We are going to study how combining Italian direct and indirect pronouns  will simplify the Italian language and complicate your life as a student.

Let’s imagine a dialogue between two young friends. Mario wants to know if Luigi’s father can lend them his car.

• Mario: “Hai chiesto a tuo padre se ci presta la sua macchina?” Did you ask your father if he will lend (to) us his car?
• Luigi: “Glielo ho chiesto ma non ce la dà” I asked (it to) him, but won’t give it to us.

Luigi’s answer has all the elements for describing how Italian direct and indirect pronouns can be combined together and avoid redundant elements in a discussion. Let’s analyse what Luigi says.

• I asked (it to) him GLIELO ➜ GLI + LO = GLI means A LUI, to his father; LO stands for asking your father the question
• CE LA ➜ CE  means A NOI , to us and LA takes place of “la macchina”, it, the car.

Looking at the blackboard, we can observe some changes:

MI TI SI CI and VI

when combined with direct pronouns become

ME TE SE CE and VE

• Mi dai le forbici? ➜ ME LE dai? Can you give me the scissors? Can you give them to me?
• Ti presento una mia amica ➜  TE LA presento  – Let me introduce her to you
• Giulia si lava la faccia ➜  SE LA lava – Giulia washes it (the face) herself (reflexive SI)
• La mamma ci ha detto di tornare a casa ➜ CE LO ha detto – She said it to us
• Vi do dei biscotti ➜  VE LI do – I give them to you

An important note about GLI: it merges with direct pronouns forming complex compound pronouns.

• Oggi compro a Maria delle scarpe nuove ➜ GLIELE compro – I buy them (fem) to her
  

We are not very fond of rules, but grammar is all about them! So please remember that Italian direct and indirect pronouns, with indicativo, congiuntivo and condizonale tenses come always BEFORE the verb and are separate:

• Te lo dico io. Se non te lo dicessi io, te lo direbbe qualcun altro. – I say it to you. If i didn’t say it to you someone lese would say it to you

We already observed the particular behaviour of Italian direct and indirect pronouns with infinito, imperativo and gerundio. They always come after the verb and merge with it. The same happens when pronouns are combined together.

• Non posso tenervelo segreto, devo dirvelo – I cant keep it secret to you. I have to say it to you 
• Mario, devi dare 10 euro a Carlo. Daglieli
• Non sapevo cosa fare. Parlandotene, mi sono tolto un peso

Please remember that Italians use pronouns very often and learning them correctly will help you to speak fluently. Please take some time for completing the quiz.