Specifying people or objects - Giving and seeking factual informatio - Functions - A Practical Guide - Modern Italian Grammar

Modern Italian Grammar: A Practical Guide, Third Edition (2013)

Part B. Functions

I. Giving and seeking factual informatio

9. Specifying people or objects

9.1 Introduction

This dialogue shows how even at the simplest level, speakers can indicate their specific needs:

Al Bar

ABuongiorno.

BBuongiorno, un caffè per favore.

AVa bene. E … per la signora?

CUna birra piccola e un whisky.

ACertamente. Una birra italiana, va bene?

CSì, va bene. Ma … un whisky scozzese.

ANaturalmente, signora.

At the café

AGood morning.

BGood morning. A coffee, please.

AAll right. And … for madam?

CA small beer and a whisky.

ACertainly. An Italian beer, is that all right?

CYes, OK. But … a Scotch whisky.

AOf course, madam.

As shown in the dialogue above, you can identify what you want by using a simple noun una birra or a combination of noun, indefinite article and adjective una birra piccola (see 1.1). In other situations, you can also identify what you want by using a verb such as aver bisogno di (see 23.3.2), volere (see 23.2.1) or cercare.

9.2 Specifying a known or particular person or object

9.2.1 Using the definite article il, la

When you have a particular person or thing in mind, you can express this by using the definite article il, la, etc. (see 1.3.3). As the examples show, we are generally referring to a known person or thing, for example ‘the speciality we've had before’ or ‘the English girl someone told us about’:

Prendo la specialità della casa.

I'll have the speciality of the house.

Mi presenti la ragazza inglese?

Will you introduce me to the English girl?

Alternatively, you may want to refer to something or someone that is the only one possible, in this set of circumstances ‘the manager’, ‘the bill’:

Il direttore, per favore.

The manager, please.

Il conto, per piacere.

The bill, please.

9.2.2 Using questo, quello

Questo ‘this’ or quello ‘that’ (see 3.8) are demonstratives used to refer to this or that person or object. While questo refers to a person or object near the speaker, quello refers to a person or object near the person addressed or not near either the speaker or the person addressed.

Questo and quello can be used either as pronouns or as adjectives (see 3.8.1).

Questo, quello as adjectives

Questo scontrino non è per la valigia che è andata smarrita.

This baggage tag is not for the case that's gone missing. (= this one in my hand)

Questi pantaloni non mi stanno bene.

These trousers don't look good on me. (= the ones I have on)

Vorrei assaggiare quel caffè speciale.

I'd like to try that special coffee. (= the one you were just talking about)

Conosci quelle ragazze inglesi?

Do you know those English girls? (= the ones standing over there)

Questo, quello as pronouns

As pronouns, questo and quello are often accompanied by the verb essere:

Questi sono i miei appunti. Sono abbastanza precisi.

These are my notes. They're quite accurate.

Queste sono le due mie amiche che sono arrivate ieri sera.

These are my two friends who arrived yesterday evening.

Quello è il computer portatile che abbiamo comprato negli Stati Uniti.

That is the laptop that we bought in the USA.

Quelli sono i biscotti che ti ho portato da Siena.

Those are the biscuits I brought you from Siena.

The question words cosa or che cosa ‘what?’ can be used to elicit specific information:

Cosa sono (questi)?

Sono funghi secchi.

What are they/these?

They're dried mushrooms.

Che cosa sono quelle foglie secche?

Sono foglie di basilico.

What are those dry leaves?

They're basil leaves.

9.3 Specifying a category or type

Sometimes you want to indicate a specific type or category of person or thing.

9.3.1 Using an adjective

You can do this by using an adjective (see 1.4) or a combination of adjectives:

Cerco un interprete italiano.

I'm looking for an Italian interpreter.

Gli studenti hanno bisogno di un libro semplice e chiaro.

The students need a clear simple book.

9.3.2 Using a che clause

You can also indicate a specific type or category by using a relative clause beginning with che (see 3.5.1) to give more details.

The che clause can refer to an object or category that definitely exists and that you know about, in which case the indicative verb form is used:

In genere gli inglesi preferiscono bere le birre che conoscono.

On the whole the English prefer to drink the beers that they know.

Questa è la bicicletta che ho comprato l'anno scorso.

This is the bike I bought last year.

Il regista ha assunto l'attrice che aveva girato dei film con Pasolini.

The director employed the actress who had been in some of Pasolini's films.

If the che clause refers to something which may or may not exist or be available, the subjunctive (see 2.2.14) should be used, particularly in more formal language; the examples here therefore show the subjunctive, with the indicative shown in brackets:

Vorrei una birra che non sia (è) troppo forte.

I would like a beer that is not too strong.

Cerco un interprete che sappia (sa) parlare inglese.

I'm looking for an interpreter who can speak English.

9.4 Specifying ownership

One of the most important aspects of identification is belonging. In Italian, you indicate the person to whom things belong by using di with the person involved; there is no equivalent of the English possessive form ‘Franco's car’, ‘Anna's motorbike’:

Metti il maglione verde di Alessandro.

Put Alessandro's green sweater on.

Prendiamo la macchina di mio cugino.

Let's take my cousin's car.

Le ciabatte sono dei bambini.

The flip-flops are the children's.

You can also use possessives such as mio, tuo, suo (see 3.7). Note that in Italian, the definite article il, la (etc.) is normally used with the possessive adjectives (see 3.7.1):

Questo è il mio lavoro.

This is my work.

Questa è la tua giacca?

Is this your jacket?

To ask who something belongs to, use:

Di chi è … ?

Whose is it? (Literally: Of who is it?)

When mio, tuo, suo, etc. are used as a pronoun (‘mine’, ‘yours’, etc.), the definite article il, la, etc. is optional:

Di chi è questa maglia?

È mia.

Whose is this sweater?

It's mine.

Di chi è questo biglietto?

È (il) suo.

Whose is this ticket?

It's his.

Quel libro è mio.

That book is mine.

Le carte da gioco erano sue.

The playing cards were hers.