Master 9 Important Italian Prepositions + Tips for Using Articulated Prepositions

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Learning Italian prepositions is a key milestone in your journey toward fluency. These small but mighty words are essential for expressing relationships between objects, places, and people.

Italian prepositions might seem tricky since their meaning and uses often differ from English. We’ll break down the different types of prepositions in Italian, their pronunciations, and how they combine with articles—a unique feature of Italian that often challenges English speakers. 

What are Italian prepositions? 

Prepositions are among the first things to study when you learn Italian. Italian prepositions are essential words used before nouns, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, and infinitive verbs to connect them and establish relationships between them within a sentence.

Italian prepositions are invariable, meaning they don’t change form, and are often just one or two letters long—similar to English prepositions like “of,” “to,” or “in.” 

Unlike in English, Italian prepositions can merge with definite articles. And these combinations will vary depending on the gender (feminine or masculine) and number (singular or plural) of the word they precede.

Types of Italian prepositions

Italian prepositions are divided into two main types: preposizioni semplici (simple prepositions) and preposizioni articolate (articulated prepositions). 

Other words in Italian grammar can sometimes be considered prepositions depending on the context. These words are often adjectives or adverbs like dietro (behind), vicino (near), and vicino a (close to).

Preposizioni semplici (simple prepositions) in Italian

The preposizioni semplici (simple prepositions) include the nine basic prepositions used in Italian.  

These short words are fundamental building blocks in sentences. Think of them as connectors that shape the sentence, just like puzzle pieces fitting together—depending on the preposition you use, the whole picture changes!

• Siamo appena tornati a Pisa. = We just got back to Pisa.
• Siamo appena tornati da Pisa. = We just got back from Pisa.

Start by mastering the simple prepositions, and you’ll be able to form articulated prepositions logically. If you need help understanding which prepositions to use in a specific situation, setup a Rosetta Stone tutoring session with an expert Italian speaker to focus on this topic. 

Di (of/from/possessive ‘s)

The preposition di means “of/from” and can also replace the possessive apostrophe + “s” in English. It’s one of the most versatile prepositions in Italian, and you’ll use it in a wide range of sentences.

Di can be used to: 

• indicate ownership or belonging:
  • la macchina di Marco = Marco‘s car
  • il libro di Anna = Anna‘s book
• describe a material:
  • Passami una bottiglia di plastica. = Give me a plastic bottle. (Give me a bottle of plastic.)
• specify a subject:
• Questo è un libro di storia. = This is a book of history.

• tell the city someone or something is from:
  • Sono di New York. = I am from New York.
  • i famosi limoni di Napoli = the famous lemons of Naples
• specify age (when referring to the present):
  • un bambino di tre anni = a three-year-old child (a child of three years)
• indicate a.m. or p.m.:
  • alle sette di sera = at seven in the evening (at seven of the evening)

Tip: While di shows possession, da refers to the origin or movement from a place to another.

• Sono di New York. = I am from New York.
• Arrivo da New York. = I came from New York.

A (to/at/in)

The preposition a also indicates location and time, but its meaning differs from di. 

Use a to:

• indicate location:
  • Sono a casa. = I am at home.
  • La statua della Libertà si trova a New York. = The Statue of Liberty is located in New York City.
• indicate movement toward a location (often cities):
  • Domani andrò a Milano. = Tomorrow I’m going to Milan.
  • Andiamo a casa tua! = Let’s go to your house.
• indicate the recipient of an action:
  • Ho dato le chiavi a Mark. = I gave the keys to Mark.
• indicate months and specific times of the day:
  • A giugno inizia l’estate. = Summer starts in June.
  • Ci vedremo a mezzogiorno. = We’ll meet at noon.
• specify age (when referring to the past):
  • Ha dipinto il quadro a vent’anni. = He painted the picture in his 20s.

Tip: Have you ever wondered the difference between Vado a casa (I go home.) and Vado in casa (I’m going into the house.)? Understanding these subtle differences in Italian prepositions will help you sound more like a native!

Da (from/by/for/at)

The preposition da can express ideas related to movement and duration in time. It also clarifies who is doing the action in passive sentences.

Use da to describe:

• where something or someone is coming from:
  • Siamo appena tornati da Pisa. = We just got back from Pisa.
• location (referring to a person’s place):
  • La festa è da Marco. = The party is at Marco’s.
• duration of an action:
  • Vivo qui da cinque anni. = I’ve lived here for five years.
• the agent in passive sentences:
  • Il quadro è stato dipinto da un artista italiano. = The painting was painted by an Italian artist.

In (in/by/to)

Use in to pinpoint locations—especially for countries, regions, or large areas. It’s the go-to preposition when talking about really large places.

• Sono andato in Italia quest’estate. = I went to Italy this summer.
• Adesso vivo in Italia. = I live in Italy now.
• Lavoro in ufficio. = I work in the office.

Tip: To figure out whether to use in, ask yourself if the place can be physically entered. If the answer is yes, then in is the right choice.

You can also use in to:

• describe transportation:
  • Viaggio sempre in treno. = I always travel by train. 
• indicate seasons and parts of the day:
  • in inverno = in winter
  • Preferisco studiare in mattinata. = I prefer to study in the morning.
• specify materials:
  • un monumento in cemento = a concrete monument (a monument of concrete) 

Con (with)

The preposition con may be the most similar to its English counterpart, “with.” 

Use con to: 

• indicate companionship (before a given name):
  • Vado al cinema con Maria. = I’m going to the movies with Maria.
• explain how something is done (manner):
  • Parla con entusiasmo. = She speaks with enthusiasm.

Su (on/about)

The preposition su is also very similar to English, as it’s used like “on” to explain the position “on top of something.” it can also mean “about” in Italian:

• Ho lasciato il cellulare su una sedia. = I left my phone on a chair.
• Sto leggendo un libro su Leonardo Da Vinci. = I’m reading a book about Leonardo Da Vinci.

Per (for/through)

The preposition per expresses:

• purposes or goals.
  • Questo regalo è per te. = This gift is for you.
  • Studio per migliorare il mio italiano. = I study for improving my Italian.
• the duration of something:
  • Starò qui per tre giorni. = I’ll stay here for three days.
• the movement through a place:
  • Passeggiamo per il parco. = We walk through the park.

Tra and Fra (between/among)

Tra and fra mean “between” or “among” in Italian, and the good news is they are interchangeable! 

You can use either to:

• indicate the position or relationship between two things.
  • Tra il tavolo e la finestra c’è una sedia. = Between the table and the window is a chair.
• indicate time in the future.
  • Partiamo tra cinque minuti. = We leave in five minutes.
  • Ci vediamo fra una settimana. = We’ll see each other in a week.

Tip: Pick the preposition that makes the sentence sound smoother. 

• Use tra when the following word begins with an “f,” such as in tra fratelli (between brothers).
• Use fra when the following word starts with a “t,” such as in fra tanti (among many).

Choosing based on sound can help your sentences flow more naturally. 

Preposizioni articolate (articulated prepositions) in Italian

Now that you’ve got a handle on simple Italian prepositions, let’s take things up a notch with the preposizioni articolate (articulated prepositions). Articulated prepositions are formed by combining simple prepositions with Italian definite articles—essentially creating words like del (of the), al (to the), or nel (in the).

Articulated prepositions generally follow the same rules as the simple prepositions they’re based on. But they have a gender (feminine or masculine) and a number (singular or plural) determined by the word that they precede.

How to create articulated prepositions in Italian

Italian has seven definite articles, which can be either masculine or feminine and singular or plural. They all translate to “the” in English.

Each Italian article can combine with one of these five simple prepositions: di, a, da, in, and su. For example:

• di + il = del (of the)
• a + la = alla (to the)

The preposition con can be combined with articles, but these forms are used sparingly in everyday Italian. Meanwhile, per, tra, and fra remain simple prepositions and never merge with articles. 

Articulated prepositions with di

When di combines with definite articles, it turns into handy phrases like “of the” or “about the.” Use these to express possession or the origin of something.

Articulated prepositions with a

Use a with articles to make phrases like “to the” or “at the.” These phrases are perfect for talking about destinations and locations. So, if you ever get lost in Italy, you’ll use these Italian phrases a lot when asking for directions:

• Mi scusi, che strada porta al Colosseo? = Excuse me, which way to the Colosseum?
• Mi può indicare come andare alla stazione? = Can you tell me how to go to the train station?

Articulated prepositions with da

When da merges with articles, it takes on the meaning “from the” or “by the.” Just like in English, da connects you to the source—whether it’s where you’ve come from or where you’ve been for a while.

It’s also perfect for talking about how long something has been happening. 

Articulated prepositions with in

The preposition in becomes “in the” when combined with articles and helps you talk about places and locations.

Whether you’re nel cuore di Roma (in the heart of Rome) or exploring the best wineries in Tuscany, this preposition will help you describe exactly where you are.

Articulated prepositions with con

While con can sometimes combine with definite articles to create an articulated preposition, this form is less commonly used. However, in more formal or literary contexts, you may encounter phrases where con is merged with articles, such as col or coi (with the).

It’s perfectly fine in everyday Italian to use con followed by the articles:

• Ho parlato con il dottore. = I spoke with the doctor.
• Vado al parco con i bambini. = I go to the park with the kids.

Articulated prepositions with su

Think of su as your go-to for explaining what’s on top of something or what a conversation is “on” (about).

Key takeaways about Italian prepositions

You’ve just unlocked the magic behind Italian prepositions—now, it’s time to practice! The more you use them in real conversations, the closer you’ll get to fluency. Pay attention to Italian phrases where prepositions are frequently used. These can give you a better sense of how prepositions fit into everyday language.

Here’s what you have to keep in mind about these 47 magic words:

• There are two main types of prepositions in Italian. Simple prepositions stand alone, while articulated prepositions merge them with definite articles based on the gender and number of the following noun.
• In articulated prepositions, use the article lo or gli before masculine nouns starting with “s”+consonant, “z-,” “ps-,” or “gn-.”
• Always use prepositions ending with an apostrophe when followed by a vowel.