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Let's Talk about the Italian Preposition A

In a previous lesson we talked about the preposition in, and in a subsequent lesson we talked about how we modify the preposition in when a definite article follows it. The preposition a works in a similar way, and sometimes means the same thing as in, but certainly not always. 

Places

A is used to refer to places, both going somewhere and being somewhere. Sound familiar? Yes. Just like in, a can mean "to" (indicating direction to a place) or "at" (indicating being in a place). Consider this short example.

 

OK, ho finito. Vado a casa (OK, I'm done. I'm going home).

Che bello! Finalmente sono a casa (How great! I'm finally home)!

 

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Note that if I say sono in casa, I imply that I am inside the house, whereas if I say sono a casa, it might mean I am at home, but outside in the garden!

 

If we look at the preposition a in the dictionary, there's a long list of meanings, or rather, uses. But in this lesson, we'll look at just a few of the most common ways you need to know how to use this preposition.

 

We also say a scuola with no article. This is similar to English.

 

Sono a scuola (I'm at school).

Sto andando a scuola (I'm going to school).

 

Although these locations without an article are exceptions, they are important ones, since most of us have a home and many of us go to school or have kids or friends who go to school. Another perhaps less crucial one is a teatro ("to" or "at the theater").

 

In most other cases regarding places, we do need a definite article after the preposition, as in:

 

A me e a Vladi piace andare a ballare la sera,

Valdi and I like to go dancing at night,

uscire con gli amici,

going out with our friends,

andare a vedere qualche bel film al cinema

going to see a good film at the movies

e fare molto sport.

and playing a lot of sports.

Captions 17-20, Adriano - la sua ragazza

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Dall'Umbria alla Toscana, il passo è breve.

From Umbria to Tuscany, it's but a short way.

Caption 2, Meraviglie - EP. 4 - Part 6

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Watch this space!

  • In the next lesson we will give you the rundown (with videoclip examples) on how we modify a when followed by a definite article, just as we did with the preposition in. However, even in this lesson, we can't avoid looking at some examples where we do use a definite article.
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  • We will also devote a specific lesson to the prickly topic of prepositions preceding cities, states, countries, and regions. Knowing when to use in and when to use a is a common challenge for those of us learning Italian, even if we have lived in Italy for years and years.

 

But for now, let's look at some other ways we use the preposition a.

Time

We use a to talk about "when" or "until when." 

For example, when we talk about "at what time" something is going to happen, we use a and in this case we use a definite article when talking about "at what time."

 

La mattina mi sveglio intorno alle otto.

In the morning I wake up at around eight o'clock.

Caption 5, Adriano - Giornata

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Why is it le otto? Isn't that plural? Yes. We use the feminine plural definite article (lebecause there's a "hidden" word: le ore (the hours). Think of a clock striking the hours. So, yes. Time, when considered by the clock, is expressed in the plural, and of course, it takes some getting used to. For more about telling time, see this video from Marika.

 

But if we are talking about noon or midnight, then it's in the singular and there is no article.

 

Io mi ricordo che a casa mia si mangiava, allora, il,

I remember that at my house we'd eat, then, the,

a mezzogiorno si mangiava: il primo,

at noon we'd eat: the first course,

la carne, il contorno e la frutta.

meat, vegetable and fruit.

Captions 33-35, L'arte della cucina - La Prima Identitá

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We also use a when we talk about until what time something will go on.

 

Sì, ma fino a mezzanotte il commissario sono io.

Yes, but until midnight, I'm the commissioner.

Caption 74, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste

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When we mention the months or a holiday, we use a:

 

Sembrava che la nebbia ci fosse

It seemed as though there was fog

anche a Ferragosto.

even at/on Ferragosto (national holiday on August 15th).

Caption 26, L'arte della cucina - L'Epoca delle Piccole Rivoluzioni

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E si possono pagare con varie rate, anche non tutte insieme.

And you can pay in various installments, not all at once.

Varie rate che scadono ogni semestre,

Different installments that are due every semester,

perché l'anno dell'u'...

because the school year...

l'anno in cui si frequenta l'università è diviso in due semestri.

the year in which you attend university is divided into two semesters.

-Il primo che va da settembre a gennaio,

-The first that goes from September to January,

e il secondo, va da? -Il secondo va da febbraio a luglio.

and the second, goes from? -The second goes from February to July.

Captions 18-22, Serena - sistema universitario italiano

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How?

And finally, we use a when we say what something is like, what something is made of, or in what way something is done. We often use "with" for this in English, or we use an adjective. This topic is addressed in the Yabla lesson: A Righe or a Quadretti?

 

We talk about olio di oliva spremuto a freddo (cold-pressed olive oil).

 

In the following example, Monica Bellucci is describing how she goes about her career. Note that since istinto (instinct) starts with a vowel, she adds a d to the a!

 

Ma io non ho una formula, guarda,

Well I don't have a formula, look,

vado a m'... vado avanti molto ad istinto.

I go... I go along very much by instinct.

Caption 47, That's Italy - Episode 1 - Part 3

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Expressions

Here are two expressions, one with a and one with in, that essentially mean the same thing. You just have to remember which is which. They are worth memorizing.

 

Ad ogni modo, mi piace tanto.

In any case, I like her a lot.

Caption 36, Adriano - la sua ragazza

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In ogni caso, anche se sapevo che era veramente una cosa folle,

In any case, even though I knew it was really a crazy thing,

ho deciso di prendere Ulisse.

I decided to take Ulisse.

Captions 28-29, Andromeda - La storia di Ulisse

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BANNER PLACEHOLDER

 

Looking forward to seeing you in the next lesson. A presto!

Being Willing with Volentieri

Volentieri is what you can say when you are willing and happy to do something. You can use it by itself as a positive, enthusiastic response: Think of volentieri as having to do with volere (to want, to want to).

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Someone asks you to dinner:

Vieni a cena domani sera?
Will you come to dinner tomorrow night?
Volentieri!
I’d love to!

 

Someone asks a favor:

 

Ehi, Lei con quella cosa rossa addosso, potrebbe aiutarmi?

Hey, you with that red thing on, could you help me?

Volentieri. Le serve qualche informazione?

With pleasure. Do you need some information?

Captions 22-23, PsicoVip - Il treno

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Grammatically, volentieri is an adverb, so you can use it alongside a verb as well. In the following example, it modifies the verb venire (to come).

 

Mia figlia ci tiene tantissimo.

It's very important to my daughter.

No, no, vorrei, volentieri, ma non posso.

No, no, I'd like to, with pleasure, but I can't.

Caption 13, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema

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In the example below, volentieri is used with the verb fare (to do, to make).

 

La fotografia è un po' il mio primo amore.

Photography is pretty much my first love.

Per cui faccio sempre volentieri delle foto con dei grandi fotografi.

So I am always happy to have photos taken by great photographers.

Captions 20-21, That's Italy - Episode 1

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It’s also used in the negative.

 

Marcello la mattina non si alza molto volentieri.

Marcello doesn't like to get up in the morning very much.

Caption 21, Fellini Racconta - Un Autoritratto Ritrovato

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Attenzione! Volentieri sounds kind of like “volunteer,” and certainly, to be a volunteer you need to be willing, but volentieri is an adverb, and modifies a verb. Note the e in volentieri.

Volontario on the other hand, (note the o in volontario), is an adjective meaning “willing,” to describe a person. It's connected to the noun la volontà (the will, the willingness). In the following example it’s in the plural, to agree with tutti (everyone).

 

Ci ha trovato tutti entusiasti e volontari!

They have found everyone to be enthusiastic and willing!

Caption 26, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP1 - Casa nuova

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Another adjective meaning pretty much the same thing is volonteroso (enthusiastically willing). Word has it that volenteroso (enthusiastically willing) is more frequent than volonteroso, but means much the same thing.

Volontario is also a noun.

 

Be', veramente io so' [sono] un volontario.

Well, actually I am a volunteer.

Caption 27, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP1 - Casa nuova

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Since Italian has no one-word equivalent of “to volunteer,” here’s how they do it:

Offrirsi volontario (to volunteer, to offer oneself as a volunteer), and what they volunteer for is often volontariato (volunteer work).

 

Just for fun:

Mi sono offerto volontario all’asilo nido, perché lavoro volentieri con i bambini. Se una persona ha tempo ed è volenterosa, c’è una vasta scelta di lavoro di volontariato di tutti tipi. I volontari non vengono pagati in soldi, bensì in sorrisi e soddisfazioni.

I volunteered at the daycare center, because I like working with children. If a person has time, and is willing, there’s a vast choice of volunteer jobs of all kinds. Volunteers don’t get paid in money, but rather in smiles and satisfaction.

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

 

We hope you read our lessons volentieri! 

Vocabulary