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Prepositions are small words used to connect the elements of a sentence. Learning how to use prepositions correctly is one of the biggest problems for foreign students.
Today, I will try to explain the Italian preposition A that
translates the English prepositions a, in or at.
This preposition can be used:
- before
cities or small islands
- In inverno fa freddo a Milano. = In winter it is cold in Milan
- Quest'estate siamo stati in vacanza a Capri. = This summer we were on vacation in Capri
- to
indicate the place where someone is or is going to
- Ilaria abita a Venezia. = Ilaria lives in Venice
- Domani andiamo a Parigi. = Tomorrow we are going to Paris
- Sono a casa. = I am at home
- Stasera vado al ristorante con i miei amici. = Tonight I am going to the restaurant with my friends
- before
an indirect object
- Quando telefoni ai tuoi genitori? = When do you phone your parents?
- Ho scritto una lettera a Lorenzo. = I wrote a letter to Lorenzo
- Dai questo libro al professore. = Give this book to the professor
- to
express a specific time, before the months and some important
festivities like Christmas, Easter, New Year, Carnival
- I negozi chiudono a mezzogiorno. = Shops close at midday
- A Natale vado a trovare i miei nonni. = At Christmas I visit my grandparents
- Che cosa fai a Capodanno? = What are you doing on New Year's Eve?
- A settembre comincio il corso di italiano. = In September I start the Italian course
- before the infinitive that follows the first verb
- Tra cinque minuti esco a comprare il giornale. = In five minutes I am going out to buy the newspaper
- Sono abituato a svegliarmi presto. = I am used to waking up early
- Ho provato a fare i compiti, ma sono difficili. = I tried to do my homework, but it's difficult
- Comincia a piovere. = It's starting to rain
- to
describe things
- Abito in una casa a due piani. = I live in a two-story house
- Ho comprato una camicia a fiori. = I bought a flowered shirt
- Vorrei un risotto ai frutti di mare e una cotoletta alla milanese. = I would like a seafood risotto and a Milanese cutlet
- to
indicate the distance
- Abito a 2 km da Milano. = I live 2 km from Milan
- with
some games
- Vuoi giocare a carte? = Do you want to play cards?
- Manuela gioca a tennis. = Manuela plays tennis