Structure of complex Italian sentences
Sign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for free Course informationsWe offer both private lessons and organized group courses
Sign up for free to get all available courses or contact one of our teachers yourself!
Tommaso S.
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Kiki G.
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Stefania R.
40.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Our offer
A sentence is complex when it's formed by a main clause and a clause that depends on it or a clause that is in some way connected to it.
Lesson outline
Hide- 1.Coordinated/Dependent clauses
- 1.1.Relative sentences (who, which, that)
- 1.1.1.Relative clauses (omittable information)
- 1.1.2.Relative clauses (non-omittable quality)
- 1.2.Indirect questions and reported speech
- 1.3.Infinitive phrases
- 2.Exercises
- 2.1.Exercise on Italian complex sentences - Drag text
- 2.2.Exercise on Italian complex clauses (relatives) - Single choice set
- 2.3.Exercise on Italian complex sentences (indirect questions/reported speech) - Drag text
- 2.4.Exercise on Italian complex sentences (infinitives) - Drag text
Coordinated/Dependent clauses
It's possible to add to a main clause a coordinated clause, introduced by coordinating conjunctions, and/or a dependent clause, introduced by a subordinating conjunction.
Coordinated/Dependent clauses: (Main clause) + Conjunction + Second clause + (Main clause)
| Type of clause | Main clause | Second clause | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coordinated (coordinating conjunction) | L'insegnante parla | e gli alunni ascoltano. | The teacher talks and the pupils listen. |
| Dependent (subordinating conjunction) | Io cucino | mentre tu riposi. | I cook while you rest. |
To form complex sentences, it's possible to add a dependent clause before or after the main sentence.
Dependent clauses are usually separated from the main clause by a comma.
Dependent clauses are usually separated from the main clause by a comma.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Mentre Luigi andava a casa, il sole iniziava a tramontare. | While Luigi was going home, the sun was starting to set. |
| Io cucino e il gatto dorme. | I cook and the cat sleeps. |
| (Loro) Pensavano che lo sapessi, ma io non lo sapevo. | They thought I knew, but I didn't know. |
In this lesson we will analize the structure of the following types of complex clauses:
- Relative sentences;
- Indirect questions and reported speech;
- Infinitive phrases.
Have a question?
Take online language lessons with a professional teacher
- Native & verified teachers
- Free trial lesson
- Learning materials included
Giorgia A.
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Davide S.
12.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Fabio M.
12.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Marco M.
12.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Cecilia B.
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Elisa G.
30.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Carla O.
30.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Elena P.
40.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Emily M.
16.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Anna C.
12.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Relative sentences (who, which, that)
Relative clauses specify something about an element that has already been introduced.
In English, relative clauses are introduce by who, which, that.
In Italian we use the following pronouns:
| Masculine singular | Feminine singular | Masculine plural | Feminine plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Che | Che | Che | Che | Who / which / that |
| Cui | Cui | Cui | Cui | Who /which / that (preceded by a preposition) |
| Il quale | La quale | I quali | Le quali | Who / which / that (formal/less used) |
There are two main structure options of relative clauses:
- Relative clauses where the information is omittable;
- Relative clauses that specify a non-omittable quality.
Relative clauses (omittable information)
This type of clause includes an information which could be also easily omitted; the sentence would still make sense.
Relative clauses (omittable information): Subject + [Comma + Relative pronoun + Verb + Object + Comma] + Main verb + Rest of the sentence
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| La vicina di casa, [la quale si è trasferita lo scorso anno], si chiama Paola. | The neighbor, who moved in last year, is called Paola. |
| Il primo figlio di Chiara, [il cui marito si chiama Leo], è appena nato. | Chiara's first son, whose husband's name is Leo, was born a while ago. |
| Giovanni, [che si è lasciato da poco con la ragazza], è molto triste. | Giovanni, who recenty broke up with his girlfriend, is very sad. |
Relative clauses (non-omittable quality)
This second structure includes a relative sentence that can't be omitted because it specifies a distinctive quality of the element it refers to.
Relative clauses (non-omittable quality): Subject + Relative pronoun + Verb + Other elements] + Main verb + Rest of the sentence
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| La torta che era stata bruciata non è stata servita al matrimonio. | The cake that had been burnt wasn't served at the wedding. |
| La bicicletta che hai messo fuori è tutta bagnata. | The bycicle you put outside is all wet. |
| La stanza in cui dormi è al piano di sopra. | The room you sleep in is upstairs. |
Both these structure are usually placed close to the element they refer to.
Indirect questions and reported speech
Indirect questions are subordinate prepositions that introduce a doubt, a question.
Reported speeech is used to explain what somebody said.
They are usually introduced by the following words:
| Verbs | Chiedere (To ask), Pensare (Think), Credere (To believe) |
|---|---|
| Names | Domanda (Question), Dubbio (Doubt) |
| Adjectives | Curioso (Curious), Dubbioso (Doubtful) |
| Prepositions | Se (If), Come (How), Perchè (Why), Quando (When), Quanto (How much) |
| Conjunctions | Che (That) |
| Interrogative adjectives and pronouns | Chi (Who), Il quale (Which/That), Che cosa/Cosa (What), Quanto (How much) |
Indirect questions/speech: Subject/(Personal pronoun) + Introductory element + Rest of the sentence
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Mi chiedo come sia possibile dormire 3 ore a notte. | I'm wondering how you could possibly sleep 3 hours per night. |
| Non si capisce cosa voglia fare. | You don't manage to understand what he will do. |
| Mario ha detto che è curioso di conoscere il risultato finale. | Mario said he was curious to know the final score. |
Infinitive phrases
Infinitive phrases express an action using the infinitive mood.
Infinitive phrase: Main clause + Preposition/No connecting element + Verb on the infinitive mood (+ Rest of the sentence)
Let's analize the following examples.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Mi ha dato il libro di matematica per studiare. | He gave the Maths book to study. |
| E' facile raggiungere la stazione. | It's easy to reach the railways station. |
Exercises
- Exercise on Italian complex sentences - Drag text
- Exercise on Italian complex clauses (relatives) - Single choice set
- Exercise on Italian complex sentences (indirect questions/reported speech) - Drag text
- Exercise on Italian complex sentences (infinitives) - Drag text
Exercise on Italian complex sentences - Drag text
Exercise on Italian complex clauses (relatives) - Single choice set
Exercise on Italian complex sentences (indirect questions/reported speech) - Drag text
Exercise on Italian complex sentences (infinitives) - Drag text
Exercises
- Exercise on Italian complex sentences - Drag text
- Exercise on Italian complex clauses (relatives) - Single choice set
- Exercise on Italian complex sentences (indirect questions/reported speech) - Drag text
- Exercise on Italian complex sentences (infinitives) - Drag text
Exercise on Italian complex sentences - Drag text
Exercise on Italian complex clauses (relatives) - Single choice set
Exercise on Italian complex sentences (indirect questions/reported speech) - Drag text
Exercise on Italian complex sentences (infinitives) - Drag text
What our students say
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
Ciao! My name is Mauro, I am native Italian from Calabria! I am a very passionate teacher, I love to share my language and my knowledge about Italy, and its culture, films, music, literature, arts, food!!! I firmly believe that learning is based on trust between teacher and student, and the first objective of my classes is to individuate student's objectives and preferences. My teaching methodology is integrated: I think that it is important to work on all of linguistic abilities: oral and writing comprehension and production. I also think that lessons must be as much as fun as possible, and I use a lot of authentic material: songs, films, cooking recipes, newspapers, advertising and so on...
D. .
So far, I have studied with Mauro four times a week for a month. As a retired university professor, I find Mauro to be a thoughtful and deliberate teacher of Italian as a second language. He exercises care in preparing lessons and yet remains flexible to take opportunity of teachable moments. I highly recommend Mauro to anyone who is serious about learning Italian. Bravo Mauro! I look forward to continuing my studies with you.
Mauro S.
Hello everyone! I'm Federica and I'm a Certified Italian teacher with over 3 years of experience.
I live in Rome and I teach with patience and enthusiasm because I love Italian language and culture and I always try to share this love in my lessons.
I adjust my method according to my students needs and I try to encourage students to express themselves.
Book a trial lesson to discuss your learning needs and goals! I hope to see you soon!
M. A.
I have just started learning Italian with Federica. She is very friendly and patient and is able to be flexible with the lesson according to my language goals. I am looking forward to improving my Italian with her.
Federica G.
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!
K. C.
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.
Mariarosa S.
easy learning
P. W.
Ana is a genuinely nice person and her kindness and gentleness comes through in the lessons. I thoroughly enjoy Ana’s teaching , it’s informative and tailored exactly to what I want to achieve. I wholeheartedly recommend Ana as your Spanish tutor.
Ana S.
Let's talk in Spanish!
L. S.
Maria is a well-structured teacher that is fluent in both russian and spanish. I recommend her to anyone!
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
María J.
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.
L. H.
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.
Elena F.
Dear student, my name is Domingo and I am an Italian teacher. 2 short words about me:
After classical studies, I graduated in Italian language and literature. Then I obtained the Cedils certificate as a teacher of Italian for foreigners.
What kind of teacher am I? How can I help you?
Well, I can help you who already know Italian, B1, B2, C1, C2, but you want to deepen the Italian culture, you love poetry, music or maybe you want to discover Italian cinema, or you simply want to improve your command in this tongue.
You who study in Italy, you have to deal with subjects such as history, literature, philosophy, sociology, and you want to deepen some words or concepts in Italian and you want coaching, a valid help.
To you professional, who know Italian but need cultural support to achieve your goals.
I believe that teaching is an exchange, where the teacher is the first to learn. I believe that a language is best learned with emotional involvement, in a relaxed and friendly environment, to allow for greater assimilation into long-term memory. By the word emotional, I mean the pleasure of doing something, of getting involved and having fun. So my dear students, I hope to meet you soon to discover Italian together !!!
A. .
Very good lessons, professional and interesting. Also, very tailored made approach to teaching. Highly recommended A+++++
Domingo A.
Hi, guys! My name is Lucia and I would like to invite you to learn Italian with me.
I am both a native speaker and a QUALIFIED teacher, as I hold a post-graduate degree in “Teaching Italian as a second language” and a national certification as teacher of Italian to not-native speaking.
My teaching method is COMMUNICATION-oriented and involves also the study of Italian culture and grammar. Indeed, as it happens in your mother language, the knowledge of spare words is not enough to get able to speak (i.e. INTERACT!) properly and conveniently.
I’ll prepare for you all teaching materials, tailoring lessons to your needs and interests, taking advantage from both the huge number of textbooks I hold and my creativity!
I offer lessons for all levels, from absolute beginners to advanced, as well as support in preparation to certification exams (I am also qualified ad examiner for the oral part of CELI).
Do not hesitate to get in contact with me to find a suitable time-slot for your trial lesson!
S. T.
Wonderful teacher with a broad knowledge of the structures of various languages, which I think helps to better understand students’ needs depending on their native language. Lucia uses a sophisticated platform where a student can easily find all the materials, test, or ask questions in the preparation for the next class. The class is structured in a very entertaining way, and she also has an examination focused approach if needed. Great experience, totally recommend.
Lucia P.
Hi, guys! My name is Lucia and I would like to invite you to learn Italian with me.
I am both a native speaker and a QUALIFIED teacher, as I hold a post-graduate degree in “Teaching Italian as a second language” and a national certification as teacher of Italian to not-native speaking.
My teaching method is COMMUNICATION-oriented and involves also the study of Italian culture and grammar. Indeed, as it happens in your mother language, the knowledge of spare words is not enough to get able to speak (i.e. INTERACT!) properly and conveniently.
I’ll prepare for you all teaching materials, tailoring lessons to your needs and interests, taking advantage from both the huge number of textbooks I hold and my creativity!
I offer lessons for all levels, from absolute beginners to advanced, as well as support in preparation to certification exams (I am also qualified ad examiner for the oral part of CELI).
Do not hesitate to get in contact with me to find a suitable time-slot for your trial lesson!
O. R.
I highly recommend Lucia, she is an amazing teacher, very pedagogical and explains all the rules in a very comprehensible manner. The program/book she uses is great, words are easy to remember and the exercises are interesting and interactive. 5 out of 5!
Lucia P.
Hi there, my name is Roberta. I am an Italian native speaker, and a professional language teacher with a DITALS II certification from Siena University. I live in Italy in a lovely little town called Monate near a small lake of the same name, just 40 minutes by car from Milan.
The aim of the lessons will not be learning generic Italian but to learn Italian according to the needs of every student. Each lesson will be personalized and designed to match students’ interests, linguistic level and learning style.
Every lesson will be planned around a text, which could either be a written piece, an audio segment or a video that will be used as a focal point for both communication and grammatical study. I will provide students with all of the teaching materials used in class that can later be used for homework and self – study, especially for developing writing skills.
I have been working as an Italian teacher since 2016, offering both traditional and e-learning/online classes. I am specialized at teaching young people and adults who want to study Italian for a variety of different reasons: work, education, residency or simply for a love of Italy and its culture.
Finally, as a result of my volunteer position as a documents advisor for immigrants, I can help students to prepare for the B1 level Italian language exam, which is necessary to apply for Italian citizenship.
E. F.
Roberta, is a fantastic teacher! She really helped to improve my confidence in using the formal Italian and in preparing for interviews in Italy. She tailored all our lessons to exactly my needs, and we also had a laugh in the process. Thanks again for all your help Roberta!
Roberta L.
Thank you very much Emma, they are very happy to have helped you!
German lesson
D. M.
Responds to needs and also suggests alternatives. Perfect all around. I can only recommend it to everyone.
Micaela C.
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!
C. .
Daniela is an amazing teacher. She has been extremely helpful to me in communicating in daily life in Italy, and learning the correct grammar to ensure that I don't miss the details and understand the logic completely. The exercises we do during the lessons and as homework extremely support my progress in Italian. We do have so much fun as well. Our lessons have been my best routine.
Daniela V.
Hello Everybody
My name is Luisa and I teach Italian for foreign students, English, French and German for Italian students
Since 1994, I have dedicated myself to translating and teaching thanks to my travels, abroad studies, foreign reading and writing. I provide fun and customized lessons based on the student's goals. I also triy to minimize English speaking during the lessons. I give homework exercises, and my lessons are intermixed with grammar, conversation, customs and traditions. My goal is to make certain that each student finds learning Italian exciting.
I am available for any explanations also via e mail
J. .
Luisa is pleasant and very focused, I purchased 12 lessons after the first lesson with Luisa because I felt confident that she will teach me Italian at a level I’m able to follow with. I can’t wait to get stuck on and learn! :)
Luisa A.
Thank you Julian !!! Thank you so much !!
I'm a Italian/German bilingual teacher form Florence!
I offer lessons for beginners as well as for advanced speakers. I carry out different kinds of lessons: I could help you for example to prepare for a test, for your trip to Italy or for more advanced needs.
The lessons are focused on improving listening/comprehension skills as well as reading, writing, speaking and grammar.
If you want to know more about my methods, just book a trial lesson! It's free! I hope to see you soon!
E. D.
Niccolò has a pleasant way of teaching. He responds well to questions or comments from our group, while he knows how to follow the structure of the lesson. He carries out his lessons calmly, with interest and with humor.
Niccolò C.