When starting to learn Italian, one of the first steps is mastering Italian subject pronouns. These pronouns are the building blocks of conversation and grammar, corresponding to I, you, he, she, etc. in English.
In the realm of Italian pronouns, subject pronouns are a subset of personal pronouns and are used to replace the subject in a sentence, whether it be a person, animal, or thing. Mastering Italian subject pronouns is key to making your speech and writing smoother and more natural, helping you avoid redundancy.
Let’s take a look at the following examples:
- Mia mamma è un’ottima cuoca. Lei fa delle lasagne eccezionali! (My mom is an excellent cook. She makes exceptional lasagna!)
Here, lei replaces mamma to avoid repetition.
- Hai visto Luca? Lui hai già studiato tutto per l’esame della prossima settimana? (Have you seen Luca? Has he already studied everything for next week’s exam?)
In this instance, lui substitutes for Luca.
- Ieri sono andata a vedere il saggio di Arianna e Lucia. Loro sono delle ballerine straordinarie. (Yesterday, I went to see Arianna and Lucia’s dance performance. They are extraordinary dancers).
Here, loro is used instead of repeating Arianna e Lucia.
This guide will help you quickly become proficient in Italian subject pronouns. Don’t miss the fun quiz at the end of this lesson, so you can test and practice what you’ve learned!
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When you start learning Italian, it’s pretty common to keep repeating the same basic phrases and words, but if you’re gunning for fluency, it’s time to shake things up a bit. The key? Familiarize yourself with Italian pronouns to inject rhythm into your sentences!
Cominciamo! (Let’s get started!)
Italian Subject Pronouns Chart
The chart below summarizes all the Italian subject pronouns. You’ll see that they change based on gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural):
| Italian Subject Pronouns | ||
|---|---|---|
| Italian | English | |
| 1 person singular (masc./fem.) | io | i |
| 2 person singular (masc./fem.) | tu | you |
| 3 person singular (masc.) | lui, egli, esso | he, it |
| 3 person singular (fem.) | lei, ella, essa | she, it |
| 1 person plural (masc./fem.) | noi | we |
| 2 person plural (masc./fem.) | voi | you |
| 3 person plural (masc.) | loro, essi | they |
| 3 person plural (fem.) | loro, esse | they |
Remember that egli, ella, and esso/essa/essi/esse are mostly found in literature or very formal contexts. In everyday Italian, lui, lei, and loro are more commonly used.
Also, keep in mind that the first and second person subject pronouns for both singular and plural (which include io, tu, noi, and voi) are gender-neutral in Italian. This means they stay the same regardless of whether the subject is masculine or feminine. For instance:
- Tu sei simpatico. —> male (You are nice)
- Tu sei simpatica. —> female (You are nice)
- Noi siamo alti. —> males (We are tall)
- Noi siamo alte. —> females (We are tall)
In contrast, the third-person singular subject pronouns differ based on the gender of the subject: lui can only be male and lei can only be female. For instance:
- Lui è simpatico. —> male
- Lei è simpatica. —> female
- Lui è alto. —> male
- Lei è alta. —> female
How to use Italian Subject Pronouns
Italian often omits subject pronouns. This is because the verb endings themselves indicate the subject. So, don’t worry if sentences might lack io, tu, loro, etc., as the verb has got it covered!
Here are some examples:
- Io mangio (I eat)
- Tu mangi (You eat)
- Lui/Lei mangia (He/She eats)
- Noi mangiamo (We eat)
- Voi mangiate (You eat)
- Loro mangiano (They eat)
As you can see, the verb endings (in bold) clearly show who is acting, making the use of pronouns optional. This contrasts with English, where verbs typically need a subject. For example: “I eat” is clear, but “eat” alone is ambiguous.
However, there are situations where using subject pronouns in Italian is crucial for clarity, including:
- When verb endings are the same for different subjects, like in the present subjunctive tense. For example, the sentence Bisogna che esca immediatamente could refer to io, tu, lui, or lei. Add a pronoun, and voilà, everything becomes clear: Bisogna che tu esca immediatamente (You must leave immediately).
- To emphasize the subject: La compriamo noi, non preoccupatevi (We’ll buy it, don’t worry) or Decidi sempre tu cosa guardare alla TV! (You always choose what to watch on TV!) are sentences where the pronoun is used to stress the subject.
- To contrast different subjects in the same sentence, like Io sono qui a divertirmi mentre lui è a casa a studiare (I am here having fun while he’s at home studying).
- When using words like anche (also), pure (even), or nemmeno (not even), subject pronouns help convey the full meaning. For example, the sentence Anche io voglio venire con voi (I also want to come with you) would sound awkward and incomplete when written as Anche voglio venire con voi.
The Italian “Dare del Lei”
A unique feature of Italian is the dual use of the third-person pronoun Lei. It means “she,” but is also a formal address for both men and women. Imagine speaking with your Italian boss or a new acquaintance, instead of using the informal tu, use Lei to maintain a respectful tone.
For example:
- Io prendo un caffè, Lei? (I’ll have a coffee, and you?)
- Lei sembra molto esperto in questo campo. (You seem very knowledgeable in this field.)
- Buongiorno, come sta Lei oggi? (Good morning, how are you today?)
This formal usage of you is known as Dare del Lei. Interestingly, in some southern parts of Italy, Voi is used similarly to lei in formal settings.
In Italian, it is customary to capitalize the first letter of the formal pronouns Lei and Voi to distinguish them from the informal pronouns lei (she) and voi (you).
Italian Subject Pronouns Quiz
Let’s test your knowledge of Italian subject pronouns. Fill in the blanks in these sentences using the correct subject pronoun.
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