Prepositions are the glue that holds sentences together, providing essential context and meaning. Understanding “fra” and “tra” effectively will enhance your language learning.
Today, we’re going to see the two common Italian prepositions: “fra” and “tra.”
These FRA and TRA prepositions are identical in meaning.
What is the difference?
But when do you use one and when do you use the other? Are there specific rules to follow, or situations to consider?
Actually, it depends on the need to avoid particular syllable combinations that would result in a bad sound.
This is why we prefer to say:
fra tre giorni (in three days),
fra traditori (among traitors)
but
tra fronde e fiori (among branches and flowers)
tra fratelli (among brothers)
So, the only reason to prefer one over the other is to avoid unpleasant soundcombinations:
Fra tre giorni
😀 Good sound
Tra tre giorni
🤨 Bad sound
Tra fratelli
😀 Good sound
Fra fratelli
🤨 Bad sound
DISTANCE – Tra or Fra indicate the space you need to get to a place
L’ufficio è tra 300 metri (The office is 300 meters from here)
INTERVAL OF TIME – They indicate the beginning of a period of time when an action is taken
Mario arriverà tra le 5 e le 6 (Mario will get there between 5 and 6)
TIME – Tra or Fra indicate when an action takes place
Esco fra un’ora (I’ll leave in an hour)
MIDDLE – Tra or Fra Indicate something in the
Lo stretto di Messina è tra la Sicilia e la Calabria (The Strait of Messina is between Sicily and Calabria)
More Examples:
Ho visto il cane tra/fra le due macchine → I saw the dog between the two cars.
Ho trovato l’assegno fra/tra i documenti.→ I found the check among the documents.
Arriveremo fra/tra le due e le tre.→ We’ll get there between two and three.
Spero di finire il libro fra/tra un mese .→ I hope to finish the book in a month’s time
Fra breve / tra poco / tra non molto → soon
Tra/fra due chilometri c’è un benzinaio → there’s a petrol pump in two km
Arriverà fra/tra venti minuti → She’ll be here in twenty minutes
Una discussione tra/fra amici → a discussion among friends
Sei il migliore tra/fra i miei amici → you’re the best of my friends
Tra/Fra amici e parenti ci saranno state cento persone → there must have been 100 people including friends and relatives
Tra/fra lavoro e la famiglia non ho un momento libero → with work and the family I don’t have a free moment
This preposition appears in a variety of useful expressions
Pensavo fra me/Pensavo fra me e me. → I was thinking to myself. Che
Che rimanga fra me e te. → Let’s keep it between you and me. fra/tra poco shortly
Fra/tra poco → shortly
Tra l’altro → moreover, furthermore
Detto tra noi → between us
Parlava fra sè (e sè) → he was talking to himself
Distinguere tra caso e caso → to distinguish between one case and another
Idiomatic expressions
Keep an eye out for idiomatic expressions that use these prepositions.
Tra/Fra Capo e Collo
This expression is used to express the discomfort due to an unexpected situation that requires modifying a program with consequent mix-ups and problems.
Examples:
Mi è arrivata tra capo e collo” o “mi è capitata tra capo e collo
La notizia era proprio imprevedibile e mi e’ arrivata tra capo e collo.
Detto tra/fra noi
We use this phrase when we want to express a thought to someone confidentially
Between you and me – Confidentially
Example:
Detto tra noi quella persona non mi piace (Between you and me I don’t like that person)
Mettere i bastoni tra/fra le ruote
Put a spoke in somebody’s wheel
Example:
Gianni vuole mettere i bastoni tra le ruote al nostro grande progetto (Gianni wants to put a spoke in the wheel of our great project)
What’s next?
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