Let’s start today with another aspect of Italian grammar: Italian indirect pronouns.
As you will have understood by now, each article is important if you want to expand your Italian vocabulary and, at the same time, your Italian pronunciation!
Every grammatical element, as in our today’s article on indirect pronouns, is fundamental for a correct use of the Italian language and all the elements that compose it (writing, reading, pronunciation and vocabulary).
Italian indirect pronouns
First of all, let’s have a look at the classic definition of pronoun: a pronoun is a variable part of the speech used in place of a noun.
Plus, Italian pronouns can be direct and indirect and they can refer, directly or indirectly, to people or things named in speech or they can even refer to an entire sentence.
You have already read the article about direct pronouns?
https://italianlesson.it/how-to/italian-pronouns/the-italian-direct-pronouns/
Indirect pronouns replace an indirect object and are preceded by a preposition.
Indirect pronouns answer the question: to whom? To what?
Ind. pron. are:
MI (a me) – A me piace la marmellata / I like jam
TI (a te) – A te manca tanto Giulia / You miss Giulia so much
GLI (a lui) – A lui non piaceva il jazz / He didn’t like jazz
LE (a lei) – Le è piaciuto molto il sushi / She really liked the sushi
CI (a noi) – Paolo ci ha detto di stare calmi / Paolo told us to stay calm
VI (a voi) – A voi ha detto qualcosa?/ Did he say something to you?
GLI (a loro) – Gli dico che non dovrebbe andare a Roma / I tell him he shouldn’t go to Rome
LORO (a loro) – Spiega loro come devono fare / Tell them how to do it
In particular, pay attention to these exceptions!
- Indirect pronouns GLI and LORO are used differently.
GLI is used before the verb (Gli sto facendo un favore / I’m doing him a favor).
LORO is used after the verb (Dì loro cosa devono scrivere / Tell them what to write).
Moreover, Italian indirect pronouns are generally used before the verb except with modal verbs and phrasal verbs followed by the infinitive:
in this case we can choose to put the pronoun before the verb or attach it at the end of the verb.
- Modal verbs are VOLERE-POTERE-DOVERE-SAPERE
Dimmi di si / Tell me yes
- Phrasal verb + infinitive:
Ho voluto informarla su di lui / I wanted to inform you about him
Keep in mind: In English indirect pronouns can be positioned between the direct object and the verb.
Mi hai dato delle caramelle / You gave me some candies / You gave some candies to me
What if we find direct and indirect pron. in the same sentence?
Some examples with Italian direct and indirect pronouns could be:
Dario dà a me la torta – Dario me la dà / Dario gives me the cake – Dario gives it to me
In conclusion, before we let you go off to study, let’s remember the difference:
now we know that in Italian there are direct and indirect pronouns and we’ve also learned that they act in different ways.
Direct objects refer “directly” to a person or thing, Italian indirect pronouns act in reverse.
At the following link you will find a further in-depth study
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pronome
Keep on studying!