The Preposition di by Ronald Glenn Wrigley
The preposition di means “of” or “from” and is used in the following situations:
Possession
The following examples using the preposition di show possession:
Di chi sono questi libri? |
Whose books are these? |
Sono i libri del professore d'italiano. |
They are the Italian professor's books. |
What's It Made Of?</h2>
<p>The preposition <B>di</B> can be used to describe what something is made of.</p>
<table width="100%" frame="all">
<h2>
<tgroup cols="2">
<colspec colname="col1" colnum="1"/>
<colspec colname="col2" colnum="2"/>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><p><B>Compro una giacca di cuoio.</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>I am buying a leather jacket.</B></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>Elena ha orecchini d'oro.</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>Ellen has gold earrings.</B></p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</table>
<div class="npsb">
<p></p>
<p>When you meet someone for the first time, it's considered more polite to use the formal form of speaking. The expression <B>Di dove sei?</B> is appropriate in informal situations, but use the formal form <B>Di dov'è Lei?</B> when you meet someone for the first time or in situations that require more formality.</p>
</div>
<title>Origin</h2>
<p><B>Di</B> is used with the verb <B>essere</B> to indicate origin.</p>
<table width="100%" frame="all">
<h2>
<tgroup cols="2">
<colspec colname="col1" colnum="1"/>
<colspec colname="col2" colnum="2"/>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><p><B>Di dove sei?</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>Where are you from?</B></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>Io sono di Providence, ma abito a Boston.</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>I am from Providence but I live in Boston.</B></p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</table>
<title>Comparisons</h2>
<p><B>Di</B> is used in expressions making comparisons.</p>
<table width="100%" frame="all">
<tgroup cols="2">
<colspec colname="col1" colnum="1"/>
<colspec colname="col2" colnum="2"/>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><p><B>Matteo è più piccolo di Marco.</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>Matteo is smaller than Marco.</B></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>Mio fratello suona la chitarra meglio di me.</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>My brother plays the guitar better than me.</B></p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</table>
<p>The preposition <B>di</B> is also used after certain verbs when they are followed by an infinitive (verb + <B>di</B> + infinitive of verb).</p>
<p><B>Table 9-5</B></p>
<p><B>Verb + <B>di</B> + infinitive</B></p>
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<tgroup cols="2">
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<tr>
<td><p><B>Italian</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>English</B></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>accettare di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to accept</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>accorgersi di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to realize</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>ammettere di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to admit</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>avere bisogno di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to need to</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>avere paura di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to be afraid of</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>cercare di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to try to</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>chiedere di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to ask to</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>consigliare di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to advise to</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>decidere di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to decide to</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>essere in grado di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to be in a position to</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>fingere di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to pretend to</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>tentare di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to attempt to</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>vietare di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to forbid</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>finire di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to finish</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>immaginare di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to imagine</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>lamentarsi di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to complain about</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>offrire di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to offer</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>pensare di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to think of</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>permettere di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to allow</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>proibire di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to forbid</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>rendersi conto di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to realize, to become aware</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>ricordarsi di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to remember</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>smettere di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to stop</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>sperare di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to hope to</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>trattare di</B></p></td>
<td><p>to be about; deal with</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</table>
<p>Repeat each sentence after the narrator to practice your pronunciation.</p>
<p></p>
<table width="100%" frame="all">
<tgroup cols="2">
<colspec colname="col1" colnum="1"/>
<colspec colname="col2" colnum="2"/>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><p><B>Il bambino smette di piangere.</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>The little boy stops crying.</B></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>Pensate di andare al cinema venerdù sera?</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>Are you thinking of going to the movies on Friday evening?</B></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>Ti proibisco di prendere la macchina!</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>I prohibit you from taking the car!</B></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><B>Ho bisogno di parlare con te.</B></p></td>
<td><p><B>I need to speak with you.</B></p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</table>
<div class="npsb">
<p></p>
<p>What's that <B>si</B> doing in some of the infinitives listed in Table 9-5? No, it's not a typo. Those are reflexive verbs. A reflexive verb's subject and object are identical. For example, the subject and object are the same in the phrase “enjoy yourself.” Reflexive verbs are covered in Chapter 10.</p>
</div>
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