Meanings of Italian CI (2)

Be careful: before studing this lesson, read and learn “the Italian CI (1)”

Today I’ll focus on one of the most difficult  use of “CI”.  It’s not actually difficult, but anyway you have to know and memorize  the right Italian preposition used after a verb. In fact “CI” sometimes takes  the place of a sentence  introduced by “a” or “su” or “con” or “in” (even though mostly  it takes the place of “a questo”), moreover “CI” is used  in some idiomatic phrases e.g.

Ci puoi scommettere (or puoi scommetterci)! –>  You bet!

Ci sono! = ho capito –>  I’ve got it! (I have understood)

Io ci sto!  –>  Count me in!

Contaci!  –>  Count on it!/Bank on it!

• Here I would like to give you some examples of “CI” when takes the place of the prepositions “CON” or “A”

Uscire  con A: “Quando esci con Marco?”  –> When are you going out with Marco?

B: “Ci esco domani” (“CI “ means “con” Marco) –>  I’m going out with him tomorrow

Credere a “non ci posso credere”/“non ci credo” –>  I can’t/don’t  believe  it  (the meaning depends on the context)

Pensare a “non ci penso mai” –> I never think about it

“pensaci!”  –>  Think about it

Provare a “provaci!” –>  Try to do …

“ci ho provato, ma … ” –>  I’ve tried (to do sth),  but …

Riuscire a “ci riesci?” (but also “ci riesci a farlo?”) –> do you manage to do it?

• Look at the Italian verb “Riuscirci” (riuscire + ci):

As I just told you, “CI” often substitutes an “a + something” phrase, in Italian the verb “riuscire” is followed by “a + infinitive” :

“riuscire a fare qualcosa” =  “to manage to do something”

Generally we only use “CI” to replace what has already been said, but be careful, we can use “CI” also when putting emphasis on a question.    E.g.

Monica:               Sei riuscito a impararlo? (or “Ci” sei riuscito a impararlo?”)  –>   Did you manage to learn it?
Luca:                     Sì, ci sono riuscito (a impararlo) cambiando punto di vista –>  Yes, I managed to (learn it) by changing point of view.
So here, both in Italian and in English, “to learn it / a impararlo” is not repeated in the answer, but  in Italian “CI” is required.

• Moreover, some Italian verbs used “CI” to change the meaning of the verb, for example “vederci”; “sentirci” (when we say “vedere” it means “to see” and “sentire” means “to hear” but “vederci” = to be able to see,  and “sentirci” = to be able to hear):

Vederci/sentirci “non ci vedo/sento” –>  I can’t see/hear

And also

Metterci             “ci ho messo 2 giorni” –> it took me 2 days       [but “mettere” = to put]

Volerci                 “ci vuole pazienza”  –> it takes patience           [but “volere” = to want]

 

• The difference between  “METTERCI” and “VOLERCI” –> ” it TAKES/NEED”

They are used when you would say “takes” in English in reference to the amount of time or the number of resources (like ingredients or people) needed to do something, therefore the verb is singular when the amount of time is singular and the verb is plural when the number of hours are plural.

E.g.

Ci vuole un’ora (singular)  per andare a Fiumicino –>  “It takes one hour to get to Fiumicino”

Ci vuole molto coraggio (singular) per …  –> “It takes a lot of courage to …”

Ci vogliono tre ore (plural) per andare a Firenze –>  “It takes three hours to get to Firenze”

Quante uova ci vogliono (uova is plural) per fare la torta al cioccolato?  –>  “How many eggs do you need  to make a chocolate cake?

 

But the subject of “Metterci” is the person performing the action, so…

Di solito (io) ci metto un’ora per andare a Fiumicino  –>  “Usually it takes me an hour to get to Fiumicino”

(Lui) Ci ha messo tre giorni per arrivare qui –>  “It has taken  him three days to get here”

(Loro) Ci hanno messo due ore per finire i compiti –> “It took them two hours to finish their homework”

Avete domande?

Approfondite i verbi pronominali in italiano!