Italian prepositions are small but essential words. They connect different parts of a sentence and help us express place, time, direction, origin, possession and many other relationships.
Words such as di, a, da, in and con appear constantly in everyday Italian. However, choosing the correct one is not always easy because Italian prepositions do not correspond perfectly to English prepositions.
In this guide, you will discover the main Italian simple and articulated prepositions, understand their most common uses and learn how to avoid frequent mistakes.
If you would like to practise while reading, visit our Italian prepositions exercises.
What Are Italian Prepositions?
A preposition is a word that connects two elements of a sentence. It can indicate where something is, where someone is going, where a person comes from, when something happens or who possesses something.
Look at these examples:
- Vivo a Milano. – I live in Milan.
- Vengo da Roma. – I come from Rome.
- Il libro è di Marco. – The book belongs to Marco.
- Studio italiano con un’insegnante. – I study Italian with a a teacher.
- Partiamo per Firenze. – We are leaving for Florence.
The choice of preposition depends on the verb, the noun that follows it and the meaning of the sentence. For this reason, it is useful to learn prepositions through complete expressions rather than translating them word for word.
What Are the Italian Simple Prepositions?
The nine principal Italian simple prepositions are:
di – a – da – in – con – su – per – tra – fra
Each one can express several different relationships.
DI
The preposition di commonly expresses possession, origin, subject, material or specification.
- La macchina di Paolo. – Paolo’s car.
- Sono di Milano. – I am from Milan.
- Parliamo di cinema italiano. – We are talking about Italian cinema.
- Un tavolo di legno. – A wooden table.
A
The preposition a is frequently used with cities, destinations, times and indirect objects.
- Abito a Milano. – I live in Milan.
- Vado a scuola. – I go to school.
- La lezione comincia alle nove. – The lesson starts at nine.
- Scrivo a Maria. – I am writing to Maria.
DA
Da can indicate origin, movement from a place, the beginning of an action, a person’s home or the purpose of an object.
- Vengo da Parigi. – I come from Paris.
- Studio italiano da tre mesi. – I have been studying Italian for three months.
- Vado dal medico. – I am going to the doctor.
- Gli occhiali da sole. – Sunglasses.
IN
The preposition in is generally used with countries, regions, continents, some places and means of transport.
- Vivo in Italia. – I live in Italy.
- Andiamo in Toscana. – We are going to Tuscany.
- Sono in ufficio. – I am at the office.
- Viaggio in treno. – I travel by train.
CON
Con usually expresses company or the instrument used to perform an action.
- Esco con i miei amici. – I am going out with my friends.
- Scrivo con una penna. – I write with a pen.
- Vorrei un caffè con latte. – I would like a coffee with milk.
SU
Su can express position on a surface, a subject or an approximate quantity.
- Il libro è sul tavolo. – The book is on the table.
- Ho letto un articolo sulla cultura italiana. – I read an article about Italian culture.
- C’erano sui trenta studenti. – There were approximately thirty students.
PER
Per can indicate a destination, purpose, duration, cause or recipient.
- Parto per Roma. – I am leaving for Rome.
- Studio italiano per lavorare in Italia. – I study Italian to work in Italy.
- Resto a Milano per due settimane. – I am staying in Milan for two weeks.
- Questo regalo è per te. – This present is for you.
TRA and FRA
Tra and fra have the same meaning. They can express a position between different elements or indicate how much time must pass before something happens.
- Il bar è tra la banca e la farmacia. – The café is between the bank and the pharmacy.
- La lezione comincia fra dieci minuti. – The lesson starts in ten minutes.
- Ne parliamo tra amici. – We are discussing it among friends.
The choice between tra and fra is generally stylistic. Speakers often select the form that sounds better with the words that follow it.
Italian Articulated Prepositions
Some Italian simple prepositions combine with a definite article to form an articulated preposition.
For example:
- di + il = del
- a + la = alla
- da + gli = dagli
- in + lo = nello
- su + le = sulle
These forms agree with the gender and number of the noun:
- Il quaderno è sul tavolo.
- Le chiavi sono nella borsa.
- Andiamo alla stazione.
- Parliamo degli studenti.
The prepositions di, a, da, in and su regularly combine with definite articles. The forms col and coi, created with con, also exist, but con il and con i are commonly used in contemporary Italian. The prepositions per, tra and fra remain separate from the article.
When Should You Use A and When Should You Use IN?
The difference between a and in is one of the most common difficulties for students.
We generally use a with cities:
- Vivo a Milano.
- Studio a Roma.
- Vado a Venezia.
We generally use in with countries, regions and continents:
- Vivo in Italia.
- Vado in Lombardia.
- Viaggio in Europa.
However, some expressions must simply be learned through use:
- a casa
- a scuola
- al cinema
- in ufficio
- in banca
- in centro
Italian Prepositions with Time Expressions
Italian prepositions are also used to talk about time:
- La scuola è stata fondata nel 1986.
- La lezione comincia alle 9:00.
- Studio italiano da tre mesi.
- Ho studiato per due ore.
- Il corso inizierà tra una settimana.
Notice the difference between da and per. We use da for an action that began in the past and is still continuing. We use per to indicate the duration of a completed action or a planned period.
Common Mistakes with Italian Prepositions
Translating directly from English
The same English preposition can have different Italian translations:
- I live in Milan → Vivo a Milano.
- I live in Italy → Vivo in Italia.
- I am going to Rome → Vado a Roma.
- I am going to the doctor → Vado dal medico.
Forgetting the articulated preposition
When a definite article is required, it must combine with the preposition:
- Incorrect: Vado a il cinema.
- Correct: Vado al cinema.
Using PER instead of DA
- Incorrect: Studio italiano per tre anni, if you mean that you started three years ago and are still studying.
- Correct: Studio italiano da tre anni.
How Can You Learn Italian Prepositions?
Memorising lists can be useful, but it is not enough. Prepositions become easier when you encounter them in meaningful situations.
Try learning complete expressions such as:
- andare al cinema
- vivere in Italia
- parlare di un film
- uscire con gli amici
- studiare da tre mesi
- partire per Milano
Music, films and authentic conversations can also help you recognise how Italians use prepositions naturally. In the next articles in this series, we will practise them through the song Il primo bacio sulla Luna by Cesare Cremonini and the Italian comedy Sole a catinelle.
Test Your Italian Prepositions
Complete the sentences with the correct preposition. Remember that you may need an articulated form.
- Vivo ___ Milano, ma sono ___ Londra.
- Il libro è ___ tavolo.
- Studio italiano ___ sei mesi.
- Domani andiamo ___ cinema.
- Questo regalo è ___ mia sorella.
- La lezione comincia ___ dieci minuti.
Check the answers
- a – di
- sul
- da
- al
- per
- tra/fra
Would you like more practice? Try our interactive Italian prepositions exercises.
Learn Italian Prepositions in Context
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