Prepositions are words which stand before a noun or pronoun to create a phrase which can show place, time, or manner, e.g.:

1. under the table = sotto la tavola
2. at midnight = a mezzanotte
3. with great care = con grande cura.

There are a few common “simple” prepositions which you should know and their basic meanings are given below. Learn them!

These prepositions combine with the various forms of the definite article (il, lo, la, l', i, gli, le) to form a single word. This is a fundamental part of Italian grammar and you must know it. The table below shows you what happens when these words combine.

In combination with the article, these simple prepositions are called “articulated prepositions” — preposizioni articolate.

N.B. Be particularly careful with the preposition in which has unusual forms when combined with the article.

N.N.B Learn thoroughly the preposition di in its various combinations because this word is also the “partitive article” which is equivalent to the English word “some”. It is also the pattern for the two irregular adjectives bello and quello which, instead of having just the usual four forms, have all the possible forms of the word del.

What the table above means is that instead of saying a le ragazze (to the girls), you say alle ragazze.
Similarly, you do not say in il giardino (in the garden), but nel giardino.

Now try this exercise:

Exercise 1. Translate into English:

1. sulla tavola
2. dalla scuola
3. alla porta della chiesa
4. nel centro della città
5. sui tetti delle case
6. il nome dello studente
7. negli alberghi
8. sul pavimento
9. al cinema
10. sulla sedia nella cucina
    

To check your answers click here.

Exercise 2. Translate into Italian:

1. on the chair
2. on the table in the kitchen
3. in the bathroom
4. from the boys
5. to the hotels
6. in the drawer of the table
7. the names of the students
8. at the window of the bedroom
9. in the pupils' books — i.e. "in the books of the pupils"
10. at the end of the day

To check your answers click here.

Prepositions are awkward because they often do not correspond exactly with the equivalent propisition in the other language. There is no easy way to master them; you must simply try to remember the way they are used in Italian. It would take up too much space to give you a definitive list of the various usages which are not the same as in English, but here are a few usages which you must know:

I. The preposition a.

1. The preposition a already has three basic meanings (to, at, in) but you must know the following usages:

• Abito a Edimburgo = I live in Edinburgh [use a if you are referring to a town, otherwise use in]
• C'è un programma alla televisione = There is a programme on television.
• Non è possibile andare a piedi = It's not possible to go on foot.
• Passo le vacanze al mare = I spend my holidays at the seaside.
• Vorrei andare all'estero = I would like to go abroad.

2. The preposition a also links certain verbs to a following infinitive, such as:

3. The preposition a also links certain adjectives to a following infinitive, such as:

II The preposition da.

1. The preposition da has the same meaning as the preposition chez in French: —

  Rosaria abitava dalla nonna = Rosaria used to live at her grandmother's .

  Ho comprato del dentifricio dal farmacista. = I bought some toothpaste at the chemist's.

  C'era una festa da Franco. = There was a party at Franco's house.

2. Da is used to make an expression of time (with a verb in the present tense in Italian) to show actions or circumstances that began in the past and continue into the present: e.g.
  Carla impara l'italiano da un anno = Carla has been learning Italian for a year.
    Ti aspetto da un'ora = I have been waiting for you for an hour.

3. Da specifies the agent in a passive sentence, e.g.:
  L'inglese è parlato da quasi tutti = English is spoken by nearly everyone.
   Marcovaldo è un libro scritto da Calvino = "Marcovaldo" is a book written by Calvino.

4. Da can indicate what something is used for, e.g.:
  un campo da calcio = a football pitch
    un campo da golf = a golf course
   scarpe da sci = ski boots.

5. Da can be followed by an infinitive in expressions like:
  Non c'è niente da fare. = There is nothing to do.
  Cosa c'è da mangiare? = What is there to eat?

III The preposition su

• ascoltavo un dibatito sulla politica = I was listening to a discussion about politics.
• ho letto sul giornale. = I read in the newspaper.

IV The preposition in

1. In is used with the names of countries, states, or regions to show place, e.g.:
   Abito in Scozia = I live in Scotland.
   Molti scozzesi sono emigrati in Canada = Many Scots emigrated to Canada.

2. In is used with all methods of transport:

V The preposition di

1. Di shows possession, e.g.:

• Hai visto gli occhiali di Lucia? = Have you seen Lucia's glasses?
• Di chi sono queste scarpe? = Whose shoes are these?

2. Di shows what something is made of, e.g:

• una cravatta di seta = a silk tie
• scarpe di cuoio = leather shoes

3. Di is used to make time phrases, e.g.:

4. Di is used after some verbs like parlare, discutere, trattare to indicate the topic of discussion, e.g.:

• Non mi piace parlare di religione = I don't like talking about religion.
• Questo libro tratta del problema della droga = This book deals with the problem of drugs.

5. Di is used in expressions making comparisons, e.g.:

• Giovanni è più intelligente del fratello = Giovanni is more intelligent then his brother.
• Tu parli italiano meglio di me. = You speak Italian better than I do.

6. Di is used with the verb essere to indicate origin, e.g.:

• La mia famiglia è di Bologna = My family are from Bologna.
• Tu sei di qui? = Are you from here?

7. Di is also used after certain adjectives to link them to an infinitive verb, e.g.:

8. Di is also used after several verbs to link to a following infinitive, e.g.:

9. Di also acts as the partitive article.

BASTA ADESSO!

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