How to use Italian prepositions?

In Italian, we use prepositions (e.g. di, a, da, in,...) much like we use them in English – to introduce a nounNo definition set for nounLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. or noun phraseNo definition set for noun phraseLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. that is important to a sentence, but isn’t the subjectNo definition set for subjectLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. or direct objectNo definition set for direct objectLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. of a verbNo definition set for verbLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. Just as in English, an Italian preposition can introduce nouns that give all kinds of information, about place (“in the house”), direction (“away from the store”), time (“at noon”) and more!

In this post we’ll introduce you to the main uses of the prepositions di, a, da, in, con, su, per, and tra/fra. If you’ve ever wondered why Italians ask if you want qualcosa da bere, to talk about “something to drink,” read on to find out more about these small, but important words!

The preposition di can be used to express ownership, material, age, and much more. Let’s go over all its uses.

• Possession

  To show whose something is using this structure:

  Possession

  di + Possessor

  Il cane di Giulio è simpatico.

  Giulio’s dog is nice.

• Place of original origin

  Sono di Napoli.

  I am from Naples (originally).

• Time

  Usually for repeated actions or situations:

  I negozi sono chiusi di lunedì.

  Stores are closed on Mondays.

  Want to learn more about using di to discuss time?

• Contents

  To specify the contents of something:

  Ho bisogno di una tazzina di caffè.

  I need a cup of coffee. (a cup filled with coffee)

• Material

  To describe what something is made of:

  Sono allergica alle maglie di lana.

  I am allergic to woolen sweaters.

  Tip

  We can also use in (e.g. in lana) to indicate material.

• Age

  To approximate the age of someone with a number and the word anni(years):

  Il mio vicino è un signore di settant’anni.

  My neighbor is a man in his seventies.

  Tip

  We can also say sulla settantina(about seventy) omitting anni(years). We just add the ending -ina(-ish) to the “age” number, and use the articulated prepositionNo definition set for articulated prepositionLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. sulla (su+la).

  Need a refresher on Italian articulated prepositions? Then, click the link!

• Topic

  To talk about the topic of something (a book, a conversation, etc.):

  Parlo di Giovanni.

  I am talking about Giovanni.

  Ho comprato il libro di filosofia.

  I bought the philosophy book.

• Comparison

  To mean “than” when comparing two nouns:

  Sono più alta di Maria.

  I am taller than Maria.

  Be careful! Some comparisons will use che instead! Have a look at our article on to learn Italian comparisons more!

• Authorship

  To indicate the author/artist of something:

  Il David di Michelangelo è un capolavoro.

  Michelangelo’s David is a masterpiece.

One of the most commonly used prepositions, a commonly means “to” or “at,” but it has more uses beyond these basic meanings. Here is a quick summary:

• Place and Direction

  Where something is or where it’s going:

  Abito a Venezia.

  I live in Venice.

  Want to read more about using a to talk about place and direction?

• Time

  To show when something happens:

  Arrivo alle 10:30.

  I arrive at 10:30.

  → alle = a + le(the)

  Want to read more about using a to talk about time?

• Means

  To show the way things are done:

  Lavo tutto a mano.

  I hand-wash everything.

• Manner of preparation

  To indicate how something (usually food) is prepared (a + definite articleNo definition set for definite articleLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.):

  Mi piace la pizza ai (a+i) quattro formaggi.

  I like four-cheese pizza.

• Description

  To give more information about something:

  Abito in una casa a tre piani.

  I live in a three-story house.

• Type

  To indicate the type of something:

  Cucino con la pentola a pressione.

  I cook with my pressure cooker.

• Indirect Object

  To indicate an indirect objectNo definition set for indirect objectLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. noun:

  Regalo una borsa a Maria.

  I am giving a purse to Maria.

  To find out more about indirect objects check out our post on Indirect Object Pronouns in Italian!

The preposition da is used to express place, time, and more! It’s as common as parsley in an Italian dish: ubiquitous! Here are some of its uses:

• To mean “from” a place

  Parto da Venezia.

  I leave from Venice.

  Want to learn more about using da to discuss place and direction?

• For a period of time

  Da is involved in discussing periods of time in a number of ways. It can mean “for” or “since” or “from.”

  Studio italiano da due anni.

  I have been studying Italian for two years.

  Want to learn more about using da to discuss time?

• Purpose

  To show the use of something:

  Ti piace questa tazzina da caffè?

  Do you like this coffee cup?

  → Notice the difference! da caffè(a cup for coffee)≠ di caffè(a cup of coffee)

• Cause

  To show the reason for something:

  Ho i sintomi dello stress da studio.

  I have all the symptoms of study-related stress.

• Value

  To express the worth of something:

  Hai una moneta da 1 euro?

  Do you have a one euro coin?

• Agent

  In passive sentences, da is used to indicate the agent (do-er). In English we use “by”:

  La lezione è seguita dagli studenti.

  The lecture is followed by the students.

• In expressions like “something to…” or “nothing to…”

  After an indefinite pronounNo definition set for indefinite pronounLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. like niente(nothing), nessuno(nobody), qualcosa(something), qualcuno(somebody), molto(a lot), or poco(a little), the word da introduces an infinitiveNo definition set for infinitiveLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. verb that explains what you’re trying to do with that pronoun. For example:

  indefinite pronouninfinitive verb

  Non ho niente da fare.

  I have nothing to do.

  indefinite pronouninfinitive verb

  Non ho nessuno da condonnare.

  I don’t have anybody to condemn.

  indefinite pronouninfinitive verb

  Ho qualcosa da dire.

  I have something to say.

  indefinite pronouninfinitive verb

  In questa città c’è molto da vedere.

  In this city there is a lot to see.

Here are some of the main uses of the preposition in in Italian:

• For a place or direction

  Usually for larger regions or buildings.

  Abito in Via Modigliani.

  I live in Via Modigliani.

  Want to learn more about using in to talk about place and direction in Italian?

• For a time

  Here in is used a lot like it is in English!

  In estate le giornate sono lunghe.

  In/during the summer, days are longer.

  Want to learn more about using in to talk about time in Italian?

• Means

  To show the method of doing something:

  Pago in contanti.

  I pay (in) cash.

• Material

  To describe what something is made of:

  Mi compro una giacca in pelle.

  I am buying a leather jacket.

  Tip

  We can also use di (e.g. di pelle) to indicate material.

• Manner

  To show the state of something:

  Voglio vivere in pace.

  I want to live peacefully.

You will love con as it almost always means “with” in English!

• Company

  To indicate who is with whom:

  Vado con Filippo.

  I am going with Filippo.

• Means of transportation

  To specify the vehicle used:

  Vengo con la bici.

  I am coming by bike/with my bike.

  Tip

  We can also use in for means of transport (e.g. in bicicletta).

The preposition su usually indicates the position of something, but has other uses, so keep reading!

• Position: “on”

  Il libro è sullo scaffale.

  The book is on the shelf.

  → sullo = su + lo(the)

• Approximation

  To indicate an amount, with an article and number:

  Il professore è sulla (su+la) quarantina.

  The professor is fortyish.

  → When talking about age, omit the word anni(years), and add the ending -ina(-ish) to the number indicating the age.

  Tip

  We can also use di + age (number) and the word anni:

  Il professore è di quarant’anni.

  The professor is forty years old.

• Topic

  To indicate what something is about:

  Ho letto un libro su Pirandello.

  I read a book on Pirandello.

• Ratio

  To indicate a ratio with numbers:

  Lavoro 4 giorni su 7.

  I work 4 days out of 7.

The preposition per has several uses in Italian, including:

• To mean “through” or “for” a place

  Passiamo per Napoli.

  We pass through Naples.

  → sullo = su + lo(the)

  Prendo l’aereo per Genova.

  I take the plane to Genoa.

• To mean “for” an amount of time

  Ho abitato a Pisa per 3 anni.

  I lived in Pisa for three years.

• Reason

  To explain why something happened:

  • Sono a dieta per dimagrire.

    I am on a diet (in order) to lose weight.

  • Vado per aiutarla a studiare per l’esame.

    I am going (in order to help) her study for the exam.

  Tip

  You can also say vado ad aiutarla(I am going to help her). In this case, we are stressing the future action of “going to help.” On the other hand, with per, we are emphasizing that we're going to do something because there's a particular reason (helping to study for the exam).

• Manner

  To indicate how something is being communicated or accomplished:

  Mando per email.

  I am sending it via email.

• Multiplication

  With numbers to indicate a product in a multiplication:

  Sette per tre fa ventuno.

  Seven times three is twenty one. / 7 x 3 = 21

• Opinion

  To introduce the person who has an opinion or feeling:

  Per me oggi fa troppo caldo.

  In my opinion today is way too hot.

The prepositions tra and fra are used interchangeably. They both correspond to the English “between/among” or “in.” The are used to express:

• Position

  An intermediate position relative to space:

  Abito tra/fra Pisa e Firenze.

  I live between Pisa and Florence.

• Distance

  Approximate distance to a destination:

  Tra/fra dieci chilometri arriviamo a casa.

  In about ten kilometers we will arrive home.

• Time range

  La lezione inizia tra/fra le 10 e le 10:15.

  Class starts between 10 and 10:15.

In Italian, as in English, some verbs are followed by prepositions. For example:

• Cercare di(to try (to))

  Cerco di capire.

  I try to understand.

• Aiutare a(to help)

  Aiuto a pulire.

  I help clean.

• Dipendere da(to depend on)

  Dipende dal (da+il) tempo!

  It depends on the weather!

For a lot more examples, check out this list to learn more Italian verbs with prepositions.

These small words do certainly cause big confusion, but don’t worry, here is a summary with all the uses! Keep paying attention when you hear an interesting and unusual use of a preposition like parlo al telefono(I talk on the phone), and if you want to conquer this, try these activities. Or, keep learning by trying out these two related posts:

• What are the most important prepositions of time in Italian?

• What are the most important prepositions of place and direction in Italian?