Let's have a look at the preposition su. Its most common meaning in English is "on." As Marika has been explaining in video lessons such as this one, the simple preposition su can be combined with a definite article — in Italian, there are several forms, based on gender and quantity — to become a preposizione articolata (a preposition combined with a definite article — ("the" in English).

So to say, "on the table," instead of saying su il tavolo, we say sul tavolo. The preposition and definite article combine into one word.

Aspettate, lascio il libro sul tavolo

Wait, I'll leave the book on the table

Caption 3, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Il futuro

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This process is similar for all the different forms of definite articles in Italian.

sul = su + il

sull' = su + l'

...nubi invece sull'Umbria e sulle zone interne della Toscana.

...clouds, instead, in Umbria and in the inland areas of Tuscany.

Caption 63, Anna e Marika - in TG Yabla Italia e Meteo - Part 2

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sulla =  su + la

Allora, siamo qui con la nostra? -Chiara.

So, we're here with our... -Chiara.

Che ci risponderà a un po' di domande sulla mozzarella di bufala.

Who will answer a few of our questions about buffalo mozzarella.

Captions 1-2, Anna e Marika - La mozzarella di bufala - La produzione e i tagli - Part 2

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sullo = su + lo

Sullo sfondo potete vedere il Vesuvio

In the background, you can see Vesuvius

Caption 4, Escursioni Campane - Castello Normanno - Part 1

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sui = su + i

Allora, questa lista la scriviamo tutti insieme,

So, this list we'll all write together,

io alla lavagna e voi sui quaderni.

I on the blackboard and you in your notebooks.

Captions 10-11, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Il condizionale - Part 5

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sugli = su + gli

Multiple meanings of su

Just as in English, prepositions often have multiple meanings and su is no exception.

Su can mean "on," but also "in," sometimes:

L'ho letto sul giornale.

I read about it in the newspaper.

Caption 22, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep.2 - Part 10

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Su often means "about."

E vi racconto qualche storia semplice sul gelato, ma molto interessante.

And I'll tell you a few simple stories about ice cream, but very interesting.

Caption 10, Andromeda - in - Storia del gelato - Part 1

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Note that sometimes definite articles are used in Italian but not in English, as in the example above.

Su can mean "out of," as in the following example:

Nove volte su dieci lo fa perché ha qualcosa da nascondere.

Nine times out of ten, he does it because he has something to hide.

Caption 25, Provaci Ancora Prof! - S1E2 - Un amore pericoloso - Part 19

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An expression with su

A good expression to know is sul serio (seriously)?

Sul serio?

Seriously?

Caption 4, Marika spiega - La formazione degli aggettivi

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It can also be interpreted as "for real."

Però voglio dirti una cosa, questa è importante sul serio.

But I want to tell you something. This is important for real.

Caption 45, Francesca - Cavalli - Part 1

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Being approximate

Another way we use the preposition su is to give an approximate time, weight, or age.

Arriverò sul presto (I'll get there on the early side).

Aveva sui cinquant'anni (he was around fifty years old).

Note that in this lesson, we talked about the preposition su, but su is also an adverb meaning up, upwards. We'll talk about that in a future lesson.

Maybe you have seen or heard other uses of su we didn't mention here. Let us know!

The verb volere (to want, to desire) is a very common verb, one we learn early on, so that we can ask for things we need. It has a host of uses and different nuances of meanings you can read about if you look it up on WordReference. 

In this lesson, we will look at a particular use of this verb that uses the gerund form volendo. We have to be careful, because there is an often-used literal meaning and also a slightly skewed meaning, in which you have to know that there is negative implication included.

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Let's start off with the basic, innocent, literal use of the gerund form of volere. We can translate it as "wanting" or "wanting to." Note we don't usually translate it with the gerund in this context.

Però, volendo, possiamo usare anche un semplice coltello.

However, if we want to, we can also use a simple knife.

Caption 83, L'Italia a tavola - Culurgiones D'Ogliastra

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One handy thing about volendo, is that you don't necessarily have to talk about who wants something. It can stay nice and impersonal as in the following example. The key word in understanding volendo (as an expression), in terms of an English translation, is the conjunction if. We don't see it in the Italian, but we need it in the English translation.

Comunque il bagno è bello grande, ah.

In any case, the bathroom is nice and big, huh.

Visto che bella vasca?

Did you see what a nice tub?

Volendo, ci stanno anche due spazzolini.

If desired, there's even room for two toothbrushes.

Nel senso che, se dovesse capitare,

Meaning, that if it ever happened,

puoi lasciare qua il tuo da me. Capito?

you can leave yours here at my place. Understood?

Captions 79-83, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo

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Actually, using volendo avoids having to construct a sentence in the subjunctive and conditional moods, although in English, that is just what we would do.

E poi anche volendo,

And besides, even if I wanted to,

come faccio a trovarlo se non so dov'è?

how could I find him if I don't know where he is?

Caption 95, Provaci ancora prof! - S1E2 - Un amore pericoloso

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But often, volendo is used to imply that something isn't a great idea, nor a likely one. So in translating it, we would add, "really." If one really wanted to do something. That's the nuance in this example from Provaci ancora prof!.

Renzo bought an artist's multiple copy of a sculpture at a flea market. He's trying to explain what a multiple is to his daughter.

Però un ricco collezionista potrebbe

But a rich collector could

anche comprarseli tutti i multipli, se vuole.

also buy all the multiples if he wanted to.

Potrebbe, sì. Volendo, potrebbe.

He could, yes. If he really wanted to, he could.

Captions 45-47, Provaci ancora prof! - S1E4 - La mia compagna di banco

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It can also be in response to something someone asks you to do, but in fact, you do not want to do, but you don't want to flat out say no, either. It can mean, "If I wanted to, I could, but I don't really want to." "If you absolutely need me to do it, I will, but I don't really want to." So hidden in the verb "wanting to" is "not wanting to."

We don't have examples of this last nuance from Yabla videos (yet) ... but here is an example of a possible dialogue.

Puoi andare alla riunione al posto mio (Can you go to the meeting in my place)?
Beh sì, volendo si può anche fare... [ma non credo sia una buona idea] (I could... [but I don't think it's a good idea]).

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