🔍 In short. Italian da infinitive relatives are a tight pattern: Italian uses da + infinitive after a noun or pronoun to say what needs to be done with that thing: un libro da leggere means “a book to read” (a book that should be read, or that you can read). The pattern packs a whole relative clause into two words.
This guide on Italian da infinitive relatives walks through the most common patterns: qualcosa da bere, niente da fare, molto da dire, the colloquial ho da lavorare, and the very useful c’è da structure. Italian da infinitive relatives are everywhere in real speech, from a bar order to a worried text from a friend. Examples come from a fishing day in the valli di Comacchio, where Selvaggia and Igino always seem to have something to mend, label, or eat.
By the end of this guide on Italian da infinitive relatives you will pick the right English equivalent (“to read” or “to be read” or “for reading”) without translating word by word, and you will know when da + infinitive sounds natural and when a full relative clause with che works better.
Cosa impareremo oggi
👆🏻 Jump to sections
- What “da + infinitive” really means
- Noun + da + infinitive: un libro da leggere
- After indefinite pronouns: qualcosa da bere, niente da fare
- After quantity words: molto, poco, tanto, abbastanza
- Avere da + infinitive: the colloquial “have to”
- C’è da, ci sarebbe da: things to be done
- When to prefer a relative clause with “che”
- Fixed expressions: da bere, da mangiare, daffare
- Common mistakes English speakers make
- Cheat sheet
- Dialogue in the valli di Comacchio
- Mini-challenge
- Frequently asked questions
What “da + infinitive” really means
Picture a Sunday morning in the valli di Comacchio. The Italian da infinitive relatives pattern shows up at every step. Selvaggia opens a wooden crate and pulls out three jars she still has to label: tre vasetti da etichettare. In English we would say “three jars to label” or “three jars that need labelling”. Italian compresses that whole relative clause into da + infinitive, hanging it onto the noun like a tag.
The pattern signals purpose, intention, or necessity. Italian da infinitive relatives always carry this slight modal flavour, “should, can, must”. The thing on the left of da is what the action will happen to. The infinitive on the right is what is supposed to happen. So libro da leggere is not “a book that reads”; it is “a book that someone will read, should read, or can read”. The grammatical subject of the infinitive is left unsaid, and the listener fills it in from context.
You will hear Italian da infinitive relatives dozens of times a day in Italy: at the bar (qualcosa da bere?), at home (ho un sacco di cose da fare), at work (c’è ancora una mail da scrivere). Once you spot the pattern, it stops being a translation puzzle and becomes a reflex.
Noun + da + infinitive: un libro da leggere
The core pattern among Italian da infinitive relatives is simple: noun + da + infinitive. The noun is the implied object of the infinitive, and da introduces what should happen to it.
- Ho un libro da finire entro venerdì.
I have a book to finish by Friday. - In cantina ci sono due casse di vino da spostare.
There are two crates of wine in the cellar that need moving. - Igino mi ha portato tre reti da riparare.
Igino brought me three nets to mend. - Hanno una casa enorme da pulire ogni sabato mattina.
They have a huge house to clean every Saturday morning.
Notice how natural English alternates between “to read”, “for reading”, “that needs reading”, “which I have to read”. Italian uses one shape for all of them. A rough mental rule: if you can paraphrase the English with “which someone should, can, or must X”, the Italian equivalent is almost always da + infinito.
🧠 Quick task. Rewrite each English sentence using one of the Italian da infinitive relatives patterns (noun + da + infinitive).
- I have three emails to write before lunch.
- She has a dress to iron for the wedding.
- We have two suitcases to pack tonight.
👉 Show answers
1. Ho tre email da scrivere prima di pranzo.
2. Ha un vestito da stirare per il matrimonio.
3. Abbiamo due valigie da preparare stasera.
After indefinite pronouns: qualcosa da bere, niente da fare
The same pattern attaches to indefinite pronouns: qualcosa (something), niente / nulla (nothing), tutto (everything), poco (little), molto (much). These are some of the most frequent Italian da infinitive relatives you will hear in real conversation.
- Selvaggia, vuoi qualcosa da bere mentre aspettiamo il guardiano?
Selvaggia, would you like something to drink while we wait for the warden? - Non ho niente da dire, è meglio se sto zitto.
I have nothing to say, it’s better if I keep quiet. - Con questa nebbia non c’è proprio nulla da vedere.
With this fog there really is nothing to see. - Avete tutto da imparare sulla marinatura delle anguille.
You have everything to learn about marinating eels.
Among Italian da infinitive relatives, the fixed expression non c’è niente da fare (“there’s nothing to be done”) is a daily-life classic. Italians use it when a situation is hopeless or stubborn: a stain that will not come out, a child who will not eat vegetables, an old printer that refuses to print.
After quantity words: molto, poco, tanto, abbastanza
Quantity words behave like indefinite pronouns in Italian da infinitive relatives. They name a vague amount, then da + infinito tells us what that amount is for.
- Igino ha sempre molto da raccontare sui vecchi pescatori.
Igino always has a lot to tell about the old fishermen. - Stamattina abbiamo poco da fare: solo controllare le reti.
This morning we have little to do: just check the nets. - C’è tanto da pulire nel casone dopo la mareggiata.
There’s so much to clean in the fishing hut after the storm. - Abbiamo abbastanza da bere per tutta la giornata.
We have enough to drink for the whole day.
An important detail about Italian da infinitive relatives: in this pattern the quantity word stands on its own as a noun-like element. You cannot say “molte cose da fare” twice; either molte cose da fare (with the noun) or molto da fare (with the quantity word alone). Both are correct, the second is shorter and more idiomatic.
Avere da + infinitive: the colloquial “have to”
Among the Italian da infinitive relatives family, this is the only pattern with an explicit grammatical subject. Spoken Italian uses avere da + infinito as a colloquial twin of dovere. It is informal, slightly regional (more common in the centre and north), and very natural when you list duties without sounding heavy.
- Stamattina ho da finire la marinata, poi sono libera.
This morning I have to finish the marinade, then I’m free. - Igino, hai da fare o possiamo andare al ponte?
Igino, are you busy or can we go to the bridge? - Selvaggia aveva da consegnare due ordini prima di mezzogiorno.
Selvaggia had two orders to deliver before noon.
When picking between Italian da infinitive relatives and dovere in writing or formal contexts, dovere is safer: devo finire la marinata. In speech, ho da finire sounds friendlier and lighter. Italians often slip between these two ways of building Italian da infinitive relatives in the same conversation.
C’è da, ci sarebbe da: things to be done
This is the impersonal version of the structure. Of all Italian da infinitive relatives, c’è da + infinito means “there is X to be done” without naming who has to do it. It is short, useful, and very common in everyday Italian.
- C’è da pulire la barca prima di salpare.
The boat needs cleaning before we set off. - Ci sarebbe da ridipingere la staccionata, ma facciamo in primavera.
The fence needs repainting, but let’s do it in spring. - C’è da dire che le anguille di quest’anno sono più piccole.
It has to be said that this year’s eels are smaller. - Qui c’è da riflettere bene prima di firmare.
You really have to think hard here before signing.
Within Italian da infinitive relatives, the conditional ci sarebbe da softens the obligation into a suggestion (“we ought to, we could”). The phrase c’è da dire che… is a beautiful opener for adding a qualification or a piece of information that the listener should weigh in.
🧠 Quick task. Complete each sentence with one of the impersonal Italian da infinitive relatives: c’è da or ci sarebbe da + the verb.
- ____________ (sbrigarsi), il treno parte tra cinque minuti!
- ____________ (ammettere) che hai ragione tu.
- ____________ (riparare) il rubinetto, ma non oggi.
👉 Show answers
1. C’è da sbrigarsi, il treno parte tra cinque minuti!
2. C’è da ammettere che hai ragione tu.
3. Ci sarebbe da riparare il rubinetto, ma non oggi.
When to prefer a relative clause with “che”
Not every English “to + verb” becomes one of the Italian da infinitive relatives. The construction works when the noun is the implied object of the infinitive and the meaning is “that should, can, or must be X-ed”. When the noun is the subject of the action, or when you need a specific tense and a clear subject, a full relative with che is the natural choice.
- ✅ Ho un libro da leggere (object): implicit “I should read it”.
✅ Ho un libro che finisce male: subject is “il libro”, che + verb is mandatory. - ✅ Una casa da affittare (passive purpose, to be rented).
✅ Una casa che si affitta facilmente (active description with tense). - ✅ Una persona da ammirare (deserving admiration).
✅ La persona che ho conosciuto ieri: past, specific subject, requires che.
A reliable test for spotting Italian da infinitive relatives in the wild: try the English paraphrase “that can, should, or must be X-ed”. If it fits, use da + infinitive. If you need “who or which did, does, will do”, use che + verb. For more on che and cui, see our guide on Italian cui in all its functions.
Fixed expressions: da bere, da mangiare, daffare
Italian has crystallised a few Italian da infinitive relatives into nouns and set phrases. They look unusual at first because the da + infinito chunk works almost like a single word.
- Dare da mangiare al gatto = to feed the cat (literally “give the wherewithal to eat to the cat”).
To feed the cat. - Ti porto qualcosa da bere? Here da bere almost acts like a noun: “something drinkable”.
Shall I bring you something to drink? - Ho un sacco di daffare oggi: written as one word, means “tasks, busy work”.
I have a load of stuff on today. - Darsi da fare (two words here) = to get busy, to roll up one’s sleeves.
To get to work.
Notice the dual spelling that Italian da infinitive relatives have inherited: daffare as a noun (one word, like in “un sacco di daffare”), da fare as a verb phrase (two words, like in “ho molto da fare”). Both are correct, neither is a typo, and context decides.
Common mistakes English speakers make
The Italian da infinitive relatives construction looks easy until you start using it in conversation. A few traps catch even confident B1 learners.
- ❌ Cerco un libro per leggere in vacanza. Wrong here. Per expresses purpose but here we mean “a book to read”, with the book as object. ✅ Cerco un libro da leggere in vacanza.
I’m looking for a book to read on holiday. - ❌ Ho molto di fare. Wrong preposition. ✅ Ho molto da fare.
I have a lot to do. - ❌ Non c’è niente di fare. Same trap. ✅ Non c’è niente da fare.
There’s nothing to be done. - ❌ Cerco un libro da essere letto. The infinitive after da is not made passive with essere. ✅ Cerco un libro da leggere (already passive in meaning).
I’m looking for a book to read.
For the trickiest neighbour of Italian da infinitive relatives, the per + infinito pattern (purpose: “in order to”), see our guide on Italian per vs da + infinitive. That comparison sharpens the boundary between per and the Italian da infinitive relatives family fast.
Cheat sheet
| Pattern | Italian example | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| noun + da + inf | un libro da leggere | a book to read |
| indefinite pronoun + da + inf | qualcosa da bere | something to drink |
| negative pronoun + da + inf | niente da fare | nothing to be done |
| quantity word + da + inf | molto da raccontare | a lot to tell |
| avere da + inf (colloquial) | ho da finire | I have to finish |
| c’è da + inf (impersonal) | c’è da pulire | there is cleaning to do |
| ci sarebbe da + inf (soft) | ci sarebbe da ridipingere | the fence ought to be repainted |
| set noun | il daffare | the task at hand |
Dialogue in the valli di Comacchio
Selvaggia and Igino are wrapping up a working morning at the casone. Count the Italian da infinitive relatives as they go, the wooden fishing hut on stilts in the lagoon. They have eels to label, nets to mend, and one bottle of Bosco Eliceo to share before lunch.
👩🏼🦰 Selvaggia: Igino, ho ancora due casse da svuotare prima di chiudere il casone.
👨🏽🦱 Igino: Lascia stare, le finisco io. Tu hai da etichettare i vasi della marinata, no?
👩🏼🦰 Selvaggia: Sì, dodici vasi da preparare per il furgone di domani. Vuoi qualcosa da bere mentre lavoriamo?
👨🏽🦱 Igino: Volentieri. Stamattina c’è poco da raccontare: la nebbia ha coperto tutto fino a mezzogiorno.
👩🏼🦰 Selvaggia: Già. E con la nebbia non c’è proprio niente da vedere dal ponte dei Trepponti.
👨🏽🦱 Igino: Però adesso si è alzato il sole. Hai tanto da fare ancora?
👩🏼🦰 Selvaggia: Un’oretta. Poi ci sarebbe da pulire anche la barca, ma facciamo domani.
👨🏽🦱 Igino: Bene. C’è da dire che le anguille di quest’anno sono più piccole, eh.
👩🏼🦰 Selvaggia: Vero. Ma il sapore è ancora quello giusto. Tieni, ti ho lasciato un panino da assaggiare con le anguille marinate.
👨🏽🦱 Igino: Grazie. Ai pescatori non manca mai qualcosa da fare, eh?
🎯 Mini-challenge
Translate each sentence into Italian using one of the Italian da infinitive relatives patterns. Try to avoid devo or per.
- I have a lot to do before tonight.
- Is there anything to eat in the fridge?
- There’s nothing to be done, the printer is broken.
- The garden needs watering (use c’è da).
- I’m looking for a film to watch tonight.
👉 Show answers
1. Ho molto da fare prima di stasera.
2. C’è qualcosa da mangiare in frigo?
3. Non c’è niente da fare, la stampante è rotta.
4. C’è da annaffiare il giardino.
5. Cerco un film da guardare stasera.
Test your understanding
Take the quiz below to test what you have learned about Italian da infinitive relatives.
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Frequently asked questions
Five questions learners ask most often about Italian da infinitive relatives. Sources include real native-speaker discussions on language forums and the Treccani vocabolario entry on the Italian preposition da.
When do I use da + infinito instead of che + verb?
Use da + infinito when the noun is the implied object of the action and the meaning is that someone should, can, or must do it. Use che + verb when the noun is the subject of the action or when you need a specific tense. Compare: un libro da leggere (a book that should be read, da + inf) vs un libro che finisce male (a book that ends badly, che + verb because the book is the subject).
Is da + infinito always passive in meaning?
Almost always, yes. Un libro da leggere means a book to be read. The construction packs a passive idea into an active-looking infinitive, which is why you cannot add essere: Cerco un libro da essere letto is wrong. The exception is the colloquial avere da + infinito where the subject of avere is also the doer: ho da finire (I have to finish).
Can I say ho da fare instead of devo fare?
Yes, in informal spoken Italian. Ho da fare and devo fare are close in meaning, but ho da fare sounds lighter and more conversational, often regional (more common in central and northern Italy). In writing or formal contexts, prefer dovere. Both are correct and a native will not blink at either in speech.
What is the difference between qualcosa da mangiare and qualcosa per mangiare?
Qualcosa da mangiare means something to eat, where the food is what gets eaten (implied object). Qualcosa per mangiare would suggest something used in order to eat, like cutlery or a plate. So at the bar you ask Hai qualcosa da mangiare, not per mangiare. The same logic applies to da bere vs per bere.
Why is it niente da fare and not niente di fare?
After indefinite pronouns like niente, qualcosa, molto, poco, the preposition for purpose or necessity is da, not di. Di appears after these pronouns when an adjective follows: niente di bello, qualcosa di buono. With a verb, always da: niente da fare, qualcosa da bere, molto da dire.
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Related guides
- Italian cui: all functions (di cui, a cui, per cui): the relative pronoun family that da + infinito often replaces.
- Italian per vs da + infinitive: purpose and use: the trickiest neighbour of this construction.
- Italian perception verbs + infinitive: another bare-infinitive pattern that often confuses learners.
- Treccani: voce sulla preposizione da: native institutional source on Italian prepositions, including da.
