This lesson covers i pronomi oggetto indiretto in Italian, teaching how to use forms like mi, ti, gli, and le to indicate to whom an action is directed, with examples such as "Il receptionist mi parla" and "Le spiego il problema."
- Indirect pronouns answer the questions 'to whom?, to what?'
| Significato (Meaning) | Esempio (Example) |
|---|---|
| Mi (Me) | Il receptionist mi parla (The receptionist speaks to me) |
| Ti (You) | Il receptionist ti spiega tutto (The receptionist explains everything to you) |
| Gli (Them) | Gli do la chiave (I give him the key) |
| Le (The) | Le spiego il problema (I explain the problem) |
| Ci (Us) | Il receptionist ci mostra la stanza (The receptionist shows us the room) |
| Vi (I) | L'impiegata vi offre aiuto (The clerk offers you help) |
| Loro (Them) | Do le chiavi a loro (I give the keys to them) |
Exceptions!
- 'Loro' is never used before the verb.
Exercise 1: I pronomi oggetto indiretto
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
le, loro, ti, gli, mi, dirle, ci
1.
A loro:
Le valigie sono pronte, ... possono prenderle.
(The suitcases are ready, they can take them.)
2.
Dire, a ler:
Puoi spiegare il problema a lei? Puoi ... ora.
(Can you explain the problem to her? Can you tell her now.)
3.
A lei:
La signora è nuova, ... spieghiamo tutto.
(The lady is new, we explain everything to her.)
4.
A me:
Il receptionist ... dà subito una risposta.
(The receptionist immediately gives me an answer.)
5.
A lui:
Il cliente è preoccupato, ... parlo subito.
(The client is worried, I will speak to him right away.)
6.
A loro:
Il messaggio è importante, voglio dire ... subito.
(The message is important, I want to tell them immediately.)
7.
A te:
Il direttore ... invia un messaggio ora.
(The director is sending you a message now.)
8.
A noi:
Il portiere ... mostra dove andare ora.
(The goalkeeper shows us where to go now.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct sentence using direct or indirect object pronouns in typical hotel stay contexts.
1.
The correct order places the pronoun before the verb without interrupting them.
The indirect pronoun must come before the verb, not after.
2.
The direct pronoun must precede the conjugated verb, not come after.
Although grammatically correct, in exercise context it is not the most direct form requested; moreover, to reinforce pronoun position, it is preferred to avoid separation from the subject.
3.
The indirect pronoun must precede the verb, not come after.
The order of the pronoun and verb is incorrect and the construction is unnatural.
4.
With a modal verb followed by an infinitive, the pronoun attaches to the end of the infinitive, not placed before the modal verb.
The correct order is to join the pronoun to the infinitive, not position it separately between the modal verb and the infinitive.
