In this post, you’ll learn about an important topic about Italian grammar: When Italian Preposition A becomes English Preposition TO. Prepositions in Italian and English may not always have the same meaning or application.
Simple Preposition in Italian A can occasionally be used with the definite article to form contracted preposition (preposizione articolata).
Prepositions usually come before:
- a noun
- an adjective
- a verb
When comparing these two prepositions in Italian (A) and English (TO), we may use “A” in the same meaning as “TO” when talking about:
- a person
- a place
- with certain verbs
- with dates
📝 Examples:
andare a scuola ➡︎ to go to school
both in terms of “attending school” and “travelling to the school building
andare a letto ➡︎ to go to bed
andare a Napoli ➡︎ to go to Naples
andare a teatro ➡︎ to go to the theatre
andare al risotrante ➡︎ to go to the restaurant
Some more examples:
♦ Scrivo a mia sorella → I’m writing to my sister
♦ Ho regalato un mazzo di rose alla (a + la) mia fidanzata → I gave a bunch of roses to my girlfriend
♦ Vai al (a+ il) cinema? → Are you going to the cinema?
♦ Domani vado a Firenze → Tomorrow I’m going to Florence
♦ Vado a letto. → I’m going to bed.
♦ Siamo pronti a uscire → We are ready to go out
♦ Sono pronto a partire → I’m ready to leave
♦ Attento a non perderti → Be careful not to get lost
♦ Sono abituato alla (a + la) pioggia → I’m used to the rain
♦ Comincia a piovere → It’s starting to rain
♦ da lunedì a venerdì → from Monday to Friday
♦ dal 10 al (a+ il) 30 maggio → from the 10th to the 30th of May
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