Do you remember the “definite article“?
We use the definite article with prepositions (they become one word). When in English you say “to/at the”, in Italian we have to say “a + article” but masculine or feminine article and singular or plural. Therefore I say: “vado a scuola” (without article), but I say also “vado all’Università” (a+l’ = all’) and “vado al ristorante” (a+il = al). Why? I’ll explain to you, but there are a lot of thing to memorize.
Before I write here the partitive and the most important space prepositions + definite articles
IL | LO | L’ | LA | I | GLI | LE | |
DI | DEL | DELLO | DELL’ | DELLA | DEI | DEGLI | DELLE |
A | AL | ALLO | ALL’ | ALLA | AI | AGLI | ALLE |
DA | DAL | DALLO | DALL’ | DALLA | DAI | DAGLI | DALLE |
IN | NEL | NELLO | NELL’ | NELLA | NEI | NEGLI | NELLE |
SU | SUL | SULLO | SULL’ | SULLA | SUI | SUGLI | SULLE |
The partitive.
I say: Vorrei DEL pane = I’d like some bread (with article because that indicates a part OF something or an indefinite quantity ) but
I say Vorrei il pane = I’d like the bread (without the preposition)
I say “vado a scuola” (without article because I speak in general), but
I say “vado all’Università” (with article because I speak about a specific type of school: a + l‘ = all‘)
“I soldi sono in tasca” (singular noun without article), but
“I soldi sono nelle tasche” (“tasche” is plural: in + le = nelle) and
“I soldi sono nella tasca dei pantaloni” (specific singular noun: in + la = nella)
“Vengo dall’Italia del Nord” (da + l’ = dall’)
“Entro dalla finestra” (da + la = dalla)
“Vado a casa di Paolo” = “vado da Paolo” (it’s a direction = “I am goin at Paolo‘s“) without article because I cannot use it before proper names, but “vado dal Dottore” (da + article because “dottore” is a common noun of person: da + il = dal)
“I soldi sono sul tavolo” (su + il = sul = on the)
Practice your Italian: exercises and music « learn Italian language said
[…] place/space prepositions; Italian “locuzioni”:some improper prepositions; Italian prepositions with definite article Exercise 01; Exercise 02; Exercise […]
SS said
Thanks , was really helpful;
How can I say “I come from” in Italian? The Italian preposition “DA” « learn Italian language said
[…] Clik here to learn the Italian prepositions with definite articles […]
Hailie bui said
sono di….(città)
for example :sono di roma means I come from roma
Monica said
Sì! o meglio: I am from Rome.
We use the verb “essere” (= to be) + “DI” (= OF)
but “venire” (=to come) + “DA” (= FROM)
Michele said
We at italianoinriviera greatly appreciate your efforts.
Gabriel Pozzi said
Thank you, It was really helpful
Isabella said
Molto grazie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!