When to use subject pronouns in Italian - PRONOUNS

Easy Learning Italian Grammar (2011)

PRONOUNS

What is a pronoun?

A pronoun is a word you use instead of a noun, when you do not need or want to name someone or something directly, for example, it, you, somebody, who, that.

There are many different kinds of pronoun, and all the words underlined in the sentences below are classified as pronouns. As you will see, they are extremely important and versatile words in everyday use.

I liked the black trousers but I couldn’t afford them.	(subject pronoun; direct object pronoun)
I’m not going to eat it.	(subject pronoun)
You know Jack? I saw him at the weekend.	(direct object pronoun)
I emailed her my latest ideas.	(indirect object pronoun)
It’s mine.	(possessive pronoun)
Someone came to see you yesterday.	(indefinite pronoun)
There’s nothing I can do about it.	(indefinite pronoun)
This is the book I meant.	(demonstrative pronoun)
That’s Ian.	(demonstrative pronoun)
Who’s he?	(interrogative pronoun)
What are those lights over there?	(interrogative pronoun)

Personal pronouns are words such as I, you, he, she, us, them, and so forth, which make it clear who you are talking about or talking to. Personal pronouns replace nouns when it’s clear who or what is being referred to, for example, My brother’s not here at the moment. He’ll be back in an hour.

There are two types of personal pronoun:

subject pronouns for the person or thing performing the action expressed by the verb.

I like you a lot.

They always go there on Sundays.

object pronouns for the person or thing most directly affected by the action.

I’ll help you.

They sent it to me yesterday.

He gave us a very warm welcome.

Subject pronouns

Here are the Italian subject pronouns:

Singular	Meaning	Plural	Meaning
io	I	noi	we
tu	you (familiar singular)	voi	you
lui	he	loro	they
lei	she; you (polite singular)

Tip

you also use lei as a polite word for you. You will sometimes see it with a capital letter when used in this way.

Note that the pronouns egli (meaning he), ella (meaning she), essi and esse (meaning they) are used in literary and formal written Italian, so you may well come across them. However, they are not generally used in speaking.

1. When to use subject pronouns in Italian

In English we nearly always put a subject pronoun in front of a verb: I know Paul; they’re nice. Without the pronouns it would not be clear who or what is the subject of the verb.

In Italian the verb ending usually makes it clear who the subject is, so generally no pronoun is necessary.

Conosco Paul.	I know Paul.
Conosci Paul?	Do you know Paul?
Conosciamo Paul.	We know Paul.
Cosa sono? – Sono noci.	What are they? – They’re walnuts.

For more information on Verbs, see page 66.

You do not use a subject pronoun in Italian to translate it at the beginning of a sentence.

Fa caldo.	It’s hot.
Sono le tre.	It’s three o’clock.
Che cos’è? – È una sorpresa.	What is it? – It’s a surprise.

When you do use subject pronouns, it is for one of the following special reasons:

for emphasis

Tu cosa dici?	What do you think?
Pago io.	I’ll pay.
Ci pensiamo noi.	We’ll see to it.

The subject pronoun can come after the verb:

for contrast or clarity

Io ci vado, tu fai come vuoi.	I’m going, you do what you like.
Aprilo tu, io non ci riesco.	You open it, I can’t.

after anche (meaning too) and neanche (meaning neither)

Vengo anch’io.	I’m coming too.
Prendi un gelato anche tu?	Are you going to have an ice cream too?
Non so perché. – Neanch’io.	I don’t know why. – Neither do I.

when there is no verb in Italian

Chi è il più bravo? – Lui.	Who’s the best? – He is.
Viene lui, ma lei no.	He’s coming, but she isn’t.

Tip

To say it’s me, for instance when knocking on someone’s door, and to say who someone is, you use the subject pronoun.

Chi è? – Sono io.	Who’s that? – It’s me.
Guarda! È lui.	Look, it’s him!