Italian sentence structure (word order)
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If you want to form a simple affirmative sentence, it's necessary to order three main elements first.
Simple affirmative sentence: Subject + Verb + Object
Italian | English |
---|---|
Marco guarda la televisione. | Marco is watching television. |
Il cantante saluta i fans. | The singer waves to the fans. |
L'albero è in giardino. | The tree is in the garden. |
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We can imagine other elements of the sentence as blocks. Each block has its own position.
Here's a recap of the possible spots in which you can collocate the linguistic elements you need.
(Adverb) | Subject (personal pronoun omittable) | Preposition + Information | Direct/Indirect/Reflexive pronoun | Verb | (Adverb) | [Adjective] | Direct object | [Adjective] | Indirect object | (Adverb) Complement | English |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Oggi) | Maria | / | mi | porta | / | / | un maglione | rosso | / | (Oggi) | Today Maria will bring me a red sweater. |
/ | (Tu) | / | / | sei | sempre | un grande | amico | / | per Laura. | / | You are always a great friend for Laura. |
/ | La mia amica Sara | / | / | è andata | / | / | / | / | al mare | / | My friend Sara went to the sea. |
Domani | (io) | / | ti | chiamerò | brevemente | / | / | / | / | alle cinque. | Tomorrow I will briefly call you at five. |
/ | Il regalo | del compleanno | / | era | / | blu e giallo | / | / | / | / | The birthday present was blue and yellow. |
Articles are used to point out a noun or other substantivized parts of speech.
Remember! Italian nouns are always introduced by an article (either determinate, indeterminate or partitive).
Unlike English, in most cases personal pronouns could be omitted because the conjungated verb clearly shows the subject of the sentence.
Italian | English |
---|---|
(Io) Vado a scuola. | I go to school. |
(Noi) Mangiamo della pasta. | We eat some pasta. |
(Loro) Cantano molto forte. | They are singing very loudly. |
Direct and indirect object pronouns substitute another elment; reflexive pronouns stress that the action is carried out by the subject itself.
Pronouns: Subject/(Personal pronoun) + Direct/Indirect/Reflexive pronoun + Verb + Rest of the sentence
Italian | English |
---|---|
Io ti vedo. | I see you. |
Maria si lava i capelli. | Maria washes her hair. |
Mario la ama. | Mario loves her. |
Indirect object pronouns generally precede direct object pronouns.
Direct and indirect object pronouns: Subject/(Personal pronoun) + Indirect object pronouns + Direct object pronoun + Rest of the sentence
Italian | English |
---|---|
Il negozio te lo regala. | The store will gift it to you. |
Me la presteranno. | They will lend it to me. |
Te le restituirò. | I will give them back to you. |
In Italian sentences, direct objects precede indirect objects.
Direct and indirect objects: Subject/(Personal pronoun) + Verb + Direct object + Indirect object
Italian | English |
---|---|
Mario dà un libro a suo fratello. | Mario gives a book to his brother. |
La segretaria chiama un taxi al direttore. | The secretary calls the director a taxi. |
Michel regala una bici a suo figlio. | Michel gives a bike to his son. |
Unlike English, adjectives generally follow the noun they refer to.
Italian | English |
---|---|
Un maglione rosso | A red sweater |
Un libro noioso | A boring book |
Dei ragazzi interessanti | Some interesting guys |
Remember! Adjectives must always agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to.
Adjectives can also precede the noun, and, in this case, the meaning conveyed is completely different.
This happens with adjectives such as: Buono (Good), Grande (Big), Bravo (Good), Vecchio (Old).
Noun + Adjective | Adjective + Noun |
---|---|
Un amico vecchio (A friend who is old) | Un vecchio amico (An old friend) |
Un uomo grande (A big man, in size) | Un grande uomo (An important man) |
Possessive adjectives help specify a possession. They agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to.
Possessive adjective: Article + Possessive adjective + Noun + Rest of the sentence
Italian | English |
---|---|
La mia macchina è rotta. | My car is broken. |
Il suo accento è strano. | His accent is weird. |
I nostri zii sono arrivati. | Our uncles are here. |
Simple and articulated prepositions are used to introduce a quality, a possession, a location or direction of a noun or verb; they are usually placed after the element they refer to.
Prepositions: Subject/(Personal pronoun) + (Preposition + Information) + Verb + (Preposition + Information) + Rest of the sentence
Check out the following examples.
Italian | English |
---|---|
La casa di Maria è grande. | Maria's house is big. |
(Io) Viaggio da Roma a Parigi. | I travel from Rome to Paris. |
Adverbs generally add a piece of information about the main verb.
Adverbs: (Adverb) + Subject/(Personal pronoun) + Verb + (Adverb) + Rest of the sentence + (Adverb)
Adverbs of manner/ending in -mente: Subject/(Personal pronoun) + Verb + Adverb + Rest of the sentence
Italian | English |
---|---|
Luigi mangia velocemente. | Luigi eats quickly. |
Il cane cammina tranquillamente. | The dog walks calmly. |
Lui parlava chiaramente. | He was speaking in a clear way. |
Adverbs of place, time and frequency, quantity: (Adverb) + Subject/(Personal pronoun) + Verb + (Adverb) + Rest of the sentence + (Adverb)
These adverbs can go right after the verb as well as at the beginning or at the end of a sentence; it depends on the communicative intention.
Italian | English |
---|---|
Domani (io) andrò al mare. | Tomorrow I'll go to the sea. |
(Io) Ho preparato la cena stamattina. | I made dinner this morning. |
(Tu) Non ascolti mai la musica punk. | You never listen to punk music. |
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Daniela is an extraordinary teacher and has helped me become very confident in speaking Italian and I really like every lesson, thanks Daniela.
Daniela V.Dear Pip, thank you for your positive feedback and thank you for your trust !. You're doing an exceptional job, keep it up :-)
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Hi! My name is Federica, and I am a certified teacher of Italian as a foreign language.
I have 3 + years of experience as a teacher, and I have also been a translator/proofreader for almost three decades. I can speak English, a bit of German, French and Spanish, as well as very, very basic Swedish. In short, I know just how it feels to be a learner of a foreign language, too!
One thing I know is that learning a language is more effective - and much more fun - when teaching is personalized. That's why I don't follow any single textbook: I like to try and choose the texts and exercises which are best suited to my students' interests. I also prefer to use "real" material such as magazine articles, songs, videos, etc., so you'll get an authentic feel for the language.
But enough about me. Let's talk about you! What is your current level and what are your short- and long-term goals in learning Italian? Book a free trial lesson (half an hour) with me. We'll talk about your goals and discuss how best to achieve them.
Hope to meet you soon!
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She speaks so softly and understandable. Always cooperating with the student. I'd recommend her especially for grammar studies.
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I'm a certified Italian teacher based in my hometown Florence. I spent my childhood in a small village in the Chianti countryside and I always loved to explore curious aspects of different languages. I studied Arabic, English, French and Spanish and I like to help students with practical insights into Italian language to better fix the structures and improve pronunciation, grammar and conversation. After my studies (master degree in teaching Italian as a second language + CEDILS certificate - teaching Italian to foreign students), I taught in different contexts and countries (IIC of Beirut, private schools in Prague, companies in Malta and Florence and to many many private students!).
I try each time to adapt to every student's needs, with mainly one goal: making every student enthusiastic about the learning process and more and more confident. I use a communicative approach and I can offer classes of Italian languages, cinema, culture, gestures, focuses on grammar, conversation, etc.
A presto!
Olivia
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The lesson answered all my expectations. The conversation was fluent. Olivia was very sensitive to my goals. I thank her for this lovely experience. to be continued… 12 weeks later, and I am so satisfied and grateful. The lessons are lively and fun. to be continued...
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Why should you choose me? Take a look at what people say who have taken online classes with me.
Book lessons with me and
- prepare Dutch exams "Basisinburgering A1" and "Inburgeringsexamen A2". Your full commitment and my energetic, professional approach are the winning combination to help you succeed at once!
- learn Dutch because you live in the Netherlands (or are planning to move there) and still don’t speak the language properly or haven’t started yet. You’ll enjoy your environment more!
- learn Italian for work or because you will move to this beautiful country or simply because you just love it. Let me help you experience the language!
- study Spanish for pleasure, work or because you have to prepare an exam for school and you need to get confident to perform optimally
- get confident in useful daily conversations, meetings at work, exams, and presentations
- overcome the fear of failure; if you have learning problems, feel shy or need a boost of energy you’ll get confident enough to achieve your goals
My lessons are based on conversations. My method is to help you practice the language from the very beginning in spontaneous and direct conversations, using often role plays.
With books, articles, songs, and other interesting and stimulating material I will encourage conversation, develop grammar in a simpler way, and improve pronunciation.
Learning a foreign language is not a matter of doing much effort, but rather of being consistent, enjoying the lessons and allowing your intuition to work with you. You will book immediate results while having fun!
I've been teaching Dutch, Spanish and Italian for many years, in The Netherlands, for private institutes, for the integration of foreigners into society (Inburgering), and online from Italy, where I currently live.
Contact me for a free trial and let me know how I can help you.
CANCELATION POLICY
If you cancel a reservation please do it at least 24 hours before the session
(otherwise I would have to charge you for the lesson).
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Elena is a well skilled teacher with patience and a great personality. She understands our needs well and the lessons are tailored to give us a good learning experience. The lessons are always a good combination of speaking, reading and grammar. Elena is very punctual and flexible when we need to change our schedule. We can highly recommend choosing Elena as your teacher.
Elena P.Thank you for the feedback, Wouter and Eliane! I'm happy to know that you are satisfied with the lessons. I really enjoy working with you and I love to witness your progress, class after class.
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I am a teacher of Italian to Speakers of Other Languages with many years of experience in teaching in public and private schools. I have taught Italian to speakers of other languages in schools, in migratory contexts and in vocational training at all levels (from pre A1 to C2 ). I have gained experience as a teacher with Arabic-speaking, Slavic-speaking, German-speaking, French-speaking, Spanish-speaking, Sinophone, Lusophone and Anglophone students, and have taught literacy courses for asylum seekers and refugees. I did a training internship as a lecturer in Italian at the Department of Romance at the University of Salzburg. I completed my training by teaching Italian to learners with special educational needs. Moreover, I am a CILS, CELI and PLIDA examiner for the speaking part. I also speak German, English and French and I successfully completed my Celta in October 2020.
My lessons focus mainly on two aspects: oral and written production and the study of grammar, with particular attention to phonetic and phonology. My lessons are aimed at satisfying the needs of the learner and are prepared according to the needs of each one.
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Monica is fantastic -- highly organized, knowledgeable and friendly. She is very easy to learn from. I feel like I am in very good hands. I highly recommend her especially if you need help preparing for a certification exam (CELI, CILS, etc.).
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I am a private teacher in English, German and Italian. I am a Master's graduate in Translation and Interpreting at the University of Genoa, Italy. I am Italian native speaker. I know English and German at C2 level and Russian at B2 level.
I have been studying English for the last 15 years, first at school and then at the university and I have improved it on my frequent stays abroad. I have now been teaching English for 4 years, first to school children and teenagers and now adults too. I have experience teaching online and at home. I also have taught group classes.
Being fluent in several languages allows me to give students further explainations in their native language when needed. This also allows me to put myself in my students' shoes and understand better their difficulties. I try to meet the student's personal needs and objectives rather than impose my standard class.
During my classes I focus on the active skills of language, speaking and writing. I often ask students to do presentations so they practice writing and speaking at once. I strongly encourage self-studying along with frontal teaching in order to considerably shorten learning time. Homework is for me as important as frontal classes. If needed, I can provide students with textbooks and online material such as videos, news, songs and textes.
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Federico is an exceptional teacher. He is patient, knowledgable and makes learning much less stressful. In the short time I've been working with him I feel that my Italian has grown so much faster. He has so many resources to share with his students and helps to coach me through the difficult parts of language learning! I highly recommend him to anyone wanted to learn Italian, it is truly a wonderful experience.
Federico C.Thank you Dan for the great review! A student like you makes everything easier. I hope to continue like that!
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I am an Italian native speaker with a Master's degree in Languages for International Relations. I have experience in tutoring students from all ages.
I prepare tailored lessons based on the students' needs and interests using textbooks, videos, interactive resources and ad-hoc materials.
If you want to learn Italian and know more about the culture, food, art and traditions, don't hesitate to get in touch!
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I began Italian lessons with Mariarosa a few weeks ago and she has been a stellar teacher thus far! She tailors each of our lessons to my pace, and includes things that I mention I don't know yet or want to learn. All of our lessons have a good mix of grammar, vocabulary and review, and I always have a good bit of homework to keep me busy and continue learning between lessons :) highly recommend her as a teacher.
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I am from Calabria, but over the years I have felt at home in various places. In each one I have searched for my way and in the end in each one I have found little clues that have allowed me to understand that I want to teach my language to those who do not yet know it.
I have always loved the word, its power and the infinite possibilities it offers; at first I only thought of writing it down but there was still something missing. What use is the word if it is not shared, if it does not become an opportunity for exchange between cultures, or better, between individuals?
So, between one suitcase and another, I graduated in Italian literature and specialised in journalism, then I obtained the Ditals II from the University for Foreigners of Siena and the two-year specialisation school as a teacher of Italian to foreigners at the same university.
I have been teaching Italian for more than ten years: in Italy in state schools, in schools for adult migrants (Cpia in Modena and Rome) and in public schools; abroad at the Dante Alighieri in Valletta and at the University of Cork.
I have a passion for music, cinema, documentaries and photography, different mo(n)es which allow me to learn and tell stories.
Step by step I have become more and more aware of how much I love this job which has given me the opportunity to meet wonderfully unique people, now very often friends.
I look forward to sharing more details of my experience and motivations with you. Thank you for your time consideration.
Sincerely,
Federica Lento
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Just great experience! Thank you. To be continued. What a nice and easy platform. Good and interesting teacher.. Congradulations. Nina
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Hello, everybody ! My name is Elena. I’m a native Italian speaker, I’m 49 years old and live in Turin. I am a certified CEDILS teacher, I graduated in Foreign Languages and Literature in Milan and have been working as a teacher of Italian for more than 10 years. I speak English and German. I attended specialization courses for Italian L2 teachers and I am interviewer for C1 PLIDA exam.
Are you seeking a friendly and dynamic study environment ? I got what you need. I am looking forward to being in touch with new students and organize pleasant, interesting and fruitful courses.
Do you wish to learn or improve your Italian to speak with your parents or friends? Do you need Italian for work or study ? Do you simply love Italian language and culture ? Do you need to improve your writing skills ?
My classes are tailored on your needs and considering your level of knowledge, I create a proper course plan. Classes focus on language and on the possibility for you to improve your ability to speak and understand Italian in your daily life or in work.
I offer 1-to-1 or 2-to-1 tuition, general Italian courses (grammar, conversation, listening, reading and writing), preparation to Italian examinations (all levels, also Italian for residence permit) and Italian and culture courses.
Grammar, vocabulary exercises, reading articles and magazines and talking together are all tools to feel at ease with the Italian language and then be able to practice it.
I have worked with children, adolescents and adults for all levels of Italian, from beginner to advanced. I have experience in preparing students to international certification (CILS, PLIDA). I was an A2/B1 Telc examiner.
Learning Italian can be closely related to culture, literature, music, sport and any other interest of my students.
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Elena is a great teacher. She adapts really well to the individual level and needs of the student and easily identifies whatever it is you are struggling with. Elena teaches as a profession, and this really makes a big difference. She explains very clearly and the lessons are always fun.
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Hello, everybody ! My name is Elena. I’m a native Italian speaker, I’m 49 years old and live in Turin. I am a certified CEDILS teacher, I graduated in Foreign Languages and Literature in Milan and have been working as a teacher of Italian for more than 10 years. I speak English and German. I attended specialization courses for Italian L2 teachers and I am interviewer for C1 PLIDA exam.
Are you seeking a friendly and dynamic study environment ? I got what you need. I am looking forward to being in touch with new students and organize pleasant, interesting and fruitful courses.
Do you wish to learn or improve your Italian to speak with your parents or friends? Do you need Italian for work or study ? Do you simply love Italian language and culture ? Do you need to improve your writing skills ?
My classes are tailored on your needs and considering your level of knowledge, I create a proper course plan. Classes focus on language and on the possibility for you to improve your ability to speak and understand Italian in your daily life or in work.
I offer 1-to-1 or 2-to-1 tuition, general Italian courses (grammar, conversation, listening, reading and writing), preparation to Italian examinations (all levels, also Italian for residence permit) and Italian and culture courses.
Grammar, vocabulary exercises, reading articles and magazines and talking together are all tools to feel at ease with the Italian language and then be able to practice it.
I have worked with children, adolescents and adults for all levels of Italian, from beginner to advanced. I have experience in preparing students to international certification (CILS, PLIDA). I was an A2/B1 Telc examiner.
Learning Italian can be closely related to culture, literature, music, sport and any other interest of my students.
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Elena is a profesional teacher in every way. She’s tailored the lessons for my level and we are working towards an specific goal. I’m super happy with her methodology and I’m looking forward to the next lesson! 100% recommended.
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Wonderful teacher, thanks to her methodology and her pedagogical skills I could to reach the required level of italian language even without living in Italy. Highly recommended!!
Daniela V.Thanks, Lana. Your Italian is growing more and more and I am sure that the next big goal will soon arrive! :-D
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Hello my name is Lucia and I am a native Italian speaker.
I have a degree as an interpreter for English and French so I know how hard it may be to learn a foreign language. I work as a free-lance interpreter and private English and French teacher. I have a strong passion for languages which I have been studying for many years. I am studying Spanish now and always trying to improve my English and French knowledge. I am a friendly person and my lessons mainly focus on conversation. As a teacher I am very patient and I always propose tailor-made lessons with respect to your needs. I am really enthusiastic about being a teacher because this activity allows you to share your culture and habits with foreign people. Learning a language is also learning a new culture.
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Lucia is wonderful! I found her to have all the qualities one looks for a teacher: she is kind, patient, intelligent, supportive and she explains in easier Italian when I don‘t understand a word or expression.
Lucia Maria C.Dear Giuliana, thank you so much for your review. I am sure that you will make a lot of progress thanks to your motivation and commitment. See you next lesson :)
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Welcome to my profile!
My name is Daniela, or “Daniella” as my students call me.
I have been working as Italian teacher for two years to migrants, for refugee centers and humanitarian corridors in Italy. I have had experience with first literacy and also I have worked with begginers and intermidiate students, who I prepared to Linguistic Certification. I have worked with single student and with groups.
My opinion is “Viva l’intercultura”, that means looking at the person’s linguistic needs. Italian lessons become a space where the cultures meet and match each other, and step by step, the student can build the Italian language. For me, the cultures exchange is very important.
I’d rather to teach with an inductive, interactive, and cooperative method, which focus on communication functions, but doesn’t forget the grammar. I use manuals, worksheets, interactive games, songs and video.
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Daniela is an engaging teacher who takes seriously her job. She has a solid knowledge of the Italian grammar as well as fun ideas to teach it. I'm preparing an exam and she is being quite helpful to me, since she takes the time to prepare lessons and homework. I highly recommend to book a trial lesson with her.
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Daniela is very nice and a very good teacher. We are moving at a good pace and she is helping me a lot so far.
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My name is Jay and I'm from Morocco I love to teach English and share my knowledge of Moroccan and western culture with young students.
My degree is in English Studies. I possess a CELTA certificate as well and I have also worked for 7 years in both Morocco and China.
I like basketball and going to the gym.
I believe the most effective way to feel comfortable and confident with learning English is to enjoy having conversations with a teacher who guides students in lessons that are fun and interesting, with plenty of congratulations and corrections where necessary!
I am friendly, motivated, funny, and more importantly patient.
And I love to teach children and adults.
I hope and look forward to seeing you, in one of my classes soon.
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Jalal is a teacher with experience in several countries with lots of passion about teaching English.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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