Italian prepositions: A, IN or DA?
ITALIAN PREPOSITIONS: A, IN OR DA?
In this lesson we’ll teach you one of the most challenging aspects of Italian grammar: how to choose between A, IN, and DA or their corresponding articulated prepositions.
Here’s our complete guide to their meanings and many usage examples.
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
First of all, why is important to learn which preposition to use? Because it’s something you need to use in almost any sentence, and it’s something that immediately elevates your Italian.
To choose which preposition to use, you should look at the following word more than at the corresponding preposition in English.
For example, in English we would say “to”, but in Italian, “to” doesn’t always correspond to “a”:
| ITALIAN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|
| Vado dal dottore | I go to the doctor |
| Vado a Roma | I go to Rome |
| Vado in Inghilterra | I go to England |
Let’s now look at each of those prepositions.
PREPOSITION “A”
The preposition “a” is used:
- Before cities, towns, and small islands:
- Before meals:
If it’s a specific occasion, you should use articulated prepositions👇🏼
| Andiamo alla cena aziendale insieme? | Shall we go to the company’s dinner together? |
| Al pranzo di ieri eravamo otto. | We were 8 at yesterday’s lunch |
- Before “destra” (right) and “sinistra” (left):
- Before verbs in the infinitive form introduced by verbs that require “a”:
- After the position prepositions “vicino”, “davanti”, “sopra”,”sotto”, “dietro”, “di fianco”
Unless “a” is followed by a personal pronoun or a proper name (as in the example above), you’ll need an articulated preposition👇🏼
| Sotto al letto c’è una scatola. | Under the bed there’s a box |
| Dietro al quadro è nascosta una cassaforte. | A safe box is hidden behind the picture |
- Pronouns or nouns towards which the action of a verb is directed:
If it’s a specific thing or person, you should use articulated prepositions👇🏼
| Ho cambiato le gomme alla mia macchina. | I changed the car tyres |
| Ho detto al signor Rossi che l’appuntamento di domani è annullato. | I told mr. Rossi that tomorrow’s appointment is canceled |
- Before many masculine nouns indicating places (in the majority of cases, you’ll need an articulated preposition):
PREPOSITION “IN”
The preposition “in” is used before:
- Nations, countries, and continents:
Countries that have a plural name (United States, United Arab Emirates…) need the articulated preposition “negli“👇🏼
| Sono andati negli Stati Uniti a trovare dei parenti. | They went to the USA to visit relatives |
- Places ending in -ia (pizzeria, farmacia, cartoleria…):
If it’s a specific place, you need to use an articulated preposition👇🏼
| Questo libro lo vendono solo nella libreria vicino all’università. | This book is sold only in the bookshop next to the University. |
- Means of transportation:
However, we say “andare a piedi” (to go by foot)
- Addresses:
- Rooms and parts of the house:
- Many feminine nouns indicating places (you’ll need an articulated preposition if it’s a specific place):
| Adoro andare in piscina | I love going to the swimming pool |
| L’anno prossimo vado in vacanza in Giappone | Next year I’m going on a holiday in Japan |
| C’è stata una rapina in banca | There was a bank robbery |
| C’è stata una rapina nella banca vicino allo stadio | There was a robbery in the bank near the stadium |
- Months:
- Time durations, to express how long it takes to do something:
PREPOSITION “DA”
Most of the time, the preposition “da” means “from”:
| Il treno arriva da Bologna | The train arrives from Bologna |
| Ho ricevuto una chiamata da Luca | I got a phone call from Luca |
| Sarò via da lunedì a mercoledì | I’ll be away from Monday to Wednesday |
It’s also used to refer to someone’s house or workplace, meaning “at” or “to”, for example:
| Sono andato da Lucia | I went to Lucia’s house |
| Da te c’è qualcuno stasera? | Is there someone at your house tonight? |
| Sono dal macellaio | I am at the butcher’s shop |
| Ho appuntamento dal dentista | I’ve got a dentist appointment |
EXCEPTIONS
The guidelines listed above can help you; however, exceptions are quite frequent. For example, we say:
| ITALIAN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|
| In ufficio | At the office |
| In centro | At the center |
| In hotel | At the hotel |
| All’università | At the university |
| A teatro | At the theatre |
| A casa | At home |
| A scuola | At school |
Another important thing to notice is that with nouns indicating places that usually require “a”, it’s also usually possible to use “in, nel, nella”… The meaning, however, is different. For example, when we say:
| ITALIAN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|
| Vado a teatro stasera | I’m going to the theater tonight |
| A scuola mi annoio | I get bored at school |
| Ho mangiato al ristorante | I ate at the restaurant |
In the sentences above, the focus is on something happening specifically inside the place. Here’s another example:
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FAQs
How do I say “in Rome” or “to Rome”?
In Italian you always use “a” before cities:
Vivo a Roma.
Vado a Roma.
How do I say “by train” or “by plane”?
With means of transportation, you should use “in” (in treno, in aereo.)
How do I choose between “in” or “a”?
There are many rules. In general, however, you use “in” with feminine places and “a” articulated prepositions with masculine places.
What difference between “a piedi” and “in piedi”?
“A piedi” means “by foot”, while “in piedi” means “standing up”.
What difference between “a casa” and “in casa”?
Both are correct. If you say “in casa”, the focus is on being inside the house.
What does “da” mean?
In the majority of cases, it means “from”. However, it can also mean “at someone’s house/workplace”.