditional” (condizionale composto) because it combines two elements: an auxiliary and a past participle.

The conjugation of the past conditional of the verbs “essere” and “avere”.

The first one is irregular, the second is regular.

What are the main functions of the past conditional in Italian?

The past conditional is used to say what you would have done if…
The past conditional is used to say what you should or shouldn’t have done or what you could or couldn’t have done, with the use of the modal verbs dovere (must) and potere (can)
The past conditional is used to say I wish, with the help of the verbs piacere(like) or volere (want)
The past conditional is used to express the future in the past

IF I WOULD HAVE: the past conditional with the If Clause

We use the past conditional with the congiuntivo trapassato (perfect subjunctive) to say something that would have happened if…. We are describing a possibility that didn’t take place and so became impossible.

Se avessi avuto più soldi, mi sarei iscritta ad una migliore università – If I had more money, I would have applied to a better school
Se avessi avuto più tempo, avrei praticato più sport – If I Had more money, I would have exercised more

I SHOULD/ COULD HAVE DONE: the past conditional with DOVERE and POTERE

For a start, the modal verbs are dovere, potere, volere. We label them as “modal” because, grammar-wise, they have a lot in common. For instance, they are always followed by an infinitive verb.

So, when they are used with the past conditional, to say what one should have done, or could have done, just like in English, they comprise three elements:

auxiliary of the present conditional + past participle of the modal verb* + infinitive verb

Examples :

Avresti dovuto studiare di più → you should have studied more
Avresti potuto chiamarlo → you could have called him
Avremmo voluto viaggiare di più → we would have liked travelling more or we wish we travelled more

How to choose the correct auxiliary with the modal verbs?

A special note goes to choosing the correct auxiliary with the modal verbs in the past conditional.

When thinking of what auxiliary to use, you should look at the modal verb’s infinitive.

Let’s say the verb dovere is followed by andare, the correct auxiliary to use is essere.

If the verb “fare” follows dovere, the correct auxiliary to use is avere.

Examples

Sarei dovuto andare in palestra, ma non ci sono andata – I should have gone to the gym, but I didn’t
Avrei dovuto fare i compiti, ma non li ho fatti – I should have done my homework, but I didn’t

If the auxiliary of the verb is essere, you should make sure that the modal verb’s past participle agrees with the gender and number of the subject.

Examples:

I should have gone → sarei dovuto/a andare

We could have gone → saremmo potuti/e andare

I would have liked to go → sarei voluto/a andare

I should have traveled → avrei dovuto viaggiare

I could have traveled → avrei potuto viaggiare

I would have liked travelling → avrei potuto viaggiare

I WISH: the past conditional of PIACERE and VOLERE

The past conditional of piacere and volere is translated in English in the same way.

Mi sarebbe piaciuto studiare arabo → I would have liked learning Arabic

Avrei voluto studiare arabo → I would have liked learning Arabic

Often, the past conditional of piacere and volere is the better way to translate English I WISH

Mi sarebbe piaciuto uscire con te → I wish I went out with you

Sarei voluto uscire con te → I wish I went out with you

The past conditional in the FUTURE IN THE PAST

We use the past conditional to express the future in the past, that is to say an action that took place after another one, in the past.

In other words, the future in the past expresses a future event with reference to a past action.

This pattern is very foten used with the verbs dire, pensare, credere, immaginare in the passato prossimo or impretto form. As you will see in the following sentences, both the actions described happened in the past.

Examples:

Speravo che sarebbe venuto a trovarmi → I hoped he would come to see me
Anna ha detto che mi avrebbe chiamato → Anna said she would call me
Non credevamo che sarebbe arrivato primo → We didn’t think he would come first

ATTENTION: the future in the past in English is mainly expressed with a simple (present) conditional.

The direct object pronouns

THE ITALIAN OBJECT PRONOUNS

What’s a pronoun?

Pronouns are parts of speech replacing something that has already been said and we don’t want to repeat.

Because of its nature, pronouns are widely used in conversation, as they allow us to be faster and be more concise when speaking.

Italian has many pronouns, just like English.

For instance, in the sentence, I know it, “it” represents a pronoun replacing something that was already mentioned.

What’s a direct object pronoun?

Italian has direct and indirect pronouns.

The direct pronouns are the ones that replace a direct object.

A direct object is something answering the question what? or who?

For example,

Vuoi il caffè? Sì, lo voglio → Do you want some coffee? Yes, I want it

The word caffè is a direct object, as it answers the question what?, therefore the pronoun to be used must be a direct (object) pronoun.

The Italian direct objects

Pronouns can be used in statements, questions and answers.

Pay attention to the use of mi,ti,ci,vi in questions. Have a look at the example to 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 pronouns

The Italian makes the difference between the stressed forms and the unstressed forms (see the table below). The letter emphasizes the pronoun or stress contrast and typically comes after the verb or prepositions.

The stressed forms are typically used with prepositions.

For example,

Parlo con te → I am speaking with you
Vieni con noi?→ Are you coming with us?
Mangio da te → I am eating at your house

Stressed and unstressed pronouns are not interchangeable and English speakers should tend to use the unstressed forms, generally and the stressed forms only after prepositions, like in the sentences above.

The direct pronouns in the passato prossimo

Something interesting happens when the direct object pronouns are coupled with the passato prossimo. Let’s have a look at a couple of examples:

Ho preparato un dolce – l’ho preparato (object: masculine singular)
Ho preparato una torta – l’ho preparata (object: feminine singular)
Ho preparato gli spaghetti – li ho preparati (object: masculine plural)
Ho preparato le tagliatelle – le ho preparate (object: feminine plural)

As you can see from the above examples, the end of the past particle is changing and agreeing with the gender and number of the replacing object.

You should also notice that the singular direct object pronoun always uses the apostrophe. The apostrophe is never used for plural forms.

What’s the position of the direct object pronoun?

The general rule is that the pronouns always precede the conjugated verbs.

However, there are a few expectations of the general rule.

The direct pronouns and the modal verbs

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

Let’s see it in practice.

Lo voglio vedere – voglio vederlo – I want to see it
Ti posso chiamare? – posso chiamarti? – Can I call you?
Ci vogliamo trasferire – vogliamo trasferirci – We want to move

Either way works perfectly in Italian, and there is no preference between the two forms. Italian 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 into 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 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 t)

How to use the Italian prepositions IN and A

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “IN” AND “A” IN ITALIAN

One of the most common mistakes in Italian (for foreign learners) concerns the use of the preposition a and in.

And it is totally normal.

In fact, in some cases, specific rules are telling you how to use the preposition in and when using the preposition a. However, the truth is that in most cases, there is not a specific rule.

💡Smart Tip

The best way to master the propositions is to learn them in “chunks”.

A “chunk” (or a collocation) is a recurring combination of words and prepositions (or words and verbs)

For example: andare al cinema, andare all’università, etc…

THE USE OF THE PREPOSITION “A“

A is used before the names of cities.

Vado a Venezia
Vivo a Palermo

A becomes AD before the names of cities that starts with a vowel.

Vivo ad Amburgo
Vivo ad Alessandria

A is also used in front of names of small states, such as:

Vado a San Marino
Vado a Gilbirteterra

A is used in front of the names of small islands, for examples:

Vado a Malta
Vado a Ibiza

A is used with cardinals points:

A Sud, a Nord, a Est, a Ovest

A is also used with some verbs when they are followed by another action (and the infinitive verb is used), for example:

Continuare a – continuo a studiare più tardi
Cominciare a (iniziare a) – comincio a lavorare alle 9 del mattino
Aiutare a – mi aiuti a pulire?
Essere abituato a – non sono abituato a parlare in pubblico
Riuscire a – non riesco a dormire

THE USE OF THE PREPOSITION “IN“

IN is used before nouns of countries:

Vivo in Italia
Vivo in Germania

If the countries is grammatically plural, such as, the United States or the Netherlands, the correct Italian prepositions to use are nei, negli.

Vivo negli Stati Uniti
Vivo nei Paesi Bassi

IN is used too with the names of regions or states:

Vivo in Lombardia
Vivo in Texas

IN is used with names of the big islands, for instance

Vivo in Sicilia
Vivo in Sardegna

IN is used with the names of the streets or squares.

Vivo a Londra, in Oxford Street
Vivo a Milano, in via Petrarca

IN is finally used with the name of shops or places ending in –ia.

Vado…

in farmacia
in pizzeria
in gelateria
in macelleria
in periferia
in profumeria
in campagna

There are rules and trends when it comes to deciding whether to use the preposition in or a, but sometimes it is difficult to pick up the right one. Thus it’s better off to learn by heart the most common expressions using these prepositions.

Common Idioms Using The Preposition “IN”

In chiesa

in campagna, in montagna, in spiaggia

in macchina, in bici

in palestra, in piscina

in bagno

in ufficio

in centro, in città

in discoteca

in vacanza

in edicola

Common Idioms Using The Preposition “A”

a messa, a scuola, a lavoro, a teatro

a piedi

a letto, a tavola

a colazione, a pranzo, a colazione

a lezione

a destra, a sinistra

al bar, al ristorante, al cinema, al mare, al lago

all’università

a Nord, a Sud, a Est, a Ovest

Ciò and cioè explained

The difference between ciò and cioè explained

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

I will also dig into 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 drives me crazy is that…
Quello che mi fa arrabbiare (informal) – What drives 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 (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

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 modal verbs: imperfetto vs passato prossimo

You should know that there is a fine difference between sating ho dovuto and dovevo, ho potuto and potevo, ho voluto and volevo. The modal verbs change their meaning depending on whether they are used in the imperfetto and passato prossimo.

The rule of thumb is that the passato prossimo of modal verbs (ho dovuto/ ho potuto / ho voluto) denotes “certainty” – the action described by the verbs took place. Instead, the imperfetto of modal verbs (dovevo/potevo/volevo) indicates “uncertainty” – we don’t know whether the action took place or not.

Examples:

ieri dovevo andare al cinema (I had the intention of going to the moves, but we don’t know whether the action took place or not)
ieri sono andata al cinema (I went to the movies, we know the action took place)

if you want to know more about this topic, read my post about the verbs whose meaning changes in the passato prossimo and imperfetto

HO DOVUTO vs DOVEVO

Dover and other verbs whose meaning changes between the imperfetto and passato prossimo

If you ended up on this page, it’s because you wonder if there is any difference between the use of ho dovuto and dovere or ho voluto and volevo, sapevo or ho saputo.

There is.

There is a fine but important difference between the use of some verbs with the imperfetto and passato prossimo.

Most of these verbs whose meaning changes depending on the type of past tense we use, are modal verbs, that is to say, volere (to want), potere (can), dovere (to have to) sapere (to know how to do sthg).

💡the general rule say that…

Using the imperfetto with the modal verbs denote an intuition that didn’t become an action
Using the passato prossimo with the modal verbs indicate certainty and says that action took place

DOVEVO / HO DOVUTO

Dovevo andare in banca → this sentence denotes the purpose of going to the bank, yet we don’t know whether the person went or not.
Sono dovuta andare in banca (stamattina) → the person went to the bank

VOLEVO / HO VOLUTO

Non volevo andare a lavoro→ we don’t know whether the person went to work or not
Ho voluto comprare una macchina nuova→ the person bought a car
Volevo comprare una macchina nuova → we don’t know whether the person bought the car

More examples

Volevo chiamarti ieri sera (I wanted to call you last night) – means that I had the intention of calling you, but we don’t know whether I did it or not.

Ho voluto chiamarti ieri sera perché — means I called you, why…

“VOLEVO” in polite request

A special mention goes to volere

Infact, volere in the imperfetto is also used to make a kind request

Volevo chiederti un’informazione → I wanted to ask you something
Volevo chiederti un favore → I wanted to ask you a favor

POTEVO / HO POTUTO

Stanotte non potevo dormire → it was hard for the person to sleep, we don’t know whether the person managed to sleep or not
Stanotte ho potuto dormire → I could not sleep, I did not sleep

SAPEVO / HO SAPUTO

Sapere in the imperfect means “essere a conoscenza di qualcosa = to be aware of something”.

Sapevi che Marta ha avuto un bambino → Did you know Marta had a baby?
Non sapevo che fossi sposato → I didn’t know you were married

Sapere in the passato prossimo means to learn something from someone else

Hai saputo che Lucia ha avuto un figlio → Someone told me Lucia had a baby

CONOSCEVO / HO CONOSCIUTO

Although it’s not a modal verb, another verb that changes its meaning is the verb conoscere.

Conoscere in the imperfetto means to know someone

Conosco mio marito da 20 anni → I have known my husband for 20 years

Conoscere in the passato prossimo means to get to know someone

Ho conosciuto mio marito a una partita di calcio → I met my husband at soccer match

How to use in Italia ECCO e CIOÈ

How to use ECCO and CIOÈ in Italian

Ecco and cioè are Italian filler words that Italians use all the time.

Both ecco and cioè are considered Italian filler words. A filler word is a word with no specific meaning that people use in sentences when they speak informally, for mainly two reasons: buying time or giving additional information about what they are saying (such as an emotion).

Understanding fillers is a must if you want to take your Italian to the next level and become eventually fluent. Besides cioè and ecco, Italian language is plenty of other filler words that Italians use all the time. Allora, insomma, and beh are just a few examples. In 9 frequent Italian filler words, I discuss the subject more in-depth.

HOW TO USE ECCO

ECCO = HERE IT IS

ECCO describes something or somebody’s appearance, replacing the sentences “here it is “(something/somebody) in English.

Ecco i nostri amici – here are my friends
Ecco il treno – here is the train
Ecco la mia casa – here is my house

If used with the pronouns mi, ti, lo, la, ci, vi, li, le, “ecco” means

Eccomi – here I am
Eccoti – here you are
Eccola – here she is
Eccovi – here you are (to a group of people=

ECCO = WELL

Sometimes, “ecco“, is used as a filler word at the beginning of a sentence when you are figuring out what to say and it means something close to well in English

Ecco…volevo dirti, che non posso venire al cinema con te stasera – Well, I was going to tell you that I can’t go to the movies with you tonight

ECCO with idioms

The adverb “ecco” is used in a variety of idioms too, for instance:

Ecco perché – that’s why
Ecco fatto – done
Ecco tutto – that’s all
Ecco cosa succede quando… – this is what happens when…
Ecco come – this is how…

HOW TO USE CIOÈ

CIOE’ = THAT IS TO SAY

One of the most common meanings of cioè is “that is to say “or “namely”

L’attuale papa, cioè Francesco I, incontrerà il primo ministro tedesco oggi – the current Pope, Francesco I
Nell’Unione Europea esiste la libertà di movimento delle persone, cioè i cittadini possono risiedere e lavorare in uno qualsiasi dei paesi membri. – In the UE, threre is freedom of movement, that is to say that..

CIOE’ = I MEAN

It is used to correct what you have just said or to add more information, meaning I mean or I meant

Mi piace veramente Marco…cioè solo come amico – I like Marco a lot, I mean just like a friend

OTHER MEANINGS

“Cioè” is also something that people say before they start or continue their sentence.

Cioè…non ne posso più di questa classe politica! – I mean…I am tired of these politicians.

It can be used in the shape of a question to explain something that is not clear.

Vado a Panarea in estate. – I am gong to Panarea next summer
Cioè, dove? – Where?
Una piccola isola vicino alla Sicilia – It’s a small island next to Sicily

how to use servire in Italian

HOW TO USE THE VERB SERVIRE

First, let’s focus on the meaning and use of servire and how it differs from the other verbs expressing need, like dovere or avere bisogno.

Servire means to need something. You ought to use servire with a noun (a thing or a person) and never a verb (an action). When using servire, you imply that something is necessary or useful.

For example,

Mi servono quattro uova per fare la torta di mele – I need for eggs to make the apple pie
Ti serve il mio aiuto? – Do you need my help?

Is “SERVIRE” any different from “AVERE BISOGNO?”

This is the 1 million dollar question. Yes and no. Italians tend to prefer the use of servire over avere bisogno di. Avere bisogno is used more to emphasize the need of something. By using avere bisogno di you are pointing out that you really need that thing (e.g. ho bisogno di una vacanza al più presto!)

How to conjugate SERVIRE

As you might already have noticed, servire (and a few other verbs that I will list at the end of this post) does not follow a regular conjugation, and it’s used differently from its equivalent in English – I need.

Servire is conjugated with indirect pronouns and works similarly to the verb piacere.

The Italian translation for I need (something), is NOT io servo, but mi serve or mi servono.

Mi serve actually means is it is necessary for me.

Servire is always conjugated just with the 3rd person plural and singular. The person who needs something is denoted with an indirect object pronoun (mi, ti, gli/le, ci, vi, gli) and not with the regular subject pronouns (io, tu, lui, etc..)

What is the difference between serve and servono?

Serve is used when the thing we need is a singular entity

Mi serve una penna rossa – I need a red pen
Ti serve questo documento? – do you need this file?
Ci servono questi documenti – we need these files

Servono is used when the things or people need is a plural entity

Mi servono dei fazzoletti – I need some tissues
Non mi servono quei libri – I don’t need these books

Let’s recap…

When you say mi serve in Italian, what you say in English is “something” is needed for me/to you/to him, etc.…

Mi serve / mi servono – I need → it’s necessary for me
Ti serve / ti servono – you need → it’s necessary for you, etc..

So, mi serve del pane actually means some bread is necessary for me.

Why do we say “A MARIA SERVE…?”

When the person who needs something is denoted by a noun (and not by a pronoun), the noun must be preceded by the preposition a:

A Maria serve un tappetino da yoga – Maria needs a yoga mat
A Lucia non sono serviti quei documenti alla fine – Lucy didn’t need those files eventually

Servire in the passato prossimo

Like in the present tense, servire takes a different conjugation with the passato prossimo (and the other verbs).

The Italian for I needed is mi è servito/a or mi sono serviti/e

As you can see from the list, the past tense combines three elements:

the corresponded indirect pronouns + the auxiliary essere + the past participle of servire (servito/a/i/e)

Mi sono serviti due giorni interni per completare questo lavoro – I needed to entire days to finish this work

The auxiliary and the past participles always agree in terms of gender and number with the thing that is being needed. So, if the entity being liked is a feminine noun, you will need to make sure that the participle makes the correct agreement with the subject, for example:

Ti è servito il consiglio? – Was my advice useful to you? [did you need my advice? lit.]
Ti sono serviti i miei consigli? → Were my tips useful to you? [did you need my tips? lit.]

Servire in the PRESENT PERFECT (passato prossimo)

mi è servito/a – mi sono serviti/e
ti è servito/a – ti sono serviti/e
gli-le è servito/a – gli-le sono serviti/e
ci è servito/a – ci sono serviti/e
vi è servito/a – vi sono serviti/e
gli è servito/a – gli sono serviti/e

Servire in the IMPERFECT

mi serviva / mi servivano
ti serviva / ti servivano
gli-le serviva / gli-le servivano
ci serviva / ci servivano
vi serviva / vi servivano
gli serviva / gli servivano

Servire in the FUTURE SIMPLE

mi servirà / mi serviranno
ti servirà / ti serviranno
gli-le servirà / gli-le serviranno
ci servirà / ci serviranno
vi servirà / vi serviranno
gli servirà / gli serviranno

Servire in the PRESENT CONDITIONAL

mi servirebbe / mi servirebbero
ti servirebbe / ti servirebbero
gli-le servirebbe / gli-le servirebbero
ci servirebbe / ci servirebbero
vi servirebbe / vi servirebbero
gli servirebbe / gli servirebbero

Servire in the PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

mi serva / mi servano
ti serva / ti servano
gli-le serva / gli-le servano
ci serva / ci servano
vi serva / vi servano
gli serva / gli servano

Other verbs working similarly to SERVIRE

Severe is not the only verb using a different conjugation (also known as impersonal conjugation). There are several verbs used in conversational Italian working just like servire. For example, the very common verb piacere, but also mancare (to miss) , interessare (to be interested in), bastare (to be enough), succedere (to happen), sembrare (to seem), infastidire (to bother), rattristare (to sadden), innervosire (to make nervous).

Fermare and smettere: what’s the difference?

The difference between FERMARE and SMETTERE

Misusing or swapping the verbs fermare and smettere is one of the most frequent errors students of Italian as a second language do, and I understand why. The confusion is drove by the fact that both verbs, in English, have only one translation: stopping.

Instead, Italian has two different verbs to indicate the action of stopping. One verb is fermare, and the other one is smettere. What’s the difference between them, then? They are used with a different meaning, which depends on the nature of the action they are describing.

Let’s have a closer look..

WHEN TO USE “FERMARE”

Fermare is the action of stopping something or someone.

We can also say that the verb fermare describes a physically stopped movement by an intervention from outside.

Examples:

Ho fermato quella ragazza che mi piaceva tanto per chiederle il numero – I stopped that girl that I liked so much to ask for her phone number
Ho fermato la macchina – I stopped the car

As you might have noticed, when the action described by the verb is transitive (meaning the verb is followed by an object like la macchina or la ragazza, the verb is normal. However, if the action is intransitive (meaning that the verb does not have a direct object ), it takes the reflexive form.

Examples:

L’autobus si è fermato – the bus stopped
Mi sono fermato al bar perché c’erano i miei amici – I stopped by the bar because some friends of mine were there

WHEN TO USE SMETTERE

Smettere means stopping doing something and does not involve an idea of movement.

In short, it has the meaning of ceasing or quitting and is always followed by the preposition di and an infinitive verb.

Smettere can never be followed by a noun (ho smesso di lavoro)

Examples:

Vorrei smettere di fumare – I’d like to quit smoking
Ho smesso di lavorare per dedicarmi alla mia famiglia – I stopped working to spend more time with my family

Attenzione! Smettere has an irregular past tense: ho smesso, hai smesso, etc…

Trovare and trovarsi: find the differences

Whether you have just started your Italian learning journey or you are already a fluent Italian speaker. The moment you land in Italy, you will surely hear the Italian verb “trovare” in an array of different meanings and expressions.

Let’s un unravel the mystery about this particular verb.

#1 TROVARE = TO FIND

First things first

The most common meaning of “trovare” is “to find.”

Ho appena trovato un nuovo appartamento in centro – I have just found a new flat in the city center.

Many times “trovare” comes with different meanings. For instance, when it appears in its reflexive form: trovarsi.

What’s the difference between trovare and trovarsi?

#2 TROVARSI = WHERE ARE YOU?

Trovarsi means to find yourself, o better to find yourself in a place.

Frequently, Italians use the verb trovarsi to state or (to ask for) the location of something or someone.

Dove ti trovi? is the same as asking Dove sei?
Milano si trova in Italia – Milano is in Italy
Dove ti trovi? Mi trovo vicino alla fermata dell’autobus – Where are you? I am next to the bust station

#3 TROVARSI BENE O MALE = TO FEEL AT EASE OR NOT

Trovarsi also appears in several Italian expressions describing feelings and conditions.

Trovarsi bene o trovarsi male says that we like or don’t like a condition.

Mi trovo bene nel nuovo ufficio – I like (I feel at ease) in the new office
Mi trovo male con il nuovo capo – I don’t like (I don’t feel at ease) with the new boss.
Come ti trovi nel nuovo ufficio? – How do you like (how do you feel) the new office?
Mi sono trovata bene con la nuova istruttrice di pilates – I liked ( I felt at ease with) the new pilates instructor.

#4 TROVARSI = LET’S MEET

You can hear trovarsi in colloquial Italian conversations as a way to say “let’s meet.”

Ci troviamo alle 6 davanti al cinema, OK? – let’s meet in front of the movie theater at 6, OK?

How to master the Italian particles CI and NE

Have you learned Italian for a while? Then, I am sure you have been faced with the quirky usage of the Italian particles CI and NE (aka particelle pronominali in Italian).

And have been wondering dozens of times how to use ci and how to use ng ne.

Maybe you have also decided to neglect their use, thinking using ci e ne is not essential when speaking Italian Italian. Instead, it is. Italians throw in ci and ne in conversations all the time because it helps them be more concise and convey a message faster. That’s why mastering these two little words will take your Italian very far, other than making your Italian sounds ten times more natural when you use them. Guarantee.

Let’s break down this topic in simplified bites for you.

💡 Smart tip

To master the Italian pronouns ci and ne, you’d better learn the recurring combinations of verbs and pronouns in which they appear. For instance: ne often appears with parlare, and ci often appears in combination with pensare and credere. This will save you a lot of time and headaches 🙂

WHAT DOES THE PARTICLE “NE” MEAN?

WHEN “NE” MEANS ABOUT IT/THEM

Ne is nothing else than a pronoun. It replacing chunks of sentences introduced by di.

As previously mentioned, the best way to learn the correct usage of ci and ne is the context, or in combination with a verb. The best way to use correctly ne is to memorize the verbs that use ne as a pronoun. The most common verbs are using the pronoun ne are

parlare di – to speak about
essere sicuro di – to be sure about
avere bisogno di – to need
avere nostalgia di – to feel nostalgic

What do all these verbs have in common? They are followed by the preposition “di”.

In other words, we can say that…

The “particle NE” replaces the combination of di+ something (complemento di specificazione, in Italian) when you don’t want to repeat something that has already been mentioned.

Che pensi di Maria? – What do you think about Maria?
Che ne pensi? – What do you think about 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 a nutshell, the Italian pronoun/particle NE means (and replace) of it/of them or about it/them.

WHEN “NE” MEANS SOME

There is a second usage of the pronoun “NE”, and it occurs when ne indicates quantities and amounts and it means some of something previously mentioned.

Vuoi del formaggio? – Do you want some cheese?
Si ne voglio – I want some of it

Vuoi un pezzo di torta? – Do you a picee of cake?
No, ne voglio due! – I want two of them

In short, 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

You are using ce ne sono in Italian, to refer to something that has already been mentioned. Usually, these sentences is used as a reply to a questions starting with Quanti/e?

Quante finestre ci sono in questa stanza? – How many windows there are in this room?
Ce ne sono tre. – There are (3 of them)

WHAT’S THE POSITION OF “NE” IN A SENTENCES?

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

When ne it 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)

Note also that, when joined to ne, mi becomes me, ti becomes te, ci becomes ce, vi becomes ve and gli and le becomes glie.

me ne vado! – I am leaving!

WHAT DOES THE PARTICLE “CI” MEAN?

WHEN “CI” MEANS ABOUT IT

The use of the “particella ci” is similar to the use of ne, but CI is required with the verbs followed by prepositions a, in, su, con (while ne would replace the prepositions di)

The most common verbs using the particle CI are:

pensare a – to think about
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 pronoun ci to replace something that has already been mentioned in the conversation.

Pensi a Maria? – Are you thinking about Maria?
Ci penso – I 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

WHEN “CI” REPLACES “there”

Ci is also used with the meaning of “there”.

Sei stato a Londra? – Have you been to London?
Sì, ci sono stato – Yes, I have been there

As you can see in the above example, ci is replacing Londra in the sentence.

Italian use ci to replace the name of place that has already been mentioned

Vai a Milano ogni venerdì? – Are you coming to Milan every Friday?
Sì, ci vado – Yes, I go there

E adesso? Use it or lose it! Leave a comment and try use in or two sentences the pronouns ci and ne.

Related posts:

Indirect Object Pronouns

1 2 3 4

GRAMMAR PILLS

HOW TO USE THE (DEFINITE) ARTICLES IN ITALIAN

Gli articoli indeterminativi (definite article)

When to use the definite articles

When articles are not used in Italian

When definite articles are used in Italian but NOT in English

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ITALIAN COMMON WORDS: ANZI

WHAT DOES “ANZI” MEAN?

HOW TO USE ANZI IN SENTENCES

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FARE BENE and FARE MALE: how to use them

Fare bene and fare male

Showing approval and disapproval to someone

FARE BENE

FARE MALE

WHEN SOMETHING IS GOOD OR BAD FOR US

WHEN SAYING THAT A PART OF YOUR BODY IS ACHING

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THA PAST CONDITIONAL MOOD IN ITALIAN

What is the key difference between the present conditional and the past conditional?

The conjugation of the past conditional of the verbs “essere” and “avere”.

What are the main functions of the past conditional in Italian?

IF I WOULD HAVE: the past conditional with the If Clause

I SHOULD/ COULD HAVE DONE: the past conditional with DOVERE and POTERE

I WISH: the past conditional of PIACERE and VOLERE

The past conditional in the FUTURE IN THE PAST

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THE ITALIAN OBJECT PRONOUNS

What’s a direct object pronoun?

Stressed vs unstressed direct pronouns

The direct pronouns in the passato prossimo

What’s the position of the direct object pronoun?

The direct pronouns and the modal verbs

The direct pronouns and the infinitive

The direct pronouns and the imperative

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “IN” AND “A” IN ITALIAN

THE USE OF THE PREPOSITION “A“

THE USE OF THE PREPOSITION “IN“

Common Idioms Using The Preposition “IN”

Common Idioms Using The Preposition “A”

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The difference between ciò and cioè explained

HOW TO USE CIO’ IN ITALIAN

Examples with ciò

HOW TO USE CIOE’ IN ITALIAN

Examples with cioè

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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“

the modal verbs: imperfetto vs passato prossimo

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HO DOVUTO vs DOVEVO

Dover and other verbs whose meaning changes between the imperfetto and passato prossimo

DOVEVO / HO DOVUTO

VOLEVO / HO VOLUTO

“VOLEVO” in polite request

POTEVO / HO POTUTO

SAPEVO / HO SAPUTO

CONOSCEVO / HO CONOSCIUTO

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How to use ECCO and CIOÈ in Italian

HOW TO USE ECCO

**WHAT DOES “ANZI” MEAN?**