Subject–Verb–Object in Italian Sentence Structure
Italian follows the same sentence order as English:
👉 Subject – Verb – Object (SVO)
We call this pattern SVO, for simplicity.
- The subject is the doer of the action.
- The verb is the action itself.
- The object is the receiver of the action.
For example:
(Io) compro una casa – I buy a house.
| Component | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| SUBJECT | Io | I |
| VERB | compro | buy |
| OBJECT | una casa | a house |
| Pattern | SVO* |
Omitting Subject Pronouns in Italian
And here’s where Italian differs from English.
The main difference is that Italian often omits subject pronouns.
What are subject pronouns?
In English: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
In Italian: io, tu, lui, lei, noi, voi, loro
Italian vs. English
In English, subject pronouns are necessary.
You must say:
- I work
- She buys
- We cook
In Italian, the subject pronoun is optional because the verb ending shows who is doing the action.
Examples:
- (Io) compro una casa → I buy a house
- (Lei) cucina la pasta → She/He cooks the pasta
- (Noi) prendiamo una birra → We have a beer
In all these cases, the subject (io, lei, noi) can be dropped—and the meaning stays clear.
⚠️ In English, “Buy a house” sounds like a command.
✅ In Italian, “Compro una casa” is just a normal sentence.
Omitting the subject is natural and correct in Italian!
Why Learning Conjugation Properly Is Important from Day One
That’s why we have to conjugate verbs. Conjugation tells us who is buying a house, who is cooking, and even when the action happens—past, present, or future. In other words, it shows who is doing what, and when.
Conjugating a verb correctly is the most important part of building a sentence. The verb form gives structure: it tells us who is performing the action, when it happens, and sometimes even how.
If you don’t conjugate the verb correctly, the sentence becomes confusing.
For example:
❌ Io compra una casa – This is incorrect and sounds like “I She buys a house” instead of “I buy a house.”
✅ The correct sentence is: Io compro una casa.
The Position of Adjectives in Italian
Another key difference between English and Italian is the position of adjectives. In English, adjectives usually come before the noun. In Italian, they usually come after the noun.
So when making a sentence, remember to switch the word order.
Examples:
- blue rose → rosa blu
- big house → casa grande
- small table → tavolo piccolo
How to Make a Negative Sentence
To make a sentence negative in Italian, simply place “non” before the verb.
For example:
Non parlo italiano → I don’t speak Italian
“Non” is always placed just before the verb in the sentence.
More examples:
- Non mangio carne → I don’t eat meat
- Non sono italiano → I’m not Italian
- Non mi piace → I don’t like it
Test Your Italian
Not sure what your Italian level is? I’ve created a free online Italian test to help you determine it.How to Ask Questions in Italian: English vs. Italian
In English, you often:
- Invert the subject and verb
Example: Are you from Rome? - Or use “do,” “does,” or “did” to form a question
Example: Do you live here?
These patterns clearly show you’re asking a question.
In Italian, it works differently.
- You don’t invert the verb and subject
- You don’t use “do,” “does,” or “did” — these don’t exist in Italian
To ask a question in Italian, you usually just:
- Use the normal word order (as in a statement)
- Raise the pitch of your voice at the end of the sentence
Examples:
| Sentence Component | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| (Subject) | (Tu) | (You) |
| Verb | parli | speak |
| Object | italiano | Italian |
| Question | Parli italiano? | Do you speak Italian? |
Remember to raise your voice at the end when asking a question in Italian.
More examples:
- Do they speak Italian? → (Loro) parlano italiano?
- Do you come to dinner? → (Tu) vieni a cena?
- Is she married? → (Lei) è sposata?
Once again, it’s essential to conjugate the verb correctly. That’s what helps the listener understand who you’re talking about — especially when subject pronouns are omitted.
Asking Questions with Interrogative Words in Italian
Sometimes, questions begin with interrogative words like Who, What, When, etc. In Italian, the typical word order is:
👉 Interrogative Word + Verb + Subject
The subject is often omitted if the verb is properly conjugated.
Examples:
- Che fai (tu)? → What are you doing?
- A che ora parte il treno? → What time does the train leave?
- Quando torni (a casa)? → When are you coming (home)?
Common Italian Question Words:
- Chi? – Who?
- Che? / Cosa? – What?
- Quando? – When?
- Dove? – Where?
- Perché? – Why?
- Come? – How?
- Quale / Quali? – Which?
- Quanto/a/i/e? – How much / How many?
The Position of Pronouns in Italian
Unlike English, object pronouns usually come before the conjugated verb in Italian.
Examples:
Italian word order: Subject + Object Pronoun + Verb
- Io lo capisco → I understand it
English word order: Subject + Verb + Object Pronoun
- I understand it
So, while English places the pronoun after the verb, Italian places it before the verb.
What’s a simple way to really master the Italian word order?
Here are three key tips:
1. Remember the S + V + O pattern
Start with the basic structure: Subject + Verb + Object This is the foundation of most Italian sentences.
2. Conjugate verbs correctly
This is especially important for beginners. Real spoken Italian can sound more complex, and yes—SVO is a simplified model, but it’s still a solid base.
If your verb is correct, even a basic sentence will be understood. If the verb is wrong, the rest of the sentence may become confusing—especially when it’s unclear who is doing what.
3. Read, read, read
Use Italian short stories or beginner-friendly texts. Why? Because reading exposes you to the natural flow of verbs, prepositions, and sentence structure. The more you read, the easier it becomes to form sentences naturally when you speak.
