Vado a Firenze in treno.
I am going to Florence by train.
IPA /ˈvado a fiˈrɛntse in ˈtrɛno/
Say it VAH-doh ah fee-REHN-tseh in TREH-noh
a + city, in + transport.
Lesson 11 of 16
Prepositions, People and Requests
Move around with a, in, da, di, con, senza and per, talk about people with tonic pronouns, and make requests with dare, dire and dimmi, dammi.
What you will learn
- Use the seven core prepositions with confidence
- Recognise articulated prepositions: al, alla, nel, nella, dal
- Use tonic pronouns after prepositions: con me, per te
- Conjugate dare and dire
- Make simple requests with dimmi, dammi and mi dica
- Use indirect object pronouns at an introductory level
Quick review
Say these aloud before you start. They come from earlier lessons.
- C'è un bar qui vicino? Is there a bar nearby?
- Vado spesso al cinema. I often go to the cinema.
- Mi piace la musica. I like music.
- Ho venduto la macchina. I sold the car.
- Non c'è nessuno a casa. There is nobody at home.
Theory
Seven prepositions that do the heavy lifting
Italian movement and relationships run through a small set of prepositions: a (to/at), in (in/into), da (from/at someone's place), di (of/from), con (with), senza (without), per (for/through).
Note the patterns: vado a Roma, vado in Italia, vengo da Milano, sono di Venezia, lavoro con Luca, un caffè senza zucchero, un regalo per te. Learn them in fixed chunks, not as isolated words.
- Vado a Firenze in treno. I am going to Florence by train.
- Vengo da Milano. I come from Milan.
- Un caffè senza zucchero, per favore. A coffee without sugar, please.
Articulated prepositions: a + il = al
When a preposition meets the definite article, they usually fuse: a + il = al, a + la = alla, in + il = nel, in + la = nella, da + il = dal, da + la = dalla, di + il = del.
You have already used them without noticing: vado al cinema (a + il), la casa del professore (di + il). Learn the most common ones as vocabulary: al, alla, nel, nella, dal, dalla, del, della.
- Vado al mare d'estate. I go to the seaside in summer.
- La chiave è nella borsa. The key is in the bag.
- Esco dalla stazione alle sei. I leave the station at six.
Tonic pronouns after prepositions
After a preposition, Italian uses the strong pronoun forms: me, te, lui, lei, noi, voi, loro — not mi, ti, lo, la. Vieni con me? (Are you coming with me?), Questo regalo è per te (This gift is for you).
They are easy because you mostly need me, te, lui, lei: con me, per te, con lui, da lei.
- Vieni con me? Are you coming with me?
- Questo è per te. This is for you.
- Parlo con lui domani. I will talk with him tomorrow.
dare, dire and the imperative of requests
dare (to give) and dire (to say) are irregular but short: dare — do, dai, dà, diamo, date, danno; dire — dico, dici, dice, diciamo, dite, dicono.
For quick requests, Italian uses the imperative: dimmi (tell me), dammi (give me), and the polite mi dica (tell me, formal). The -mi and -ci stick to the verb: aiutami (help me), parlami (talk to me).
- Dimmi come stai. Tell me how you are.
- Dammi il sale, per favore. Give me the salt, please.
- Mi dica, in cosa posso aiutarla? Tell me, how can I help you? (formal)
| il | la | lo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | al | alla | allo |
| in | nel | nella | nello |
| da | dal | dalla | dallo |
| di | del | della | dello |
a + il → al, in + il → nel, da + il → dal, di + il → del. Learn the chunks, not the rule tables.
| dare | dire | |
|---|---|---|
| io | do | dico |
| tu | dai | dici |
| lui / lei | dà | dice |
| noi | diamo | diciamo |
| voi | date | dite |
| loro | danno | dicono |
Both are irregular in the io form. dà carries an accent to distinguish it from da (from).
Vocabulary
Learn these words with their pronunciation. Nouns are given with their article — always learn them together.
| Italian | English | Pronunciation | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| la preposizione | preposition | /prepoziˈtsjone/ preh-poh-zee-TSYOH-neh | |
| dare | to give | /ˈdare/ DAH-reh | |
| dire | to say, to tell | /ˈdire/ DEE-reh | |
| il regalo | gift, present | /reˈɡalo/ reh-GAH-loh | |
| la chiave | key | /ˈkjave/ KYAH-veh | |
| la borsa | bag; handbag | /ˈbɔrsa/ BOR-sah | |
| il sale | salt | /ˈsale/ SAH-leh | |
| lo zucchero | sugar | /ˈtsukkero/ TSOOK-keh-roh | |
| il mare | sea | /ˈmare/ MAH-reh | |
| la stazione | station | /statˈtsjone/ stah-TSYOH-neh | |
| il treno | train | /ˈtrɛno/ TREH-noh | |
| aiutare | to help | /ajuˈtare/ ah-yoo-TAH-reh | |
| rispondere | to answer, to reply | /risˈpondere/ rees-POHN-deh-reh | |
| chiedere | to ask | /ˈkjɛdere/ KYEH-deh-reh | |
| vicino | near, close | /viˈtʃino/ vee-CHEE-noh | |
| lontano | far | /lonˈtano/ lohn-TAH-noh | |
| sopra | above, on top | /ˈsopra/ SOH-prah | |
| sotto | under, below | /ˈsotto/ SOHT-toh | |
| dentro | inside | /ˈdentro/ DEHN-troh | |
| fuori | outside | /ˈfwɔri/ FWOH-ree | |
| insieme | together | /inˈsjɛme/ een-SYEH-meh | |
| mia | mine (feminine) | /ˈmia/ MEE-ah | |
| la cosa | thing | /ˈkɔza/ KOH-zah | |
| l'amico | friend (male) | /aˈmiko/ ah-MEE-koh | |
| l'amica | friend (female) | /aˈmika/ ah-MEE-kah | |
| la festa | party, celebration | /ˈfɛsta/ FEHS-tah |
Ready-to-use phrases
Vengo da Milano.
I come from Milan.
IPA /ˈveŋɡo da miˈlano/
Say it VEHN-goh dah mee-LAH-noh
Sono di Venezia.
I am from Venice.
IPA /ˈsono di veˈnɛttsja/
Say it SOH-noh dee veh-NEHT-syah
di for origin.
Un caffè senza zucchero, per favore.
A coffee without sugar, please.
IPA /um kafˈfɛ ˈsɛntsa ˈtsukkero per favoˈre/
Say it oon kahf-FEH SEHN-tsah TSOOK-keh-roh pehr fah-VOH-reh
Questo è per te.
This is for you.
IPA /ˈkwesto ɛ per ˈte/
Say it KWEH-stoh eh pehr TEH
Vieni con me?
Are you coming with me?
IPA /ˈvjɛni kon ˈme/
Say it VYEH-nee kohn MEH
con + me, not con + mi.
Parlo con lui domani.
I will talk with him tomorrow.
IPA /ˈparlo kon ˈlui doˈmani/
Say it PAR-loh kohn LOO-ee doh-MAH-nee
Vado al mare d'estate.
I go to the seaside in summer.
IPA /ˈvado al ˈmare deˈstate/
Say it VAH-doh ahl MAH-reh dehs-TAH-teh
al = a + il.
La chiave è nella borsa.
The key is in the bag.
IPA /la ˈkjave ɛ ˈnella ˈbɔrsa/
Say it lah KYAH-veh eh NEHL-lah BOR-sah
nella = in + la.
Esco dalla stazione alle sei.
I leave the station at six.
IPA /ˈɛsko ˈdalla statˈtsjone ˈalle ˈsɛi/
Say it EHS-koh DAHL-lah stah-TSYOH-neh AL-leh SAY
dalla = da + la.
Dimmi come stai.
Tell me how you are.
IPA /ˈdimmi ˈkome ˈstai/
Say it DEEM-mee KOH-meh STY
dimmi = di' + mi.
Dammi il sale, per favore.
Give me the salt, please.
IPA /ˈdammi il ˈsale per favoˈre/
Say it DAHM-mee eel SAH-leh pehr fah-VOH-reh
dammi = da' + mi.
Mi dica, per favore.
Tell me, please. (formal)
IPA /mi ˈdika per favoˈre/
Say it mee DEE-kah pehr fah-VOH-reh
Puoi aiutarmi?
Can you help me?
IPA /ˈpwɔi ajuˈtarmi/
Say it PWOY ah-yoo-TAHR-mee
aiutarmi = aiutare + mi.
Mi può aiutare?
Can you help me? (formal)
IPA /mi ˈpwɔ ajuˈtare/
Say it mee PWO ah-yoo-TAH-reh
Ti do un regalo.
I give you a gift.
IPA /ti do um reˈɡalo/
Say it tee doh oon reh-GAH-loh
ti = to you (indirect).
Mi dai una mano?
Will you give me a hand?
IPA /mi ˈdai ˈuna ˈmano/
Say it mee DY OO-nah MAH-noh
la mano is feminine despite -o.
Ti ho detto la verità.
I told you the truth.
IPA /ti o ˈdetto la veriˈta/
Say it tee oh DEHT-toh lah veh-ree-TAH
dire → detto.
Cosa mi consigli?
What do you recommend to me?
IPA /ˈkɔza mi konˈsiʎʎi/
Say it KOH-zah mee kohn-SEE-lyee
Andiamo insieme al cinema.
Let's go to the cinema together.
IPA /anˈdjamo inˈsjɛme al ˈtʃinema/
Say it ahn-DYAH-moh een-SYEH-meh ahl CHEE-neh-mah
insieme = together.
Il regalo è per mia madre.
The gift is for my mother.
IPA /il reˈɡalo ɛ per ˈmia ˈmadre/
Say it eel reh-GAH-loh eh pehr MEE-ah MAH-dreh
Non posso uscire senza chiavi.
I cannot go out without the keys.
IPA /non ˈpɔsso uʃˈʃire ˈsɛntsa ˈkjavi/
Say it nohn POHS-soh oo-SHEE-reh SEHN-tsah KYAH-vee
Dialogues
Asking directions at the station
A traveller asks how to get to the centre.
-
Turista
Mi scusi, come arrivo al centro?
Excuse me, how do I get to the centre?
-
Impiegato
Prenda il treno per Firenze e scenda a Santa Maria Novella.
Take the train to Florence and get off at Santa Maria Novella.
-
Turista
La stazione è lontana da qui?
Is the station far from here?
-
Impiegato
No, è vicina. Dieci minuti a piedi.
No, it is close. Ten minutes on foot.
-
Turista
Perfetto, grazie mille!
Perfect, thanks a lot!
-
Impiegato
Di niente, buon viaggio!
You are welcome, have a good trip!
Asking for help at home
Leo asks a friend to help him move.
-
Leo
Ciao! Puoi aiutarmi domani?
Hi! Can you help me tomorrow?
-
Sara
Certo! Cosa devo fare?
Of course! What do I need to do?
-
Leo
Devo portare questa borsa a casa mia.
I need to carry this bag to my home.
-
Sara
Dammi un momento, arrivo subito.
Give me a moment, I will be right there.
-
Leo
Grazie! Vieni con me in macchina?
Thanks! Are you coming with me by car?
-
Sara
Sì, volentieri!
Yes, gladly!
Exercises
Answer actively — try to recall the Italian before you look at any hint.
Choose the correct preposition for cities.
Vado ___ Firenze.
Choose the correct preposition for countries.
Vado ___ Italia.
Choose the correct preposition for origin.
Sono ___ Venezia. (from)
Choose the correct pronoun.
Vieni ___ me?
Fill the gap with the tonic pronoun.
Questo è per ___. (you)
Write the correct form.
dare — io (present tense)
Write the correct form.
dire — loro (present tense)
Write the past participle.
dire — past participle
Translate into Italian.
This is for you.
Translate into Italian (informal).
Are you coming with me?
Translate into Italian.
Give me the salt, please.
Translate into Italian.
Tell me how you are.
Translate into English.
La chiave è nella borsa.
Translate into English.
Ti do un regalo.
Choose the articulated preposition.
Vado ___ mare d'estate. (a + il)
Choose the articulated preposition.
La chiave è ___ borsa. (in + la)
Tap the words in the correct order.
Build the sentence: I go to the seaside in summer.
Tap a preposition, then its meaning.
Match each preposition to its meaning.
Tap a form, then its parts.
Match each articulated form to its parts.
True or false?
Con mi is correct Italian for 'with me'.
True or false?
dà (he gives) and da (from) are different words.
Play the audio, then type exactly what you hear.
Listen and write the Italian sentence.
Play the audio, then pick the sentence.
Listen and choose the request you hear.
Say the request aloud, then reveal and rate yourself.
Dimmi come stai.
Say the request aloud, then reveal and rate yourself.
Mi può aiutare?
Speak now
Ask a partner aloud: come with me, give me a hand, tell me how you are — in both informal and formal. Then say where you go in summer and who you talk to tomorrow.
- Vieni con me? Are you coming with me?
- Dammi una mano! Give me a hand!
- Dimmi come stai. Tell me how you are.
- Mi può aiutare? Can you help me? (formal)
- Vado al mare d'estate. I go to the seaside in summer.
Lesson checkpoint
Before you move on, make sure you can do all of this without looking:
- Use a, in, da, di, con, senza and per in sentences
- Form al, alla, nel, nella, dal, dalla from memory
- Use tonic pronouns after prepositions: con me, per te
- Make a request with dimmi, dammi and mi dica
- Conjugate dare and dire
Remember this
- a (to/at), in (in/into), da (from/at someone's), di (of/from), con (with), senza (without), per (for).
- Preposition + article fuses: a+il=al, in+la=nella, da+il=dal, di+la=della.
- After prepositions use me, te, lui, lei — never mi, ti.
- dare: do, dai, dà, diamo, date, danno. dire: dico, dici, dice, diciamo, dite, dicono.
- dimmi, dammi, mi dica — the three requests for everyday life.
Go deeper: Prepositions · Articulated prepositions · Indirect object pronouns · Direct object pronouns