Prepositions are small words, but they carry a lot of meaning. In Italian, prepositions connect words and show relationships like place, time, cause, possession, and more.
If you are an English speaker learning Italian, you may have noticed that prepositions can be tricky. Why? Because one English preposition can have several Italian equivalents—and vice versa.
For example, in English, we say at home, in Rome, on Monday. But in Italian, it becomes a casa, a Roma, lunedì (with no preposition at all!).
Sometimes Italian uses a, and sometimes in:
- in ufficio = in the office
- a scuola = at school
I have a full lesson specifically on these two prepositions IN and A, if you are interested, click here.
Italian prepositions are very flexible. One preposition can have many meanings depending on the context:
- di means “of” (il libro di Maria = Maria’s book), “from” (sono di Londra = I’m from London), “made of” (una maglia di lana = a wool sweater), or “about” (un film di guerra = a war movie).
Many uses depend on idiomatic expressions:
- Italians say andare a piedi, but in English, we say to go on foot.
- Italians say pensare a qualcuno, but in English, we say to think of someone.
These differences don’t always follow a clear logic—you learn them best through practice.
To learn prepositions well, focus on one meaning at a time.
In this lesson, we will list their main meanings, start with the first one, and encourage you to use it in class and when you speak Italian. Then move on to the next meaning, and so on.
Let’s explore the simple Italian prepositions one by one.
DI
Main uses:
- Origin / place of belonging
- sono di Roma = I’m from Rome
- una ragazza di Milano = a girl from Milan
- Possession
- il libro di Maria = Maria’s book
- la macchina di Paolo = Paolo’s car
- Material (what something is made of)
- una maglia di lana = a wool jumper
- un anello di oro = a gold ring
- Specification
- un corso di italiano = an Italian course
- una tazza di caffè = a cup of coffee
- Quantity
- mezzo chilo di pane = half a kilo of bread
- due litri di latte = two litres of milk
A
Main uses:
- Destination / direction
- vado a Roma = I’m going to Rome
- vado a scuola = I’m going to School
- Location
- sono a casa = I’m at home
- ci vediamo al bar = we’ll meet at the bar
- Time
- a mezzogiorno = at midday
- alle tre = at three o’clock
4. Pattern/style
- fatto a mano = handmade
- un vestito a fiori = a floral dress
- una gonna a quadri = a checkered skirt
- Cooking method/preparation style
- lasagne al* forno = baked lasagna
- pesce alla* griglia = grilled fish
- verdura al vapore = steamed vegetables
* al = a + il, alla = a + la
DA
Main uses:
- Origin / provenance
- vengo da Milano = I come from Milan
- spedire un pacco da Roma = to send a parcel from Rome
2. Going to someone’s place
- vado dal* medico = I’m going to the doctor
- vado dal meccanico = I’m going to the mechanic
- ceniamo dai* miei genitori = we’re having dinner at my parents’ place
* dal = da + il, dai = da + i
3. Time / duration (started in the past and still going on)
- studio italiano da due anni = I’ve been studying Italian for two years
- da ieri = since yesterday
- Purpose / function
- sala da pranzo = dining room
- occhiali da sole = sunglasses
- tazza da caffé = coffee cup
- scarpe da ginnastica = trainers
IN
Main uses:
- Location
- sono in ufficio = I’m in the office
- vivono in Italia = they live in Italy
- Movement into a place
- vado in Italia = I’m going to Italy
- entrare in casa = to go into the house
- Means of transport
- viaggio in treno = I travel by train
- andare in bici = to go by bike
- Time (months, seasons, years)
- in estate = in summer
- in gennaio = in January
- nel* 2020 = in 2020
*nel = in + il
SU
Main uses:
- Position on a surface
- il gatto è sul tavolo = the cat is on the table
- appendere un quadro sul muro = to hang a picture on the wall
- Topic / subject
- un libro su Leonardo = a book about Leonardo
- una lezione sulla storia = a lesson about history
- Approximation
- costa sui dieci euro = it costs about ten euros
- ci saranno sui cinquanta invitati = there will be about fifty guests
CON
Main uses:
- Company / accompaniment
- esco con un amico = I go out with a friend
- abitare con i genitori = to live with one’s parents
- Means / instrument
- scrivo con la penna = I write with a pen
- tagliare con le forbici = to cut with scissors
- Manner / attitude
- parlare con calma = to speak calmly
- guardare con attenzione = to look carefully
PER
Main uses:
- Recipient
- un regalo per te = a gift for you
- un bacio per Davide = a kiss for Davide
- Duration
- parto per tre giorni = I leave for three days
- abbiamo parlato per due ore = we talked for two hours
- Movement through / across
- camminare per la città = to walk through the city
- passare per il parco = to go through the park
- Cause / reason
- piangere per la gioia = to cry for joy
- essere punito per un errore = to be punished for a mistake
TRA / FRA
They are interchangeable; choose based on sound. For example, Italians often use tra if the next word begins with f, and fra if the next word begins with t.)
Main uses:
- Between
- tra due amici = between two friends
- fra il mare e la montagna = between the sea and the mountains
- Among
- fra le montagne = among the mountains
- tra la folla = in the crowd
- Future time
- fra una settimana = in a week
- tra due ore = in two hours
- Choice / alternatives
- devo scegliere tra due opzioni = I have to choose between two options
- fra noi due non ci sono segreti = between the two of us, there are no secrets
✨ Tip for learners: Some prepositions change their form when they combine with articles (di + il = del, a + la = alla, in + il = nel, su + i = sui, etc.). These are called preposizioni articolate, and we’ll explore them in a future lesson.
Mastering Italian prepositions can be challenging but rewarding. These small words carry big meaning, connecting ideas of possession, place, time, and more. Since many English prepositions have several Italian equivalents—and vice versa—it’s best to learn one meaning at a time, practicing actively in speech and writing.
The most effective way to learn is with a teacher who introduces prepositions gradually, helping you memorize their uses and develop confidence speaking. If you want to join a class with one of our patient, caring teachers who will guide you step-by-step, have a look here. Learning with a teacher ensures you truly master using prepositions naturally in conversation.
