Learn how to use the sentence pattern "The _____ is "
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| INTRODUCTION | |
| Asia: Hi everyone, I'm Asia. | |
| Daniele: And I'm Daniele. | |
| Asia: And welcome to Must-Know Italian Sentence Structures, Season 1, Lesson 5. Using Prepositions of Place. | |
| Asia: In this lesson, you'll learn how to use a sentence pattern for giving the location of something. | |
| PATTERN | |
| Asia: For example, | |
| Asia: "The apple cake is on the table." | |
| Daniele: La torta di mele è sul tavolo. | |
| Daniele: [slow] La torta di mele è sul tavolo. | |
| Asia: The pattern for giving the location of something has 4 elements. First, the determinative article, "the." In this case it's referring to a feminine, singular noun. | |
| Daniele: La. | |
| Asia: Second, a noun phrase, in this case "apple cake." | |
| Daniele: torta di mele. | |
| Asia: Third, a verb "to be", conjugated in the third person singular. | |
| Daniele: è. | |
| Asia: And last, a prepositional phrase, in this case "on the table." | |
| Daniele: sul tavolo.. | |
| Asia: Altogether, we have.. "The apple cake is on the table." | |
| Daniele: La torta di mele è sul tavolo. [slow] La torta di mele è sul tavolo. [normal] La torta di mele è sul tavolo. | |
| Asia: In Italian, the sentence starts with a noun or a noun phrase and it is followed by the verb “to be”, conjugated in the first person singular. The prepositions of place also include the determinative article of the noun, or noun phrase, that follows. | |
| Daniele: La torta di mele è sul tavolo. | |
| Asia: So remember that in order to give the location of something, just say a noun or noun phrase, plus the verb "to be", and a prepositional phrase at the end. | |
| Asia: Here is another example meaning, "The car is in the garage." First, the determinative article, "the." In this case it's referring to a feminine, singular noun. | |
| Daniele: La. | |
| Asia: Second, the noun, in this case "car." | |
| Daniele: macchina. | |
| Asia: Third, the verb "to be", conjugated in the third person singular. | |
| Daniele: è. | |
| Asia: And last, a prepositional phrase, in this case "in the garage." | |
| Daniele: nel garage. | |
| Asia: Altogether we have.. | |
| Daniele: La macchina è nel garage. [slow] La macchina è nel garage. [normal] La macchina è nel garage. | |
| Asia: "The car is in the garage." | |
| [pause] | |
| Daniele: La macchina è nel garage. | |
| Asia: How do you say - "The pillow is on the bed."? To give you a hint, "on the bed" is.. | |
| Daniele: sul letto. [slow] sul letto. [normal] sul letto. | |
| Asia: The pillow is on the bed. | |
| [pause] | |
| Daniele: Il cuscino è sul letto. [slow] Il cuscino è sul letto. [normal] Il cuscino è sul letto. | |
| [pause] | |
| Daniele: Il cuscino è sul letto. | |
| REVIEW | |
| Asia: Let's review the sentences from this lesson. I will give you the English equivalent of the phrase and you are responsible for shouting it out loud in Italian. Here we go. | |
| Asia: "The apple cake is on the table." | |
| [pause] | |
| Daniele: La torta di mele è sul tavolo. | |
| [pause] | |
| Daniele: La torta di mele è sul tavolo. | |
| Asia: "The car is in the garage." | |
| [pause] | |
| Daniele: La macchina è nel garage. | |
| [pause] | |
| Daniele: La macchina è nel garage. | |
| Asia: "The pillow is on the bed." | |
| [pause] | |
| Daniele: Il cuscino è sul letto. | |
| [pause] | |
| Daniele: Il cuscino è sul letto. | |
Outro |
|
|---|---|
| Asia: Okay. That's all for this lesson. You learned a pattern for giving the location of something, as in.. | |
| Daniele: La torta di mele è sul tavolo. | |
| Asia: meaning "The apple cake is on the table." | |
| Asia: You can find more vocab or phrases that go with this sentence pattern in the lesson notes. So please be sure to check them out on ItalianPod101.com. Thanks everyone, see you next time! | |
| Daniele: A presto! |
9 Comments
HideWhere is your cell phone?
Hi Daniel,
thanks for your question.
You will need articulated prepositions any time a noun following the preposition you're using requires an article. For example, you should say
"Le chiavi sono SUL tavolo" "The keys are ON THE table" (not "on table").
Italian nouns need articles most times, so you will need articulated prepositions very often.
Hope this helps!
Valentina
Team ItalianPod101.com
When do we have to use articulated prepositions and when do we have to use simple prepositions?
Thank you!
Hi Dina,
thank you for pointing that out. It is a mistake, we'll have if fixed as soon as possible!
A presto,
Valentina
Team ItalianPod101.com
In the lesson notes there is an error. It says we use the verb to be - essere conjugated in the first person singular when we are using the Third person singular.
Ciao E,
perfetto!
Let us know if you have any questions.
A presto,
Valentina
Team ItalianPod101.com
Ciao Bill,
all correct except for "dové", which should actually be "dov'è" (because it is short for "dove è").
Thanks for posting!
Valentina
Team ITalianPod101.com
Ciao,
Il mio cellulare è sul tavolo.
Dové il tuo cellulare?
Il mio cellulare é sul tavolo.
Adesso il mio cellulare é nel mio tascino.
É bene?