Menu

Italian Grammar

The Italian Indirect Object Pronouns Explained 

The Italian Indirect Object Pronouns Explained 

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

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

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

What is a pronoun?

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

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

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

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

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

What makes indirect pronouns different from direct pronouns?

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

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

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

That’s important to notice: 

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

Examples of phrases using DIRECT pronouns

La mangio sempre – I often eat it

Li chiamo sempre – I always call them

L’ho cucinato oggi – I cooked it today

Examples of phrases using INDIRECT pronouns

Le mando una mail – I send her an email 

Ti voglio bene – I love you

Gli telefono tutti i giorni – I call them every today


Direct pronouns and indirect pronouns: the difference explained 

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

Direct Pronouns (pronomi diretti)

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

  • Compro il latte – I buy the milk (What are you buying? Milk!)
  • Lo compro – I buy it [“lo” and “it” replace “il latte”] 
  • Vedi Luigi? – Do you see Luigi? (Who are you seeing? Luigi!)
  • Sì, lo vedo – I see him [“lo” and “him” replace “Luigi”]
  • Preferiamo la cucina italiana – we prefer Italian food (What food do we prefer? Italian food!)
  • La preferiamo – we prefer it [“la” and “it” replace “la cucina italiana”]
Typical verbs using a direct object are all those verbs which answer the questions “what?” or “who?”. For example, comprare qualcosa, mangiare qualcosa, leggere qualcosa, ascoltare qualcuno, vedere qualcuno, incontrare qualcuno etc.
 

Indirect pronouns (pronomi indiretti)

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

  • Mando una mail a Marco – I’m sending to Marco a letter (To whom am I sending an email? To Marco!)
  • Gli mando una lettera – I’m sending to him a letter [“gli” replaces “a Marco”]
  • Insegno italiano agli studenti  – I teach to students Italian (To whom am I teaching Italian? To my students!)
  • Gli insegno l’italiano – I to teach them Italian [“gli” replaces “agli studenti”]
  • Do una mano a Lucia  – I give to Lucia a hand (To whom am I giving a hand ? To Lucia!)
  • Le do una mano – I give to her a hand [“le” replaces “a Lucia”]
Typical verbs using an indirect object are all those verbs which answer the questions “for whom?” or “to whom?”. For example, chiedere a qualcuno, dire a qualcuno, telefonare a qualcuno, scrivere a qualcuno, etc.
 

Smart tip 

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

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

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

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

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

For example:

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

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

Other examples:

  • Ho detto a Luisa di comprare il pane – I said to Luisa that she should buy some bread 
  • Le ho detto di comprare il pane – I said to her that she should buy some bread 
  • Ho prestato la bicicletta a te la settimana scorso – I lent the bike to you last week
  • Ti ho prestato la bici la settimana scorso – I lent you the bike last week
  • Ho telefonato a Lucia e Michele – I phoned (to) Lucia e Michele
  • Gli ho telefonato – I phoned them
  • Scrivi sempre a Marco? – Do you write often to Marco?
  • Gli scrivi sempre? – Do you write to him often?

You should also know that…

  • Unlike in English, the pronouns usually precede the verb.
  • Some verbs, like piacere, such as: interessare, succedere, sembrare, servire, bastare, use indirect object pronouns in their conjugations.
  • The pronouns are attached at the end of the verb in its infinitive, gerund, and imperative form.

English vs. Italian pronouns: main differences

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

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

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

Examples:

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

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

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

You should also know that…

  • Unlike in English, the pronouns usually precede the verb.
  • Some verbs, like piacere, such as: interessare, succedere, sembrare, servire, bastare, use indirect object pronouns in their conjugations.
  • The pronouns are attached at the end of the verb in its infinitive, gerund, and imperative form.

English vs. Italian pronouns: main differences

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

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

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

Examples:

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

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

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

What’s the position of the pronouns in Italian?

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

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

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

Indirect Pronouns and Modal Verbs 

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

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

Examples:

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

Indirect Pronouns and Imperative Form 

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

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

Examples 

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

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

The Imperative Form

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

       

Indirect Pronouns Exercises

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

The mysterious combination of the pronoun ci and the verb avere

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Examples:

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

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

 

2. Avercela con qualcuno – to be mad at someone 

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

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

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

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

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

The other meanings of the particle “ci” 

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

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

No books found. Please add one.

Italian Pronominal Verbs (Verbi Pronominali): 9 Must-Know Rules

The Ultimate Guide to Italian Pronominal Verbs (Verbi Pronominali): 9 Must-Know Rules

1. What ‘s a pronominal verb in Italian? A pronominal verb is a type of verb in which a pronoun is used as an integral part of the verb. In Italian, a pronominal verb is a combination of a basic verb and one or more pronouns, which together create a new verb with a different meaning than the basic verb alone. For example, let’s take the verb “andare” which means “to go”. If we add the pronouns “si” and “ne” to “andare”, we create the pronominal verb “andarsene” which means “to go away” or “to leave”.

  • Me ne vado – I’m leaving, I’m going a way 

2. The pronouns attached to the infinitive of the verbs slightly or entirely change the original meaning of the verb. For example, the verb “sentire” means “to hear” in Italian. But if you add the reflexive pronouns “si” and “la” to it, as in “sentirsela”, it becomes “to feel like” or “to have the courage of doing something”.

  • Scusa, ma non me la sento di scalare quella montagna – Sorry, but I don’t feel like climbing that mountain

3. Pronominal verbs are vastly used in conversational Italian, especially in everyday speech and informal situations. As with any language, it’s important to be aware of context and the level of formality when using pronominal verbs in Italian.

Examples of pronominal verbs used in Italian slang.

  • Non ce le faccio più = I’m exausted 
  • Me ne frego = I don’t care 
  • Me la spasso  = I’m having a blast 

No books found. Please add one.

 

 

4. Italian pronominal verbs are hard 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. Pronominal verbs are easy to conjugate, yes they are. When conjugating pronominal verbs in Italian, it’s important to separate the pronouns from the infinitive form of the verb. After doing so, you can conjugate the verb as you normally would, placing the pronouns before the verb. For example, let’s take the verb “andarsene”. To conjugate it, separate the pronouns from the infinitive (in this case, “se” and “ne”), and then conjugate the verb “andare” as you normally would, placing the pronoun before the verb.

FARCELA (to manage) = FAR(E) + CE + LA

io ce la faccio

tu ce la fai

lui/lei ce la fa

noi ce la facciamo

voi ce la fate

loro ce la fanno

In the conjugation of pronominal verbs, the attached pronouns ce, ne, la do not change. However, when it comes to the pronominal verbs incorporating “se” onto the infinitive (e.g., sentirsela, bersela, andarsene), you will need to decline the “se”, which stands for the reflexive pronoun, into me, te, se, ce, ve, se. Like in the verb “andarsene” 

ANDARSENE (to leave, to go away) = ANDAR(E) + SI + NE

Io me ne vado

Ty te ne vai

Lui/ Lei se ne va

Noi ce ne andiamo

Voi ve ne andate

Loro se ne vanno

 

Most common Italian pronominal verbs list 

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 or to feel like
  • Cavarsela in + noun / A + infinitive – to be good at something or at doing something 
  • Prendersela con – to be irritated with someone 
  • Passarsela bene o 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

6. In Italian, pronominal verbs that end in “-sela” or “-sene” always require the auxiliary verb “essere” in compound tenses. Consequently, the past participle agrees with the pronoun or subject, as shown in the following examples.

  • Non me la sono sentita (agreement with the feminine pronoun la) – I didn’t have the courage (to do something)
  • Me ne sono andata (agreement with the feminine subject) – I left

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) – I didn’t manage it 
  • Me la sono presa (agreement with the feminine pronoun la) – I got upset (with something or someone) 

8. Some verbs are always matched with fixed prepositions, for example:

  • Farcela a  – to manage 
  • Sentirsela di – to have the courage to do something 
  • Avercela con – to be upset with someone 
  • Riuscire a – to be able to 
  • Smetterla di  – to stop doing something 

9. Pronominal verbs are commonly used in informal and colloquial Italian speech. Using them can make your Italian sound more natural. Here are a few examples of colloquial Italian sentences that use 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

Italian pronominal verbs and the imperative tense

When using the imperative tense to give commands or advice in Italian, a general rule of thumb is to place the pronouns after the verb and attach them 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!

Exercise (advanced)

What’s the most effective to learn Pronominal Verbs in Italian? 

The most effective way to learn how to use Italian pronominal verbs is through a technique called “shadowing“.  How does it work? First, it’s important to understand how they work and how to conjugate them correctly. Once you have a good grasp of the grammar, you’ll start listening for pronominal verbs in natural Italian conversations or reading them in context. Since many pronominal verbs don’t have a direct translation and are highly contextual, the best way to learn them is by observing how native speakers use them in different situations. In other words, learning with visual and contextual examples can be very beneficial


Italian Phrases and Words to Use At Restaurant

Italian Phrases and Words to Use at a Restaurant in Italy 

On this page, you will find a list of sentences that will make your life easier when you’re at a restaurant in Italy.

Before going through the list, you might also want to know that it is customary to be seated or make a reservation, especially on weekends.

Tipping in Italy 

When it comes to paying, unlike many other countries, a tip is not expected because it is included in the bill under the voice “coperto.” However, if the service was excellent, you can leave a tip to show your satisfaction.

Types of restaurants in Italy 

There are mainly fou different types of restaurants, in Italy:

  1. Ristorante: This is a place where you can expect full service, a touch of gourmet, a professional staff, and higher prices. It’s the place to experience more sophisticated food. The atmosphere should also be more sophisticated.

  2. Trattoria: Less pricey and less formal than a restaurant, a trattoria is usually a family-owned business. It’s the place to enjoy traditional and comforting Italian food. The atmosphere is usually rustic.

  3. Pizzeria: In Italy, a pizzeria works just like any other restaurant. You make a reservation for a table and then order from the menu. Often, antipasti are also served.

  4. Rosticceria (mainly in the South of Italy): This is an informal takeaway place with few or no tables, where Italians love to buy ready-to-eat comfort fried food such as arancini, calzoni, mozzarelle in carrozza, and the likes.

Reserving a table on the phone (Prenotare un tavolo al telefono)

Vorrei prenotare un tavolo per… – I would like to book at table for…

  • domani sera alle 19 – tomorrow night at 7 pm

  • domani a mezzogiorno  – tomorrow at midday

  • domani alle 13  – tomorrow at 1 pm 

  • il 27 aprile alle 20

The person on the other end of the phone might also ask you:

  • Per quante persone? – for how many people? 
  • Mi lascia un recapito telefonico? – can you leve with me your phone number?
  • Il suo nome per favore? – your name, please

 At the restaurant (al ristorante) 

  • Posso avere il menù? –  Can I have the menu? 
  • Posso vedere il menù? –  Can I see the menu? 
  • Potrei avere la carta dei vini? –  Could I have the wine list?
  • Potrei avere il menù dei dolci?  – Could I have the dessert menu?
  • Avete un menù per bambini? –  Do you have a children’s menu?
  • Avete un menù del giorno? –  Do you have a daily menu?
  • Qual è il piatto del giorno? –  What is the dish of the day?
  • Sul menù c’è ‘un antipasto della casa’, che cos’è? – On the menu I read ‘Antipasto della casa’, what is it?

Ordinare (Ordering) 

Per me / Prendo / Vorrei… (I’ll have)

Per cominciare, prendo… (to start with, I’ll have)

Come antipasto, prendo… (as a starters, I’ll have)

Come primo, prendo… (as first course, I’ll have)

Come secondo, prendo… (as first course, I’ll have)

  • Una porzione di… (a portion of)
  • Un piatto di.. (a dish of)
  • Una fetta di.. (a slice of)
  • Un pezzo di.. (a piece of)

How to order meat in Italian 

If the waiter asks you “Come preferisce la cottura della carne,”? (How would you like your meat cooked?), you should answer like this:

  • (carne) al sangue – rare meat
  • (carne) poco cotta  – medium rare
  • (carne) ben cotta  – well-done meat

Asking questions to the waiters 

Scusi, mi può portare (del pane? Una bottiglia d’acqua? Dell’olio? ) – Excuse-me, could I have some…(bread? A bottle of water? Some olive oil?)

Cosa mi consiglia? – What would you recommend me? 

Cosa ci consigliate? – What would you recommend us? 

Sono allergico (or allergica) – I am allergic..

  • ai latticini – to dairy products 
  • al glutine – gluten 

Sono vegetariano – I am a vegetarian 

Sono vegano – I am a vegan

Non mangio carne di maiale  – I don’t eat pork

Questions a waiter might ask you 

  • Siete pronti per ordinare? – Are you ready to order?
  • Avete già prenotato? – Have you reserved a table?
  • Posso portarvi da bere? – Can I get you something to drink?
  • L’acqua gasata o naturale? – The water sparkling or still?
  • Ha qualche allergia/intolleranza? – Do you have any allergies/intolerances?

Complaints (lamentele)

  • La pizza è bruciata – the pizza is burned
  • L’insalata è scondita – the salad is undressed
  • La zuppa è fredda – the salad is cold
  • La pasta è fredda – the pasta is cold
  • C’è ancora molto da aspettare? – is our food long?
  • Stiamo aspettando da troppo tempo – we are waiting too long

Pagare e il conto (paying and the bill)

Il conto, per favore – The bill, please

Paga in contanti o con carta? – Do you pay cash or by card?

Pagate insieme o separatamente? – Do you pay all together or separately?

Posso pagare con carta di credito? – Can I pay by credit card?

Dividiamo il conto  – Les’s split it

Cosa che potresti sentire in un ristorante 
  • Posso offrirle un caffè o un amaro? – Can I buy you an espresso or a liquor?
  • Il pranzo /la cena è di vostro gradimento? – Did you like the meal?
  • Tutto apposto? – Was everything alright?
  • Vuole qualcos’altro? No grazie – Do you want anything else?


The Reflexive Verbs in Italian

The Italian Reflexive Verbs: A Guide 

What’s a Reflexive Verb in Italian?

Reflexive verbs are verbs that require a reflexive pronoun in their conjugation and their default form (the infinitive). The reflexive pronoun reflects the action of the verb back to the subject. For example:

  • Svegliarsi = to wake oneself up
  • Divertirsi = to have fund
  • Arrabbiarsi = to get mad 

Reflexive verbs are the same as regular verbs, with the exception of the reflexive pronoun. The only difference is that reflexive verbs have the reflexive pronoun “so” added to the end of the infinitive form.

How Do You Conjugate Reflexive Verbs in Italian?

To conjugate reflexive verbs in Italian, follow these steps:

  1. Remove the “si” from the end of the infinitive form of the verb.
  2. Add an “e” to the infinitive form. 
  3. Conjugate the verb as any other regular verb 
  4. Don’t forget to use the corresponding reflexive pronouns  for the subject in front of the conjugated verb.
For example, to conjugate the reflexive verb “lavarsi” (to wash oneself):
 
  1. Remove the “si” ending → lavar 
  2. Add an “e” to the end→ lavar+ e = LAVARE
  3. Conjugate “lavare” (in any tense you want!)
  4. Add the reflexive pronouns (mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si) in front of the conjugated forms.
Lavarsi (to wash oneself) 
io mi lavo – I wash myself 
tu ti lavi – you wash yourself 
lui si lava – he washes himself
lei si lava – she washes herself 
noi ci laviamo – we wash ourselves 
voi vi lavate – you wash yourselves 
loro si lavano – they wash themselves 
 

Another way to conjugate reflexive verbs in Italian is to drop the last four letters of the infinitive form and add the appropriate conjugation endings.

For example, the reflexive verb “divertirsi” (to have fun) becomes “divert” as the root verb, and the conjugation endings can be added, such as:

Divertirsi – to have fun 
io mi diverto – I have fun
tu ti diverti – you have fun
lui si diverte – he has fun 
noi ci divertiamo  – we have fun
voi vi divertite – you have fun
loro si divertono – they have fun
 
 
Most Common Italian Reflexive Verbs
The vast majority of Italian verbs are not reflexive, however, there are more reflexive verbs in Italian than in English. This is a list of the most common ones.
 
  • Svegliarsi — to wake [oneself] up
  • Alzarsi – to get up
  • Lavarsi – to wash oneself
  • Pettinarsi – to comb one’s hair
  • Sedersi – to sit down
  • Sentirsi – to feel
  • Spogliarsi – to undress
  • Addormentarsi – to fall asleep
  • Truccarsi – to put on make-up
  • Farsi la doccia – to take a shower
  • Chiamarsi – to be named
  • Laurearsi – to graduate (from university)
  • Diplomarsi – to graduate (from school)
  • Allenarsi – to work out
  • Impegnarsi – to work hard
  • Ubriacarsi – to get drunk
  • Farsi la barba – to shave
  • Innamorarsi – to fall in love
  • Lamentarsi  – to complain
  • Stressarsi – to get stressed
  • Innervosirsi – to get nervous
  • Ammalarsi – to get sick
  • Vestirsi – to get dressed
  • Annoiarsi – to get bored
 

 

Italian Reflexive Verbs & the Past Tense 

This is an intermediate grammar topic, so if you are a beginner, you can skip it for now.

Italian grammar is made up of simple tenses and compound tenses.

A simple tense is a simple verb (made of just one verb, e.g., the present simple), while a compound tense is a verb made of a combination of a helping verb (auxiliary verb) and another verb, the past participle (e.g., the past perfect). 

When a reflexive verb appears in a compound form, for example, the past tense, the auxiliary will always be “essere”. 

To conjugate reflexive verbs into the past tense in Italian, follow this pattern:

  • Subject 
  • Reflexive pronoun (mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si)
  • Helping verb (essere)
  • Past participle

For example, the past tense (passato prossimo) of the verb “divertirsi”, “lavarsi” and “svegliarsi” would be 

Io mi sono divertito – I had fun

Ti sei lavato/a – you washed yourself 

Ci siamo svegliati/e – we woke up 

The same pattern applies for all of the other compound tenses (e.g. past perfect, compound future, past conditional, past subjunctive, etc.). In all of the compound forms, the helping verb will always be essere.

Also remember that, using essere as a helping verb implies that the past participle has to agree with the gender and number.

The pattern for conjugating reflexive verbs into other compound tenses, such as the past perfect, compound future, past conditional, past subjunctive, etc., remains the same. The auxiliary verb will always be “essere”.

It’s important to note that when using “essere” as the auxiliary verb, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.

For example, in the past perfect tense:

  • Io mi ero lavato (I had washed myself)
  • Tu ti eri lavato (You had washed yourself)
  • Lui/Lei si era lavato (He/She had washed himself/herself)
  • Noi ci eravamo lavati (We had washed ourselves)
  • Voi vi eravate lavati (You had washed yourselves)
  • Loro si erano lavati (They had washed themselves)

When are the reflexive pronouns added onto the infinitive?

In Italian, reflexive pronouns are often appended onto infinitives to indicate that the subject of the sentence is performing the action on itself. This is particularly common with modal verbs and verbs that are followed by prepositions (e.g., finire di, smettere di, continuare a, etc.).

For example, in the sentence “Voglio svegliarmi presto domani,” the reflexive pronoun “mi” is added to the end of the infinitive “svegliare”. Similarly, in the sentence “Devo smettere di arrabbiarmi per le piccole cose,” the reflexive pronoun “mi” is added to the end of the infinitive “arrabbiare”.

In Italian, when certain verbs like “voglio” (I want) and “smettere di” (to stop) are followed by an infinitive, the infinitive cannot be conjugated, but the reflexive pronoun must still be declined to match the subject of the sentence.

More examples, 

  • Continuiamo a rilassarci – We keep relaxing
  • Hai finito di lamentarti – Are you done complaining? 

In both of these examples, the reflexive pronoun is added to the end of the infinitive to express a reflexive action, even though the infinitive cannot be conjugated.

Reflexive Verbs and Negative Sentences 

The “non” always precedes the reflexive pronouns. For example:

  • Non mi diverto – I’m not having fund
  • Non mi sono arrabbiata – I didn’t get mad 

Other Conjugations of Reflexive Verbs

Present → io mi diverto, tu ti diverti, lui/lei si diverte, noi ci divertiamo, voi vi divertite, loro si divertono

Present Perfect (passato prossimo) → mi sono divertito/a, tu ti sei divertito/a, lui si è divertito/ lei si è divertita, noi ci siamo divertiti/e, voi vi siete divertiti/e, loro si sono divertiti/e

Imperfect → io mi divertivo, tu ti divertivi, lui/lei si divertiva, noi ci divertivamo, voi vi divertivate, loro si divertivano 

Future Simple → io mi divertirò, tu ti divertirai, lui/lei si divertirà, noi ci divertiremo, voi vi divertirete, loro si divertiranno

Present Conditional → io mi divertirei, tu ti divertiresti, lui/lei si divertirebbe, noi ci divertiremmo, voi vi divertireste, loro si divertirebbero 

Present Subjunctive → io mi diverta, tu ti diverta, lui/lei si diverta, noi ci divertiamo, voi vi divertiate, loro si divertano 

Imperative (formal) → si diverta! 

In a few cases, the reflexive pronouns are attached to the end of the verb.

Imperative (informal)→ divertiti!

Gerund → divertendomi, divertendoti, divertendosi, divertendoci, divertendovi, divertendosi   

Infinitive → mi piace divertirmi, ti piace divertiti, gli/le piace divertirsi, ci piace divertirci, vi piace divertirvi, gli piace divertirsi

Reflexive Verbs and Parts of the Body

When using reflexive verbs with parts of the body, possessive pronouns are usually not used as it sounds redundant.

A common mistake in Italian language is to include possessive pronouns when not necessary when using reflexive verbs with parts of the body. For example: 

  • Mi lavo le mia faccia – I wash my face (WRONG)
  • Mi lavo la faccia – I wash my face (CORRECT)
  • Mi lavo i miei capelli  – I wash my hair (WRONG)
  • Mi lavo i capelli – I wash my hair (CORRECT)
  • Mi faccia la mia barba – I shave (WRONG)
  • Mi faccio la barba – I shave (CORRECT)

No books found. Please add one.

Does English Have Any Reflexive Verbs?

Yes! Like enjoying oneself or hurting oneself. And it’s worth noting that English reflexive verbs are also reflexive verbs in Italian. 

  • Enjoying oneself → divertirsi
  • Hurting oneself → farsi male

However, most times, there’s no correspondence, and what is a non-reflexive verb in English is a reflexive one in Italian.

An interesting trend is that many verbs that use “get” in English are translated with a reflexive verb in Italian: For instance,

  • To get angry → arrabbiarsi
  • To get married → sposarsi
  • To get sick → ammalarsi
Conoscere and Sapere: The Difference Explained

Conoscere and Sapere: The Difference Explained

What’s 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) uses only one verb, the verb “to know,” to cover knowledge’s meaning in all possible forms.

Instead, 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 between the two of them is. 

How To Use Conoscere

Conoscere means to be acquainted with something or someone: a topic, a person, a place, or a subject. It’s used with people, places or things and means having good knowledge of something or someone because you have previously experienced it.

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

Conoscere is always followed by a noun.

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 – 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
 

How To Use Sapere 

The counterpart of “conoscere” is sapere. Sapere means to be aware of something. It means knowing a fact, an event, or a piece of information.

It’s usually used to ask for a piece of information or report it. That’s why sapere would often appear in conjunction with the chunks che / a che ora / quando / come / dove / se / perché.

For example,

  • Sai che Maria si è sposata? – Do you know that Maria got married?
  • Sai che Marco ha avuto un bambino? – Do you know that Marco had a baby?
  • Sai che ore sono? – Do you know what time it is?
  • Sai quando parte il treno? – Do you know at what time the train is leaving?
  • Sapete dov’è Maria? – Do you (guys) know where Maria is?
  • Non so come cucinare questo piatto? – I don’t know how to cook this dish
Sapere as a modal verb (sapere vs. potere)

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?
  • Sai nuotare? – Can you swim?

As you can see from the examples, English uses the verb “can” in these types of sentences, which often leads native English speakers to use the verb “potere” when they translate into Italian. This is wrong. Saying puoi parlare has a different meaning from sai parlare. 

Let’s have a look at it

  • Puoi parlare in Italiano? means that you’re asking someone to speak in Italian
  • Sai parlare italiano? means that you’re asking someone if he speaks Italian 
  • Puoi cucinare? means that you’re asking someone to cook
  • Sai cucinare? means that you’re asking someone if he can cook. 
 

More uses 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 like cinnamon 
Mi sa che…
  • Mi sa che rimango a casa stasera – I think I’ll stay home tonight
  • Mi sa che non cucino oggi, sono troppo stanca – I think I won’t cook today, I’m too tired.

“Mi sa” is an invariable chunk. In fact, we CAN’T use it with different pronouns.

You can practice the difference between conoscere and sapere and other difficult grammar topics with these excellent textbooks.

         

Exercices

No books found. Please add one.

The Italian Present Conditional

The Present Conditional in Italian: How To Use It 

The conditional is a verb form that is the equivalent of the English pattern ” would + any verb”, when it’s used to express a wish or possibility. In other words, the conditional is used to express what you would do if, ask something politely, make requests seem less assertive, or make suggestions in a way that is more polite. 

For example:

  • Viaggerei di più se avessi più tempo libero – I would travel more if I had more free time
  • Al posto tuo, cambierei lavoro – In your place, I would change jobs 
  • Dovresti studiare di più  – You should study more 

Italian vs. English

While in English the conditional form is expressed by two entities (the auxiliary “would” + verb), the same idea is expressed by only one word in Italian.

For example:

  • I would do → Farei
  • We would travel → Viaggeremmo
  • They would go → Andrebbero 
  • I would be → Sarei 

The regular conjugation of the present conditional

"ARE" verbs "ERE" verbs "IRE" verbs
parler-ei ripeter-eidormir-ei
parler-estiripeter-esti dormir-esti
parler-ebberipeter-ebbedormir-ebbe
parler-eremmoripeter-emmedormir-emmo
parler-ereste ripeter-erestedormir-este
parler-erebbero ripeter-ebbero dormir-ebbero

The irregular conjugation of the present conditional

andare, andr -ei, esti, ebbe, emmo, este, ebbero
essere, sar -ei, esti, ebbe, emmo, este, ebbero
vedere, vedr-ei, esti, ebbe, emmo, este, ebbero
avere, avr - ei, esti, ebbe, emmo, este, ebbero
dovere, dovr - ei, esti, ebbe, emmo, este, ebbero
fare, far - ei, esti, ebbe, emmo, este, ebbero
sapere, sapr - ei, esti, ebbe, emmo, este, ebbero
rimanere, rimar - ei, esti, ebbe, emmo, este, ebbero
bere, berr-ei, esti, ebbe, emmo, este, ebbero
volere, vorr- ei, esti, ebbe, emmo, este, ebbero

Common mistakes 

One of the most frequent errors I observe in my classes is that students automatically translate the simple form “would” using the verb vorrei. However, the translation of vorrei is “I would like,” not “would.” Vorrei is the only conditional form of the verb “volere.”

  • Vorrei → I would like
  • Vorrei viaggiare → I would like to travel
  • Viaggierei → I would travel


Vorrei, Potrei, Dovrei: 3 very important conditional forms 

There are verbs whose conditional forms are very common, which are the conditional forms of the modal verbs volere, potere, and dovere. 

The conditional form of volere is 

Vorrei, vorresti, vorrebbe, vorremmo, vorreste, vorrebbero 

This is a verb that is translated as “I would like, you would like, etc.” or “I wish, you wish, etc..“

It’s also a form to use when we want to make an invitation.

For example:

  • Vorresti venire a cena domani?  – Would you like to come to dinner tomorrow? 
  • Vorreste fare un viaggio in Africa con noi?  – Would you like to travel to Africa with us?

The conditional form of potere is

Potrei, potresti, potrebbe, potremmo, potreste, potrebbero 

This verb is translated as ” I could” or “I would be able“

This form of the conditional is especially used to ask something politely or make a request less assertive.

  • Potreste ripetere? – Could you repeat?
  • Potresti mandarmi un’ email? – Could you send me an email? 

The conditional of dovere, which is

Dovrei, dovresti, dovrebbe, dovremmo, dovreste, dovrebbero 

This verb corresponds to the English “I should, you should, etc.”  and it’s used especially to give suggestions.  

  • Dovresti dormire di più – You should sleep more 
  • Non dovresti mangiare così tanti dolci – You shouldn’t eat so many sweets 

All of these verbs are followed by infinitive verbs (non conjugated verbs). 

The present conditional in an “if clause”

The present conditional in also used in the  “if clauses” together with the subjunctive forms.  

For example,

  • Se avessi più tempo, studierei di più – If I had more time, I would study more
  • Se vivessi al mare, ci andrei tutti i giorni – If I lived by the sea, I would go there every day


mentre and durante

Mentre vs. Durante: the difference explained 

MENTRE

Mentre is a conjugation that is always followed by a verb.

In English, the equivalent of mentre is “while.”

This word always requires the use of a verb conjugated in the present, past, or future.

Mentre and the past

A note goes to the use of the past with “mentre”.

As mentre implies the ongoing duration of action over a period of time, the right past tense to use is the “imperfect tense”. As a result, “mentre” can never be followed by a passato prossimo. 

  • mentre mettevo in ordine la stanza, ascoltavo un Podcast – while tidying up the room, I was listening to a podcast.
  • mentre il professore spiegava, prendevo appunti – while the professor was explaining the lesson, I was taking notes 
  • mentre cucinavo, ho ricevuto una telefonata – while I was cooking, I got a phone call

English vs. Italian

Unlike in English, “mentre” can’t ever be followed by a gerund form. If in English it’s OK to say “while doing something”, in Italian it’s not possible and you’ll need to conjugate the verb.

Using a gerund verb form after “mentre” is a typical mistake English speakers make when speaking Italian.

For example, the phrase “while taking a walk, I listen to a Podcast” is correctly translated into Italian with “mentre faccio una passeggiata, ascolto un Podcast” and not with “mentre facendo…”

DURANTE 

Durante is a preposition and is the equivalent of during in English. It is always followed by a noun (and never by a verb).

  • Durante la cena, guardo la tv – during dinner, I watch TV 
Mentre vs. durante 
 

Let’s compare the use of mentre (+ verb) and durante (+noun) in the following sentences  

  • Mentre passeggiavo, ho raccolto dei mirtilli buonissimi – While I was walking around, I picked some yummy blueberries 
  • Durante la passeggiata, ho raccolto dei mirtilli buonissimi – During the walk, I picked some very good blueberries
  • Mentre cenavamo, abbiamo parlato di molte cose interessanti – While we were eating dinner, we talked about many interesting things 
  • Durante la cena, abbiamo parlato di molte cose interessanti – During dinner, we talked about many interesting things

No books found. Please add one.


 


Perché / Perciò / Siccome: The Difference Explained 

Perché / Perciò / Siccome: The Difference Explained 

Perché: why / because 

Unlike in English, perché is used in both a question and an answer in Italian. 

  • Perché hai chiamato il taxi? Perché ero in ritardo – Why did you call a cab? Because I was late. 

Perché used to indicate the cause of something and the reason why it happened.

  • Ho chiamato il taxi, perché ero in ritardo – I called a cab because I was running late
  • Non sono andata in spiaggia, perché faceva freddo – I didn’t go to the beach because it was cold 

Perciò: therefore, for that reason, so

If we invert all the foregoing sentences, we can replace perché with perciò. 

Perciò means therefore, for that reason and so.

  • Ero in ritardo, perciò ho chiamato un taxi – I was late, so I called a cab 
  • Faceva freddo, perciò non sono andata in spiaggia  – It was cold, therefore I didn’t go to the beach.

Perché vs perciò

Unlike perché, perciò expresses the consequence of something, not the cause.

Siccome: because, since, given that, as 

Another word which is worth learning to make your Italian more natural is siccome.

In Italian, we can’t start a sentence with “perché” or “perciò.“

If we want to indicate the cause of something at the beginning of a sentence, we have to use siccome.

  • Siccome ero in ritardo, ho chiamato un taxi – Since I was late, I called a taxi
  • Siccome faceva freddo, non sono andato in spiaggia – Because it was cold, I didn’t go to the beach.

I often hear English speakers default to using perché or come instead of siccome.

Why? Because in English, it makes sense to start a sentence with “because” or “as,” which, in a literal translation, defaults to perché or “come.” However, in Italian, it’s impossible. 

Saying “perché sono in ritardo ho chiamato il taxi” would be wrong.

No books found. Please add one.


Siccome vs. Perché

Just like perché, siccome expresses the cause, but perché is only used in the middle of a sentence, in a question, or in an answer. In Italian, we can’t start a phrase with “perché”. Instead, we use siccome.

In the following phrases, you can better see what I mean.

  • Ho chiamato il taxi, perché ero in ritardo – Siccome ero in ritardo, ho chiamato il taxi – I called a cab because I was late – As/since/because I was late, I called a cab 
  • Non sono andata in spiaggia, perché faceva freddo – Siccome faceva freddo, non sono andata in spiaggia  – I didn’t go to the beach because it was cold – Because, since, given that it was cold, I didn’t go the beach

Perché, and perciò and siccome can be only followed by verbs and are invariable words (they always stay the same).

The Italian impersonal form with ‘SI’

The Italian impersonal form with “SI”

In Italian, we have a simple way to make a generalization or to make a sentence where the subject is not specified: the impersonal form.

The impersonal form is made up by:

si + any verb conjugated in the 3rd person singular

for example,

  • in Italia, si + mangia bene.

This means that in Italy, we generally eat good food. 

Italian vs. English

In English, these sentences are translated by subjects such as one, they, you, or the passive voice. 

More examples of the “impersonal si”

In Italia.. – in Italy..

  • si beve buon vino – one drinks delicious wine 
  • si pranza tardi – they eat lunch late 
  • si parla italiano – they speak Italian 

Viaggiando… – by traveling…

  • si cresce – you grow
  • si cambia opinione sulla vita – you change your opinion about life 
  • si diventa più maturi – you become more mature 

The impersonal form with the verbs “DOVERE” and “POTERE” 

The Italian impersonal form is often used with the verbs dovere and potere, indicating what it’s necessary or not necessary to  or what can or cannot be done.

impersonal forms with dovere 

  • si deve – you must/need (when the subject is not specified)
  • non si deve – you must/need (when the subject is not specified)

impersonal forms with potere 

  • si può – you can (when the subject is not specified)
  • non si può – you can’t (when the subject is not specified)

Examples with these impersonal forms 

A scuola… – at school…

  • si deve studiare – you need to study 
  • non si può usare il cellulare – you can’t use your phone 
  • si deve essere puntali – one must be punctual 

 In ufficio… – at the office…

  • si deve arrivare in orario – one must arrive on time 
  • non si può mangiare davanti al pc – one can’t eat in front of the computer 
  • non si può fumare – you can’t smoke 


Use of the impersonal verb bisogna 

The forms si deve (one must/need) or non si deve (one must not), can be replaced by the impersonal verb bisogna, which is always followed by an infinitive verb and means “it’s (not) necessary.

For example:  

  • A scuola bisogna studiare – At school you have to study
  • A scuola bisogna essere puntuali – At school you have to be on time
  • A lavoro non bisogna fare tardi – Don’t be late at work 

When is “ci si” used?

Sometimes the impersonal form appears with a “ci” in front of the “si”, like in the following phrases. 

  • ci si diverte – one is having fun 
  • ci si rilassa – one is relaxing 
  • ci si sveglia!- one is waking up

But, what does “ci si” stand for? 

“Ci si” marks the impersonal form of a reflexive verb conjugated in the 3rd person. Why? Because every reflexive verb is, by nature, conjugated with a “si” in the third person singular.

  • si diverte – he/she is having fun 
  • si diverte – he/she is relaxing 
  • si sveglia – he/she Is waking up

So, if we had to say that one has fun when traveling (so, if we had to make a sentence with the impersonal form with “si” of the verb divertirsi), we would end up with two “si”: one for the impersonal form and one for the reflexive form. Like this: 

  • si si diverte 

But we don’t say that. Why? Because repeating “si si” twice would result in a cacophony (a bad sound). So, to avoid this, we replace the first “si” with a phonetic “ci”.

The resulting form is, thus, ci si:

  • ci si diverte viaggiando – when travelling, you have fun
  • ci si sveglia tardi nel weekend – over the weekend, you wake up late
  • ci si rilassa sempre la domenica – on Sunday, you always relax 

No books found. Please add one.

 


The Italian Preposition DA

The Italian Preposition “Da”

Most of the time, the Italian preposition “da” means “from,” but it can also mean “since/for,” “to,” “at,” and other things. Yes, it sounds difficult because prepositions in English and Italian do not have a binary correspondence. That is why, in my classes, I always tell my private students to learn the prepositions in context, that is, in phrases or expressions.

Da is generally used to express the following: 

Origin: I’m from 

  • Da dove vieni? – Where are you coming from? 
  • Vengo dagli Stati Uniti – I come from the United States
  • I miei cugini vengono dalla Francia – My cousins are coming from France 
  • Il treno è  arrivato da Roma – The train arrived from Rome  

As you can see, when the preposition “da” means from, frequently appears with the verb “venire” which means “to come”.

  • Venire da = to come from 

Venire da is used with cities or countries, and it’s not to be confused with “essere di”, which means the same, but it’s used only with cities.

For example:

  • vengo da Roma (city), vengo dall’Italia (country)
  • sono di Roma (city)

Time: how long? Since / For

Da is used with the meaning of for or since to indicate an action that started in the past and is continuing in the present. For example:

  • Studio italiano dal 2019 – I’ve learned Italian since 2019
  • Vivo a Roma da 5 mesi – I’ve been living in Rome for 5 months
  • Da quanto tempo conosci Marco? – How long have you known Marco?

As you can see from the foregoing phrases, the way to say “how long..?” in Italian, is with “da quanto tempo + present tense” and not with a past tense, like in English.

  • Da quanto tempo sei sposato? – How long have you been married?
  • Da quanto tempo studi italiano? – How long have you been studying Italian?

Time: through, from…to

 Da is also used with the preposition “a”, with the meaning of “from..to” or “through”

  • da martedì a venerdì – Tuesday through Friday 
  • da gennaio a febbraio – January through February 
  • dalle 10 alle 11 – 10 am through 11 am

Place (to go to someone’s place)

Going to a place, as you may know, is translated with andare in or a. However, there’s a third way to say “go to” and it’s when you are going to someone (a person) or at the place of someone. In this case, “to” is transited with the preposition “da.”

  • vado dal dentista – I’m going to the dentist.
  • vado dai miei amici – I’m going to my friends 
  • sono andato dai miei genitori – I went visiting my parents 
  • vado da Angela – I m visiting Angela (I’m going to Angela’s place)

Function, Purpose 

Da is used in a number of different compound words. In this case, da indicates the purpose of the object.

All it takes is simply memorizing the fixed expression. 

  • una camera da letto – a  bedroom
  • una sala da pranzo – a living room
  • occhiali da sole – shades
  • vasca da bagno – bath tub 
  • scarpe da tennis – basket shoes  

Value

Sometimes, da appears in expressions to indicate the value of something, and it means “worth”.

  • un gelato da 3 euro – a 3 euro gelato
  • una villa da un milione di euro  – a one million euro villa 
  • un bottiglia di vino da 100 dollari – a 100 dollar bottle of wwine 

Passive: By

In the passive forms, da is the translation of the agent “by” in English, which means the person by whom the action was carried out.

  • L’edificio è stato disegnato da Renzo Piano – The building was designed by Renzo Piano
  • Il progetto è stato finanziato dallo Stato – The project was funded by the state

Da + infinitive  

DA often appears after the Italian adverbs molto (a lot), poco (little), niente (nothing), qualcosa (something) when they are followed by an infinitive verb. 

  • Vuoi qualcosa da bere? – Would you like to have something to drink?
  • Non ho niente da fare oggi – I have nothing planned for today
  • Hai qualcosa da dirmi?  – Do you have something to tell me? 

Verbs with “da”

There are also a number of verbs which use the preposition da. 

  • dipendere da – to depends on 
  • venire da – to come from
  • partire da – to leave from 
  • proteggersi da – to protect against 
  • pretendere da – to expect from  
  • nascondersi da – to hide from
 

The articuritated prepositions are: dal, dall‘, dallo, dalla, dai, dagli, dalle

You can skip this if you’re just starting out with Italian grammar.
As you may know, in Italian, simple prepositions are distinguished from articulated prepositions. A simple preposition is a single word, such as a, di, da, su, and so on. When a simple preposition joins with a definite article, the result is an articulated preposition, such as dal, degli, sul, nella, and so on. 
Because most nouns in Italian are preceded by an article, this is a common thing in the grammar of the language, too.
 
When “da” is combined with the definite articles, it becomes
  • da + il = dal
  • da + l’ = dall’
  • da + la = dalla
  • da + lo = dallo 
  • da + i = dai
  • da + gli = dagli
  • da + le = dalle 

This is why we say 

  • Vado dal dentista – vado (da + il) dentista 
  • Studio italiano dal 2017 – studio italiano (da + il) 2017
  • Ho lezione dalle 14 alle 15 –  ho lezione (da+le) 14 (a+le) 15


The difference between: anch’io/anche a me/neanch’io/neanche a me 

The difference between: anch’io/anche a me/neanch’io/neanche a me 

Anch’io vs. anche a me

Anche means too.

Anch’io means me too.

So, what does “anche a me” mean? It means me too, too. 

They are all used in positive phrases.

Nonetheless, anch’io and anche a me, can’t be used interchangeably. 

Why?

Anche a me is used only with verbs that introduce an indirect object (from whom the “a” stems from).

Which are these verbs? 

Typically, they are all impersonal verbs, like

  • piacere – to like
  • mancare – to miss 
  • succedere – to happen
  • basta – to be enough 
  • servire – to need 

Let’s see a few examples, 

  • Ti piace la birra? – Do you like beer?
  • Sì, e a te? – yes, and you?
  • Anche a me – me too.
  • Mi manca l’Italia – I miss Italy 
  • Anche a me – me too
  • Mi serve un ombrello. – I need an umbrella 
  • Anche a me – me too

 All the foregoing verbs include the preposition “a” in the contracted indirect pronoun mi (mi means a me). So, when using anche in the phrase “me too,” we’ll need to make that implicit “a” of the pronoun, explicit. 

All the other verbs would use “anch’io”.

For instance,

  • Prendo una birra  – I‘ll have a beer 
  • Anch’io – me too
  • Vado in piazza – I’m going to the piazza
  • Anche io – me too

No books found. Please add one.



Neanch’io vs. Neanche a me

Neanche means not even.

Neanch’io means me neither.

and neanche a me means me neither, too.

They are all used in negative phrases.

 Just like anch’io and anche a me, neanch’io and neanche a me can’t be interchanged. 

Neanch’io is used with intrastive verbs that use an indirect object.

  • Non mi piace la birra – I don’t like beer 
  • Neanche a me – me neither
  • No mi è mai successo questo – it never happened to me
  • Neanche a me – me neither
  • Ti servono questi? – do you need these?
  • No. E a te? – no, do you?
  • Neanche a me – me neither

Neanch’io is used for other verbs. 

  • Oggi non vado a lavoro. – I’m not going to work today.
  • Neanch’io – me neither 
  • Non bevo caffè – I don’t drink coffee
  • Neanch’io – me neither 

The best way to learn how to use “anche a me” or “neanche a me” is by memorizing the verbs that usually trigger their use. 

This is a list of the most common ones:

  • interessare – to be interested 
  • sembrare, parare – to seem
  • capitare, accadere, accadere – to happen 
  • servire, bastare = to need
  • dare fastidio  – to bother
  • importare – to care 

For example,

  • Mi interessa la politica – I’m interested in politics 
  • Anche a me – me too
  • Non mi importa – I don’t care
  • Neanche a me – me neither 
How to use the verb mettersi

How to use the verb METTERSI

Mettersi is an Italian verb that non-native speakers may struggle with. It is, nevertheless, commonly used in everyday Italian, and you may want to learn how to use it. 

First of all, you might be familiar with mettere, which simply means to put. Well, mettersi, the reflexive version of mettere, is a whole different verb with a number of different meanings. 

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

 Present Tense 

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

Passato prossimo (past tense)

  • 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 dive into the most common meanings of mettersi.
 

To put on/to wear

Mettersi is to put on or wear something in its most basic sense. 

  • Mi metto sciarpa e cappello – I’m wearing a scarf and a hat 
  • Ti metti una gonna o un vestito per la cerimonia? – Are you putting on a skirt or a dress for the reception?
  • Luca si mette gli occhiali da sole anche in inverno – Luca is wearing shades even in the winter

To start doing something 

Mettersi is also commonly used with the pattern mettersi a + infinitive verb. Mettersi indicates to begin doing something in this context. It’s very common in spoken and informal Italian.

  • Domani mi metto a dieta – Tomorrow I am starting a diet
  • Devo mettermi a pulire la casa – I need to start cleaning up 
  • Mettiamoci a lavoro – let’s get down to business

Sometimes we can use mettersi in the context of taking up a new hobby or starting a new interest, for example

  • Patrizia si è messa a studiare russo – Patrizia took up Russian
  • MI sono messa a fare yoga – I took up yoga 

To stay/to stand 

Mettersi is a colloquial Italian word that implies to stay or stand.

For example, 

  • Mettiti seduto – stay sit
  • Mettiti qui – stay here
  • Mettiti in piedi – stay still

(all the forgoing sentences are in the imperative form) 

Turning out well (or badly)

Mettersi can also be used to say that things are turning out well or badly for you in the expressions mettersi bene per and bettersi male per.

  • 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 ran out of money.
Common idiomatic expressions with mettersi

In addition, the verb mettersi appears in a number of idiomatic expressions. 

The following are the most well-known: 

  • 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 business 
  • 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 reach/contact someone

The form you have selected does not exist.

Espressioni con ESSERE & AVERE

Common expressions using ESSERE and AVERE

In Italian, the verbs “essere” and “avere” are certainly amongst the most popular ones. This is why they are widely used in many common Italian idiomatic expressions like the one following.

Bear in mind that a certain number of recurring expressions use the verb avere (to have) while English would use the verb essere (to be) and vice-versa. For instance, being hungry becomes having hunger in Italian.

The rule of thumb is to memorize the most common expressions, by making a list of the oens that use “avere” and the ones that use “essere”. 

Common expressions with “avere”

  • avere sonno: to be sleepy
  • avere fame: to be hungry
  • avere sete: to be thirsty
  • avere freddo: to be cold
  • avere caldo: to be hot
  • avere 20 anni: to be 20 years old
  • avere fretta: to be in a hurry
  • avere ragione: to be right
  • avere torto: to be wrong
  • avere successo: to be successful
  • avere fortuna: to be lucky
  • avere paura di: to be afraid
  • avere mal di pancia: to have a stomach ache 
  • avere mal di testa: to have a headache
  • aver mal di gola: to have a sore throat
  • avere la febbre: to have a fever

 

Common expressions with “essere”

  • essere in ritardo: to be late
  • essere bravo: to be good at doing something
  • essere buono: to be nice (food), to be good people
  • essere sveglio: to be awake
  • essere malato: to be sick
  • essere ammalato: to be sick
  • essere occupato: to be busy
  • essere pronto: to be ready
  • essere fidanzato: to be in relationship
  • essere sposato: to be married
  • essere felice: to be happy
  • essere triste: to be sad
  • essere depresso: to be depressed
  • essere contento: to be content 
  • essere innamorato: to be in love

The form you have selected does not exist.

1 2 3