What is a preposition?

Prepositions are invariable words used before nouns, adjectives or verbs, (preposition means
'put before'), which help to relate these words to each other. In Italian these words are referred
to as Preposizioni semplici.

Preposizioni Semplici

a – at, to di – of su – on per – for/in order to

da – from/by in – in con – with tra – between

Often, prepositions are used in combination with the article. In English, the preposition and the article
are never joined. In Italian they are mostly joined. These types of prepositions are called Preposizioni
articolate.

Example: sul is the combination of the

preposition su and the article il.
The result is this articulated
preposition which means on the.

Il gatto è sul tetto. The cat is on the roof.

Not all Italian prepositions contract with the definite article. Only the ones in the following table do.
These prepositions need to be studied by heart.

Preposizioni Articolate

articles  il lo l’ la i le gli

A al allo all’ alla ai alle agli

dall’
prepositions

DA dal dallo dalla dai dalle dagli

DI del dello dell’ della dei delle degli

IN nel nello nell’ nella nei nelle negli

SU sul sullo sull’ sulla sui sulle sugli