What are CI and NE in Italian?
CI and NE are essential Italian particles (particelle pronominali) that native speakers use frequently to make their speech more concise and natural.
CI generally means:
- “there/here” (indicating location)
- “about it/on it” (referring to topics)
- “with it/with them” (replacing prepositional phrases)
NE typically means:
- “of it/of them” (indicating quantity or part of something)
- “about it/about them” (referring to previously mentioned topics)
- “from there” (indicating origin)
Mastering these particles will make your Italian sound significantly more authentic, as they’re used constantly in everyday conversation.
How to use ne
Ne has two meanings (and usages).
1. Ne pronominale (pronoun)
Ne pronominale is a pronoun that replaces something previously mentioned which was introduced by the preposition ‘di‘.
A common use of the pronoun ‘ne’ occurs in conjunction with the verb parlare. Parlare is always followed by the preposition ‘di’ (parlare di = to talk about).
For example:
- Parlo spesso di studio delle lingue – I often talk about language learning
- Ne parlo spesso – I often talk about it
‘ne’ replaces ‘di studio delle lingue’
In sentence n. 2, the function of ‘ne’ is to replace (and not to repeat) the part ‘di studio delle lingue’ from sentence n. 1.
That’s why, the easiest way to use ‘ne’ correctly is to memorize which verbs tend to use ‘ne’ as a pronoun. Those verbs are those that trigger the use of the preposition ‘di,’ like “parlare,” and some other common verbs like in the list below.
Common verbs using the pronoun “ne”
| Parlare di | To speak/talk about |
| Essere sicuro di | To be sure about |
| Avere bisogno di | To need |
| Avere nostalgia di | To feel nostalgia |
All these verbs are paired with the preposition ‘di’ in Italian. Consequently, ‘ne’ can be used to replace a sentence introduced by ‘di’ after any of these verbs. This substitution helps streamline the expression and maintain clarity in communication.
Examples:
“Pensare di” (To think of/about)
| Che pensi di Maria? | What do you think of Maria? | “Ne” replaces di Maria |
| Che ne pensi? | What do you think of her? |
“Parlare di” (To talk about)
| Noi parliamo di politica | We talk about politics | “Ne” replaces di politica |
| Ne parliamo | We talk about it |
“Avere bisogno di” (To need)
| Hai bisogno di una macchina? | Do you need a car? | “Ne” replaces di una macchina |
| No, non ne ho bisogno | No, I am not in need of it |
“Essere sicuro di” (To be sure of/about)
| Sei sicuro di quello che hai detto? | Are you sure about what you said? | “Ne” replaces di quello che hai detto |
| Sì, ne sono sicuro | Yes, I am sure about it |
2. Ne partitivo = some of it, some of them
The use of the ne partitivo occurs when ‘ne’ means “some of it,” “some of them,” and indicates quantities and amounts. This use of “ne” is often triggered by questions such as “Quanto (How much)” or “Quanti (How many)” or by the verb “volere” in sentences like “Vuoi del…? (Do you want some/any…).”
Examples:
| Vuoi del formaggio? | Do you want some cheese? | “Ne” replaces “del formaggio“ |
| Sì, ne voglio un po’ | Yes, I want some of it | |
| Vuoi una fetta di torta? | Do you want a slice of cake? | “Ne” replaces “una fetta di torta“ |
| No, ne voglio due | No, I want two of them | |
| Quanti figli hai? | How many children do you have? | “Ne” replaces “figli“ |
| Ne ho due | I have two of them | |
| Quanti libri hai letto? | How many books did you read? | “Ne” replaces “libri“ |
| Ne ho letto uno | I have read just one |
In the above examples “ne” indicates some of something else (some of it or some of them).
How “Ce ne sono” is different from “ci sono”?
- Ci sono means there are
- Ce ne sono means there are some of them
In Italian, “ce ne sono” is used to refer to something that has already been mentioned. Usually, these sentences are used as a reply to a question starting with “Quanti/e?” and followed by “ci sono.”
- Quante finestre ci sono in questa stanza? – How many windows are there in this room?
- Ce ne sono tre – There are three of them
In short, ne means “of it” or “of them” or “about something or someone”.
What’s the position of ne in a sentence?
Ne usually comes before the verb (ne parlo = I speak about it), except when the verb is an imperative (order) or an infinitive.
When “ne” comes with an infinitive, the final -e of the verb is dropped.
- Voglio parlarne – I want to talk about it
- Parlane! – Talk about it! (imperative)
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What does ci mean?
Ci has several different meanings and functions in Italian.
1. Ci = there, in that place, in there
“Ci” is often used to replace locations with the meaning of “there.” We can call it a place pronoun.
In the foregoing sentences, the “ci” has been used to replacing Londra, la montagna and Milano in the answers.
| Sei stato a Londra? | Have you been to London? | “Ci” replaces a Londra |
| Sì, ci sono stato | Yes, I have been there | |
| Quando vai in montagna? | When are you going to the mountains? | “Ci” replaces in montagna |
| Ci vado domenica | I’ll go there on Sunday | |
| Vai a Milano ogni venerdì? | Are you going to Milan every Friday? | “Ci” replaces a Milano |
| Sì, ci vado | Yes, I go there |
2. Ci = us (direct and indirect pronoun)
For example,
| Ci chiami? | Can you call us? | “Ci” as a direct object pronoun |
| Ci dai una mano? | Can you give us a hand? | “Ci” as an indirect object pronoun |
| Dicci! | Tell us! | “Ci” as an indirect object pronoun |
3. Ci in Reflexive Verbs
“Ci” is also used as a reflexive pronoun in the conjugation of reflexive verbs for the first-person plural (noi).
Examples:
| Ci svegliamo | We wake up |
| Ci facciamo la doccia | We take a shower |
| Ci rilassiamo | We relax |
Note: In these examples, “ci” functions as a reflexive pronoun, indicating that the action is performed and received by the same subject (noi – we).
4. Ci = About It, On It, In It, With It
This use of the particle “ci” is similar to “ne” when followed by the preposition “di”. However, the difference is that “ci” is associated with verbs followed by the prepositions “a,” “in,” “su,” and “con”, while “ne” is associated with verbs followed by “di”.
Most Common Verbs Using “Ci”:
| Pensare a | To think about/of |
| Credere in/a | To believe in |
| Contare su | To count on |
| Andare a/in | To go to |
| Riuscire a | To manage |
| Fare caso a | To notice |
Note: These verbs use “ci” to replace prepositional phrases referring to something already mentioned in the conversation.
Examples of “Ci” in Use
1. “Pensare a” (To think about/of)
| Pensi a Maria? | Are you thinking about Maria? |
| Sì, ci penso sempre | Yes, I always think about her |
“Ci” replaces “a Maria.”
2. “Credere in” (To believe in)
| Credi in Dio? | Do you believe in God? |
| Sì, ci credo | Yes, I believe in Him |
“Ci” replaces “in Dio.”
3. “Contare su” (To count on)
| Conti su di me? | Are you counting on me? |
| Sì, ci conto | Yes, I count on you |
“Ci” replaces “su di me.”
In short, ci means “there”, “us”, “about/on/in someone or something”.
Smart Tip
An easy way to master “ci” and “ne” is to memorize the common verb + particle combinations where they frequently appear. For example:
- “Ne” is often used with parlare (to talk about).
- “Ci” is frequently used with pensare (to think about) and credere (to believe in).
This approach will save you time and frustration!
Examples:
✅ Ne parliamo – We talk about it
✅ Ci penso – I’ll think about it
✅ Ci credo – I believe it
✅ Ci vado – I’ll go there
For simplicity, all verbs are in the first-person singular of the present tense.
Lì or Ci?
Lì or ci are often mixed up by students.
The reason for this is that lì can also mean there. However, it has a whole different function in the sentence.
Lì (or là ) is an adverb of place and not a pronoun, like “ci.”
Lì doesn’t have the function of replacing a place it has mentioned before, but it does have the function of specifying where something is.
For example,
- Il gatto è lì = The cat is there (here, use of the adverb)
- Vado là = I’m going over there (here, use of the adverb)
- Ci vado = I’m going there (here, pronoun: “ci” means in that place that was mentioned previously in the conversation)
Pronominal verbs with ‘ci’ and ‘ne’
There are a number of verbs in Italian known as “verbi pronominali” that incorporate ne, ci or both. Some examples of pronominal verbs are:
| Tenerci | To care/to be attached |
| Andersene | To go away |
| Riuscirci | To manage/succeed |
| Farcela | To make it/to succeed |
This a rather advanced topic. If you have a good level of Italian you can learn about the pronominal verbs in the next article. If you’re a beginner or intermediate learner, you can skip it for now.
