Italian simple prepositions

What each preposition means

The simple prepositions are nine short words. Each one has a main use: learn it with an example.

Tra and fra are the same. Italians pick the one that sounds better: tra fratelli and fra tre giorni are easier to say than fra fratelli and tra tre giorni.

Places: a, in or da?

This is the hardest choice. Luckily, andare (going somewhere) and essere (being somewhere) use the same preposition: vado a Roma, sono a Roma. English uses “to” and “in”; Italian doesn’t change.

Da + person means “at someone’s house” or “at someone’s shop or office”, like French “chez”: vado da Marco, sono da Giulia. You never say vado a Marco.

Words ending in -ia and -eria almost always take in: in farmacia, in pizzeria, in libreria. And with transport there is one exception to remember: a piedi (on foot).

Time: da, tra, per

With time, too, each preposition has its own job.

Da + present tense: the action is still going on. English says “I have been studying Italian for two years”; Italian says studio italiano da due anni, with the present. With per the action is over: ho studiato italiano per due anni.

Tra dieci minuti or in dieci minuti? Tra dieci minuti = ten minutes from now. In dieci minuti = how long something takes: faccio la doccia in dieci minuti. English “in ten minutes” can mean both.

Verbs with a and di + infinitive

Many verbs join another verb in the infinitive with a or di. There is no safe rule: learn each verb together with its preposition.

A small trick: verbs of movement and of starting almost always take a (andare a, venire a, cominciare a). Finire, smettere, cercare, decidere and pensare take di.

Common mistakes

Exercises with instant feedback

30 sentences in three parts. Write only the preposition: the answer is checked as you type.

Part 1 · Places

Write a, in or da.

Part 2 · Time, origin, company

Write the right preposition.

Part 3 · Verbs + infinitive

Write a, di or per.

Use it in conversation