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Italian
indirect object pronouns (pronomi
indiretti)
are used to replace indirect object nouns and answer the question “a
chi?
(to
whom?,
for
whom?)
MI
=
A ME (to
me)
TI
= A TE (to
you informal)
LE
= A LEI (to
you formal,
for
male and female)
GLI
= A LUI (to
him)
LE
= A LEI (to
her)
CI
=
A NOI (to
us)
VI
=
A VOI = (to
you plural)
GLI
= A LORO (to them)
Indirect
pronouns, like direct object pronouns, must be placed before the
verb, unless the verb is in the infinitive form
(–ARE,
–ERE,
–IRE).
In this case the pronoun must be attached to the infinitive after
dropping the final vowel -e.
- Non ho tempo di comprarle il regalo. (I have no time to buy her a gift.)
These
pronouns are the same we use with the verb “piacere”
and the verbs that behave like “piacere” (bastare, mancare,
occorrere, sembrare). However, there are other Italian verbs that
require indirect object pronouns. Usually they are the verbs followed
by preposition A.
Here are the most common.
DARE
= to
give
DIRE
= to
say
DOMANDARE
=
to ask
INSEGNARE
= to
teach
MOSTRARE
= to
show
OFFRIRE
= to
offer
PORTARE
= to
bring
PREPARARE
= to
prepare
PRESTARE
= to
lend
REGALARE
= to
give (a gift)
RESTITUIRE
= to
give back
RISPONDERE
= to
answer
SCRIVERE
=
to write
TELEFONARE
= to
telephone
Let's
see now some examples.
- Che cosa regali a Mario? (What (gift) do you give to Mario?) = Che cosa gli regali? (gli = a lui = to him = to Mario)
- Domani telefono a Sabrina. (I will call Sabrina tomorrow.) = Le telefono domani. (le = a lei = to her = to Sabrina)
- Ho scritto una lettera ai miei amici. (I wrote a letter to my friends.) = Gli ho scritto una lettera. ( gli = a loro = ai mie amici = to them)