PRONOUNS

PRONOUNS

A pronoun, pronome, is a variable part of the speech. It is a word that takes the place of, or fulfils the function of a noun in certain specific circumstances.

Besides a noun, the pronoun can replace a group of words, an adjective, a phrase, another pronoun.

Pronouns can be classified in six categories:
- personali (personal), relativi (relative)
- dimostrativi (demonstrative), possessivi (possessive), indefiniti (indefinite), interrogativi (interrogative) ed esclamativi (exclamative).
Personal and relative pronouns have only a pronominal function; the others, depending on the circumstances, can also assume a adjectival function.

•    Personal pronouns

They are indispensable. Personal pronoun, pronomi personali, indicate:
- the person who speaks, prima persona, first person, singular or plural: io (I), noi (we);
- the person who listens, seconda persona, second person, singular or plural: tu (you), voi (you);
- the person or the thing the sentence is talking about, terza persona, third person, singular or plural: lui (him), lei (her), egli (him), ella (her), esso (it), essa (it), essi, esse, loro (them).

They can assume the function of:
- subject, that is who is doing the action;
- object, the element that is the target of an action.
 
- Having the function of a complement, personal pronouns can have two forms:
• atona, unstressed;
• tonica, stressed.

- Subject personal pronouns are often understood: the endings of italian verbs always show who the subject is, without the need for a pronoun. The use of pronouns is limited to situations where we need to give special emphasis to the subject.
For example: Andiamo a mangiare! (Let’s eat!) The implied subject is noi.

- The object pronoun can represents a direct complement: the one who answers the question chi? (who?), che cosa? (what?)

For example:     Francesca mi ha chiamato  →   Francesca ha chiamato (chi?) me
                      Francesca ti ha chiamato   →   Francesca ha chiamato (chi?) te
                      Francesca lo ha chiamato   →   Francesca ha chiamato (chi?) lui
                      Francesca la ha chiamata   →   Francesca ha chiamato (chi?) lei
                      Francesca ci ha chiamati    →   Francesca ha chiamato (chi?) noi
                      Francesca vi ha chiamati    →   Francesca ha chiamato (chi?) voi
                      Francesca li ha chiamati     →   Francesca ha chiamato (chi?) loro
                      Francesca le ha chiamate   →   Francesca ha chiamato (chi?) loro

Important: unstressed personal pronouns are set before the verb; stressed ones are set after the verb.

Important: if the verb is an infinive, a participle or a gerund, an unstressed pronoun can be attached to it.
For example: Mandale un bacio da parte mia. (Give her a kiss by me.) Vederti mi fa star bene. (Seeing you make me feel good.) Parlandogli è diventato tutto più chiaro. (Talking to him made verything cleaner.)

Important: lo e la pronouns become l’ before a vowel starting word.
For example: Hai rotto tu il vaso? No, l’ha rotto Marco.
(Did you break the pot? No, Marco did.)

- Object pronouns can represent indirect complements: that is, the ones answering the questions a chi?, con chi?, per chi?, di che cosa?, etc.

For example:     Chiara mi ha parlato.   →   Chiara ha parlato (a chi?) a me.
                      Chiara ti ha parlato.    →   Chiara ha parlato (a chi?) a te.
                      Chiara le ha parlato.    →   Chiara ha parlato (a chi?) a lei.
                      Chiara gli ha parlato.   →    Chiara ha parlato (a chi?) a lui.
                      Chiara ci ha parlato.    →   Chiara ha parlato (a chi?) a noi.
                      Chiara vi ha parlato.    →   Chiara ha parlato (a chi?) a voi.
                      Chiara ha loro parlato   →    Chiara ha parlato (a chi?) a loro.
           
Anna è andata al cinema (con chi?) con lui.
Questo regalo è (per chi?) per loro.

Important: before a preposition stressed pronouns must be used.
 
Important: if the verb is an infinive, a participle or a gerund, an unstressed pronoun can be attached to it.
Ad esempio: Ti ho detto di parlarle. Conoscendolo, è davvero simpatico. Comprami del vino.
                
Important: if the verb is followed by an infinitive, the object pronoun can be set both before and after the verb.
For example: Le devo fare una domanda. Devo farle una domanda. (I have a question for you.)

•    Relative pronouns

Are relative pronouns, pronomi relativi, the ones establishing a link between two sentences: like all the pronouns, they they refer to a previously mentioned person or thing.

Aspetto Silvia. Silvia è appena uscita di casa. (I’m waiting for Silvia. Silvia has just left home.)
Aspetto Silvia, che è appena uscita di casa. (I’m waiting for Sivia, who has just left home.)

Ho visto il film. Tu mi hai prestato un film. (I saw the film. The film you lent me.)
Ho visto il film che mi hai prestato. (I saw the film you lend me.)

Questi sono i pantaloni. Ti ho parlato dei pantaloni. (These are the trousers. I talked to you about the trousers.)
Questi sono i pantaloni di cui ti ho parlato. (These are the trousers I talked to you about.)

Ecco i miei amici. Sono andato in vacanza con i miei amici. (Here are my friends. I went on holyday with my friends.)
Ecco gli amici con cui sono andato in vacanza. (Here are the friends I went on holyday with.)

Quello è il quadro. Tengo tantissimo al quadro. (That is the painting. I care about it so much.)
Quello è il quadro al quale tengo tantissimo. (That is the painting I care so much about.)

Che, cui, quale are the italian relative pronouns. They can assume the function of subject, direct object and indirect object. In particular:

- Che, invariable, can be both the object or the subject of the verb.
For example:    Il libro che hai preso è mio. (The book you take is mine.)
                     Che is the direct object: you took (che cosa?) the book (direct object).
                     Il libro che parla di Roma è mio. (The book about Rome is mine.)
                     Che is the subject: the book (subject) is about Rome.

- Cui, invariable, preceded by a preposition, represents an indirect object.
For example:     Qui trovi tutte le informazioni sul corso a cui ti vuoi iscrivere.
                      (Here you can find all the information about the class you want to join.)
                      Questa è la decisione giusta, da cui non ci possiamo esimere.
                       (This is the right decision we can’t get out of.)
                      Devo ringraziare Angela, i cui consigli sono stati provvidenziali.
                      (I have to thank Angela, whose advices has been providential.)

- Il quale, la quale, i quali, le quali are variable; they agree with the noun they refer and with their definite article. They can be used as subject, direct object and, preceded by a preposition, as indirect object.
For example:     Ti ha cercato un certo Giuseppe, il quale richiamerà più tardi.
                      (A certain Giuseppe, who will recall later, was looking for you.)
                      Sono decisione sulle quali bisogna riflettere con attenzione.
                      (These are decisions we must reflect on with attention.)    

•    Possessive pronouns

Possessive pronouns, pronomi possessivi, indicate the person to whom something or somebody belongs.

- They have the same forms of the possessive adjectives and they have six grammatica persons.

- They are always preceded by an article or a preposition combined with definite articles.
 
- Attention: the adjective accompains a noun, the pronoun stands for the noun.
For example:    Il mio zaino è blu, il tuo è rosso. (My rucksack is blue, yours is red.)
                     Mio goes with the noun zaino, it’s an adjective.
                     Tuo replace the noun zaino, that isn’t repeated: tuo is a pronoun.

 
•    Demonstrative pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns, pronomi dimostrativi, indicate the position of somebody or something compared with who speaks or who listen.

- They have the same form of the possessive adjectives.
- Questo is near who is speaking; quello is far from who is speaking.

- Attenzion: the adjective accompain a noun, the pronoun stands for the noun.
For example:    Questi regali sono di Paolo, quelli di Luca.
                     (These presents are Paolo’s, those are Luca’s.)
Questi accompains the noun regali: it’s an adjective.
Quelli stans for the noun regali, that isn’t repeated: quelli is a pronoun.

 
•    Indefinite pronouns

Are indefinite the pronouns indicating in an unspecific way the qualitative or quantitative characteristics of people, animals and things.

- Some indefinite pronouns, pronomi indefiniti, correspond to some indefinite adjectives. To distinguish an adjective from a pronoun, you have always to remember that a pronoun stands for a noun, while an adjective accompains a noun.

• They can indicate a unity or an undetermined plurality: nessuno (nobody), alcuno (someone), ciascuno (each one), ognuno (everybody), certo (certain), etc.
For example: Non ho visto nessuno. (I saw nobody.)

• They can suggest an indefinite quantity: molto (many), poco (few), tanto (a lot of), parecchio (quite a lot), troppo (too much), vario (various), altrettanto (as much), etc.
For example: Non hai mangiato niente. (You ate nothing.)

- Other indefinite pronouns don’t have a corresponding adjective: they are used only as pronouns.

• Uno (one), qualcuno (someone), ognuno (each one), chiunque (anyone).
For example: Uno ti ha cercato. (Someone was looking for you.) Qualcuno mi sa rispondere? (Is anyone able to answer me?) Ognuno dia il proprio contributo. (Each one must give a contribute.) Chiunque può sbagliare. (Whoever can make mistakes.)

• Qualcosa (something), niente, nulla (nothing).
For example: Qualcosa non torna. Non dire niente. Non mangia nulla.

•    Interrogative and exclamative pronouns

Interrogative and exclamative pronouns, pronomi interrogativi ed esclamativi, introduce questions or exclamations about quantity, quality or identity.

- Che, quale, quanto can be both pronouns and adjectives.
For example:           Che ne pensi? (What do you think about?)
                            Ci sono molti biscotti: quali vuoi? (Here there are many biscuits: which one do
                             you want?)
                            Ora aggiungo lo zucchero: quanto? (I’ll add the sugar: how much?)
                            Quanto ti odio! (I hate you so much!)
                            Che potrà pensare! (What could he think!)

- Che is invariable, quale is variable in number, quanto è variabile in number and gender.

- Chi is used only as a pronoun; it refers to people and it’s invariable.
For example:     Chi ti ha detto questa bugia? (Who told you this lie?)
                      Chi si vede, finalmente! (Who is here, at last!)


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