If you’ve ever studied Italian, you’ve probably realized that prepositions are one of the trickiest parts of the language. That’s because English and Italian prepositions don’t match up perfectly: there’s no neat one-to-one correspondence.
Take the preposition da, for example. Yes, it can mean “from”, but it also pops up in contexts where it means “since”, “for”, “to”, “at”, and more.
That’s why, in my classes, I always tell my students: learn prepositions in context—through real phrases and expressions—rather than memorizing direct translations.
Let’s explore the main uses of da, with examples you can start using right away.
1. Da = From
When da means from, it often appears with the verb venire (to come).
Examples:
- 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 come from France.
- Il treno è arrivato da Roma. – The train arrived from Rome.
Venire da is used with cities or countries, and it’s different from essere di (“to be from”), which is only used with cities.
- Vengo da Roma (city), vengo dall’Italia (country)
- Sono di Roma (city)
2. Da = Since / For
Use da to indicate an action that started in the past and is still continuing.
Examples:
- Studio italiano dal 2019. – I’ve been learning Italian since 2019.
- Vivo a Roma da 5 mesi. – I’ve been living in Rome for 5 months.
To ask “How long…?” in Italian, use da quanto tempo + present tense (not the past tense like in English).
- Da quanto tempo conosci Marco? – How long have you known Marco?
- Da quanto tempo sei sposato? – How long have you been married?
- Da quanto tempo studi italiano? – How long have you been studying Italian?
3. Da… a… = From… to / Through
When paired with a, da expresses a range in time or space.
Examples:
- da martedì a venerdì – Tuesday through Friday
- da gennaio a febbraio – January through February
- dalle 10 alle 11 – from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
4. Da = To (Going to Someone’s Place)
Italian usually expresses “going to” with andare a or andare in, but when you go to a person’s place, use andare da.
Examples:
- 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 to visit my parents.
- Vado da Angela. – I’m going to Angela’s place.
5. Da = Function or Purpose
In some compound nouns, da indicates the purpose of the object. These expressions are fixed, so you’ll just need to memorize them.
Examples:
- una camera da letto – a bedroom
- una sala da pranzo – a dining room
- occhiali da sole – sunglasses
- vasca da bagno – bathtub
- scarpe da tennis – tennis shoes
6. Da = Value (“Worth”)
Da can also indicate the value or worth of something.
Examples:
- un gelato da 3 euro – a 3-euro gelato
- una villa da un milione di euro – a one-million-euro villa
- una bottiglia di vino da 100 dollari – a 100-dollar bottle of wine
7. Da = By (Passive Voice)
In passive sentences, da translates the English agent “by.”
Examples:
- 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.
8. Da + Infinitive
After certain adverbs like molto (a lot), poco (little), niente (nothing), and qualcosa (something), da is followed by an infinitive verb.
Examples:
- Vuoi qualcosa da bere? – Do you want something to drink?
- Non ho niente da fare oggi. – I have nothing to do today.
- Hai qualcosa da dirmi? – Do you have something to tell me?
9. Common Verbs with “Da”
Some verbs naturally take da as their preposition:
- dipendere da – to depend 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
10. Articulated Prepositions with “Da”
When da combines with the definite article, it becomes an articulated preposition:
| DA + Definite Article | Combined Form | Example | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| da + il | dal | Vado dal dentista. | I’m going to the dentist. |
| da + l’ | dall’ | Vengo dall’ospedale. | I’m coming from the hospital. |
| da + la | dalla | Ho preso il libro dalla libreria. | I took the book from the bookstore. |
| da + lo | dallo | Vado dallo psicologo. | I’m going to the psychologist. |
| da + i | dai | Vanno dai nonni. | They’re visiting their grandparents’. |
| da + gli | dagli | Prendo il pane dagli amici. | I’m getting the bread from my friends. |
| da + le | dalle | Arrivo dalle ragazze. | I’m arriving at the girls’ place. |
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