Learn to use Italian direct object pronouns like mi, ti, lo, and la to replace nouns and position them correctly before verbs, e.g., Il receptionist mi vede or La prendo alla reception.
- The object pronoun comes before the verb.
- The pronouns lo, la become l' before a vowel.
| Pronome oggetto (Object pronoun) | Esempio (Example) |
|---|---|
| Mi (Me) | Il receptionist vede meIl receptionist mi vede (The receptionist sees me) |
| Ti (You) | Il receptionist chiama teIl receptionist ti chiama (The receptionist calls you) |
| Lo (Me) | Risolviamo il problemaLo risolviamo (We solve it) |
| La (Me) | Prendo la chiave alla receptionLa prendo alla reception (I take her at the reception) |
| Ci (Us) | Il receptionist aiuta noiIl receptionist ci aiuta (The receptionist helps us) |
| Vi (You) | Il receptionist aspetta voiIl receptionist vi aspetta |
| Li/le (Them) | Ora vedo loroLi vedo ora (Them I see now) |
Exceptions!
- With the verb in the infinitive, the pronoun is attached to the verb at the end. Example: "io devo riportare la chiave in reception" -> "devo riportarla in reception".
Exercise 1: I pronomi oggetto diretto
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
mi, ci, li, ti, la, vi, lo
1.
Devo prendere la chiave, devo ... prendo subito.
(I have to take the key, I have to take it immediately.)
2.
La chiave non è qui, ... cerco alla reception.
(The key is not here, I am looking for it at the reception.)
3.
Il problema è urgente, ... risolviamo subito.
(The problem is urgent, we will solve it immediately.)
4.
Vi aspettano all'entrata, ... vedono già.
(They are waiting for you at the entrance, they already see you.)
5.
Io:
Il receptionist ... vede ogni mattina.
(The receptionist sees me every morning.)
6.
Il receptionist è gentile con noi, ... aiuta subito.
(The receptionist is kind to us, he helps us immediately.)
7.
Tu:
Il servizio di pulizia ... cerca sempre.
(The cleaning service is always looking for you.)
8.
I problemi sono visibili, ... segnalo ora.
(The problems are visible, I am reporting them now.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct sentence that correctly uses direct or indirect object pronouns according to the explained rules.
1.
The direct object pronoun must be placed before the verb, so 'mi' cannot come after 'aspetta'.
The position of the pronoun 'mi' is wrong and the pronoun 'lo' is superfluous in this sentence.
2.
With the infinitive the pronoun attaches to the end of the verb, not before the main verb.
The pronoun position is wrong; with the infinitive the pronoun attaches to the end of the verb.
3.
Two object pronouns cannot be used one after the other in this construction; it is an error.
The indirect object pronoun must be placed before the verb, not after.
4.
The pronoun 'Le' should not be repeated at the end of the sentence and this construction is incorrect.
The indirect object pronoun must come before the verb, not after.
