Pronouns Flashcards
List the subject pronouns in Italian and their English translations.
-io = I
-tu = you
-lui/lei/Lei = he, it/she, it/you (sing. formal)
-noi = we
-voi = you (pl. informal)
-loro/Loro = they (m., f.)/you (pl. f.)
What are the direct object pronouns in Italian and their English translations?
-mi = me
-ti = you (sing. informal)
-lo/la/l’ = him, it/her, it
-ci = us
-vi = you (pl.)
-li/le = them (m., f.)
The indirect object pronouns in Italian and their English translations are…
-mi = me
-ti = you (sing., inf.)
-gli/le = him, it/her
-ci = us
-vi = you (pl. informal)
-loro/Loro = them
List the prepositional pronouns in Italian.
-me = me
-te = you (sing. informal)
-lui/lei/Lei = him, it/her/you (sing., formal)
-noi = us
-voi = you (pl. informal)
-loro/Loro = them (m., f.)/you (pl. formal)
What are the reflexive pronouns in Italian?
-mi = myself
-ti = yourself
-si = himself/herself/itself/themselves
-ci = ourselves
-vi = yourselves
Translate the following: “You [familiar, singular] are very kind.”
Tu sei molto gentile.
tu = you (familiar, singular)
What is “you” (familiar, plural) in Italian?
voi
Translate the following: “You [formal, singular] are very kind.”
Lei è molto gentile.
Lei = you (formal, singular) (Euro. Port.)
What’s the difference between “Lei” and “lei”?
Lei = you (formal, sing.)
lei = she
The difference between “Loro” and “loro” is…
Loro = you (all; familiar, plural)
loro = they
Fill in the blank: “Lei ____ parlare inglese” (‘You, sir, can speak English’).
sa
Lei and Loro always take the third person form of the verb, singular or plural.
Translate: “Today we are going to the city center.”
Oggi andiamo al centro della città.
Subject pronouns are usually omitted, because the verb conjugation indicates the subject.
List the cases in which the subject pronoun is used.
-for emphasis
-contrast
-on its own without the verb
-in comparisons
Should the subject pronoun be used here: “Io lo faccio!” (‘I do it!’)?
Yes: The subject pronoun is used for emphasis.
What’s “I speak and you listen,” in Italian?
Io parlo e tu ascolti.
The subject pronoun is used for contrast.
True or false: “It is raining,” in Italian is “Lui piove.”
False. It’s “piove”–when talking about the time and weather, the subject pronoun is omitted.
Translate “Who bought it? Me.”
Chi l’ha comprato? Io.
The subject pronoun is used on its own without the verb.
Direct object pronouns replace…
the direct object noun in a sentence.
“Leggiamo libri” (We read books).
The direct object noun in this sentence is…
“Libri,” because it receives the action of “leggiamo.”
“Leggiamo libri” (We read books).
Replace the direct object noun in this sentence with a direct object pronoun.
Li leggiamo.
“Libri” is plural and masculine, and since it represents inanimate objects, third person, the direct object pronoun “li” is used.
Translate “They love me.”
Loro mi amano.
The direct object of a sentence can be a person.
What are the two cases in which direct object pronouns are used?
-to substitute nouns when the thing/person being discussed is clear, and to avoid repetition
-to replace the entire information or idea that’s already been presented
Translate “Mark reads a book. He reads it.”
Euro.: Mark legge il libro. Lui lo legge.
Direct object pronouns are used to substitute nouns when the thing/person being discussed is clear, and to avoid repetition.
“Ho comprato un vestito nuovo. Lo so,” (‘I bought a new robe. I know (it)’).
In these sentences, how is the direct object pronoun being used?
to replace the entire information or idea that’s already been presented
Order the following words to form the sentence “She has seen me”:
-lei
-ha
-visto
-mi
Lei mi ha visto.
In the perfect tense, the direct object pronoun precedes have/be in the verb conjugation.
Translate “Read it.”
Leggilo.
The direct object pronoun is attached to the end of affirmative commands.
What’s “Do not read it” in Italian?
Non leggerlo.
In Italian, the direct object pronoun is attached to the end of the negative command.
In Italian, “I would like to see her,” is…
Mi piacerebbe vederla.
When a verb is followed by another verb in the infinitive, the direct object pronoun can be placed either before the first verb or attached to the end of the infinitive.
Ha scritto una lettera a Sandra. (He wrote a letter to Sandra.)
Rewrite the above sentence using indirect object pronouns.
lui le ha scritto (He wrote to her.)
“Sandra” is the indirect object and so can be replaced with the indirect object pronoun “le.”
Lui ha comprato un regalo per me. (He bought a gift for me.)
What’s “He bought me a gift” in Italian?
Mi ha comprato un regalo.
Indirect object pronouns follow the same word order rules as…
direct object pronouns.
Io scrivo a John. (I write to John.)
Rewrite the above sentences using indirect object pronouns and explain your answer.
Io gli scrvio. (I write to him.)
“Gli,” the masculine third person indirect pronoun (‘to him’), goes before the noun.
If “You teach John” is “Tu insegni a John,” then what is “You teach him”? Explain your response.
Tu gl’insegni/Tu gli insegni.
Gli becomes gl’ before verb forms beginning in -i. This rule is archaic, however, and can be broken.
Parliamo a Sandra. (We speak to Sandra.)
What’s “We speak to her,” in Italian? Defend your answer.
Le parliamo.
“Le,” the feminine third person indirect pronoun (‘to him’), goes before the noun.
Parla agli studenti. (She speaks to the students.)
Translate “She speaks to them.” Explain.
Parla loro.
“Loro” follows the conjugated verb and doesn’t agree in gender.
What are 10 common verbs used with indirect object pronouns and their English translations?
-comprare qualcosa a (gli/le) = to buy something for somebody
-contare qualcosa a (gli/le) = to tell something to somebody
-dare qualcosa a (gli/le) = to give something to somebody
-dire qualcosa a (gli/le) = to say something to somebody
-scrivere qualcosa a (gli/le) = to write something to somebody
-inviare/mandare qualcosa a (gli/le) = to send something to somebody
-mostrare qualcosa a (gli/le) = to show something to somebody
-chiedere qualcosa a (gli/le) = to ask something of somebody
-servire qualcosa a (gli/le) = to serve something to somebody
-apportare qualcosa a (gli/le) = to bring something to somebody
When there are both direct and indirect object pronouns in the same sentence in Italian, which goes first?
The indirect object pronoun precedes the direct object pronoun.
Complete the sentence: “Lui ti compra dei regali. Lui ________” (He buys you some gifts. He buys you some [of it, of them]).
te ne compra
Complete the sentence: “Lei mi dà un libro. Lei ________” (She gave me a book. She gave it to me).
me lo dà
Before a direct object pronoun, the indirect object pronoun “mi” becomes…
me
State what the indirect object pronoun “ci” becomes before a direct object pronoun.
ce
Complete the sentence: The indirect object pronoun “vi” becomes __ before a direct object pronoun.
ve
What does the indirect object pronoun “ti” become when it precedes a direct object pronoun?
te
mi (indirect) + lo (direct) =
me lo