🔍 In short. The italian preposition a is one of the smallest words in the language and one of the busiest. It marks destination (vado a Padova), time (alle nove), age (a vent’anni), price (a cinque euro), means (a piedi), the person you talk or give to (scrivo a Caterina), and dozens of fixed phrases (a posto, a mano a mano, riguardo a). It also follows a small army of verbs before an infinitive (imparare a guidare, cominciare a lavorare). This B1 guide sorts out every regular role of A, the cases where it competes with in, the verbs that demand it, the trickiest idioms, and the slips that mark a sentence as written by a learner.
Cosa impareremo oggi
👆🏻 Jump to section
- Forms: a, ad, al, allo, alla, ai, agli, alle
- Place: a Padova, a casa, al cinema
- Time: alle nove, a mezzogiorno, a maggio
- Talking and giving to people: complemento di termine
- Age, price, speed: a vent’anni, a cinque euro
- Means and manner: a piedi, a mano, a fuoco lento
- Verbs followed by a + infinitive
- Fixed phrases and idioms with A
- Five traps for English speakers
- Cheat sheet
- Dialog: a viewing in Padova
- Frequently asked questions
- Related guides
Forms: a, ad, al, allo, alla, ai, agli, alle
Before the meanings, the shapes. The italian preposition a has three faces. Plain a sits in front of a word with no article (vado a casa, parlo a Pietro). The form ad appears when the next word starts with the same vowel a, a comfort to the ear that native speakers add almost automatically (ad agosto, passare ad altro, uno ad uno). And when an article comes next, the italian preposition a fuses with it into the articulated forms.
| Article | Combined with A | Example |
|---|---|---|
| il | al | vado al mercato |
| lo | allo | siamo allo stadio |
| la | alla | davanti alla biblioteca |
| l’ | all’ | all’edicola, all’una |
| i | ai | ai bambini |
| gli | agli | agli amici |
| le | alle | alle otto, alle ragazze |
- Caterina lavora al panificio di via Mazzini, a Lucca.
Caterina works at the bakery on via Mazzini, in Lucca. - Domani ad agosto comincia il corso ad Assisi.
Tomorrow in August the course in Assisi begins. - Telefono allo studio legale alle quattro.
I’ll call the law firm at four.
Place: a Padova, a casa, al cinema
The first big job of the italian preposition a is location, and the place column is where every learner meets this preposition first. It points to a destination or a static place, and it carves up the territory with in along a clear line: cities, small islands and fixed activities take A; countries, regions and big enclosed spaces take in. Vado a Padova, vivo a Bologna, passo l’estate a Capri; but vado in Italia, abito in Toscana, lavoro in Sardegna.
- Pietro abita a Padova da tre anni, in via Belzoni.
Pietro has lived in Padova for three years, on via Belzoni. - Domenica andiamo al Pantheon e poi a pranzo da mia zia.
On Sunday we’re going to the Pantheon and then to lunch at my aunt’s. - Margherita ha aperto una libreria di quartiere a Bologna.
Margherita has opened a neighborhood bookshop in Bologna. - I bambini sono a scuola fino all’una.
The kids are at school until one. - Ci vediamo al cinema o al bar dopo?
Shall we meet at the cinema or at the bar afterwards?
🔍 Small island, big island. Small islands keep the city pattern with the italian preposition a: a Capri, a Ischia, a Procida, a Ponza. The two big ones drop the italian preposition a and switch to in like regions: in Sicilia, in Sardegna. Sardinia and Sicily are large enough to host whole journeys, so the preposition follows the country logic instead.
Time: alle nove, a mezzogiorno, a maggio
Telling time is the second territory of the italian preposition a. For clock hours, Italian uses the articulated plural alle because ore (hours) is feminine plural and hides inside the phrase: alle nove stands for alle (ore) nove. One is singular and feminine, so all’una. Mezzogiorno and mezzanotte are masculine singular without an article, so plain A: a mezzogiorno, a mezzanotte.
- Il treno per Verona parte alle sette e quarantadue.
The train to Verona leaves at seven forty-two. - Pranziamo all’una in punto, mi raccomando.
We have lunch at one sharp, please don’t forget. - La biblioteca chiude a mezzogiorno il sabato.
The library closes at noon on Saturdays. - A maggio facciamo sempre il trasloco, costa meno.
In May we always do the move, it costs less. - A Pasqua andiamo da Caterina a Lucca.
At Easter we go to Caterina’s place in Lucca.
Months and a handful of holidays take plain a: a gennaio, a marzo, ad agosto, a Natale, a Pasqua, a Ferragosto. Years take nel (nel 2024) and seasons take in (in primavera, in estate), a useful contrast to keep with the italian preposition a column. For an age, the italian preposition a returns: a vent’anni, a sessantacinque.
🎯 Mini-task #1. Fill the gap with the right form: a, ad, al, alla, all’, alle, ai, agli.
- Pietro lavora ___ panificio fino ___ una.
- Il volo per Trieste parte ___ sette e ___ ritorno è ___ undici di sera.
- ___ agosto chiudono quasi tutte le sartorie ___ centro di Lucca.
- Caterina ha smesso di fumare ___ quarant’anni.
- Domenica andiamo ___ Capri e lunedì ___ Sicilia.
- I corsi cominciano ___ ottobre e finiscono ___ giugno.
👉 Show answers
1. al panificio · all’una · 2. alle sette · al ritorno · alle undici · 3. Ad agosto · al centro · 4. a quarant’anni · 5. a Capri · in Sicilia (countries/large islands take in) · 6. a ottobre · a giugno
Talking and giving to people: complemento di termine
The third major job of the italian preposition a is the indirect object: the person (or animal, or thing) on the receiving end of an action. In Italian grammar this is called complemento di termine, and the italian preposition a is its standard marker. A long list of everyday verbs builds the pattern verbo + qualcosa + a qualcuno: dare, dire, scrivere, regalare, mandare, mostrare, insegnare, chiedere, rispondere.
- Ho scritto un’email a Pietro per il preventivo del trasloco.
I wrote an email to Pietro for the moving estimate. - Caterina ha regalato un libro di ricette ai suoi cugini di Lecce.
Caterina gave a cookbook to her cousins in Lecce. - La professoressa insegna spagnolo agli studenti del liceo Manzoni.
The teacher teaches Spanish to the students at Liceo Manzoni. - Devo telefonare alla scuola guida per spostare l’appuntamento.
I have to phone the driving school to move the appointment. - Margherita ha risposto a tutte le mail dei clienti ieri sera.
Margherita answered all the client emails last night.
A few verbs catch English speakers off guard because the object looks direct in English but is indirect in Italian. Telefonare, rispondere, credere, permettere, somigliare all take the italian preposition a: telefono a Pietro (not “telefono Pietro”), rispondo alla domanda, credo a Caterina. When the receiver becomes a pronoun, the italian preposition a disappears and the pronoun does the job alone: scrivo a Pietro becomes gli scrivo; scrivo a Caterina becomes le scrivo. The full a + person stays only for emphasis or contrast: il regalo l’ho fatto a lui, non a lei.
Age, price, speed: a vent’anni, a cinque euro
A handful of measurement contexts call on the italian preposition a too. Age uses the italian preposition a to mark the point on a life timeline: a vent’anni means “at the age of twenty”. Price uses the italian preposition a for unit cost or rate: le ciliegie sono a quattro euro al chilo. Speed and rates use it the same way: a cento all’ora, a passo svelto.
- Pietro ha imparato a nuotare a sei anni in piscina a Bologna.
Pietro learned to swim at six in the pool in Bologna. - Le fragole oggi sono a tre euro al cestino, un’occasione.
Strawberries today are three euros a basket, a bargain. - L’idraulico fattura ottanta euro all’ora, più la chiamata.
The plumber charges eighty euros an hour, plus the call-out. - A quarant’anni Caterina ha aperto la sua sartoria a Lucca.
At forty Caterina opened her tailor shop in Lucca. - Sul tratto autostradale tra Verona e Brescia si viaggia a centotrenta.
On the motorway stretch between Verona and Brescia you travel at a hundred and thirty.
Means and manner: a piedi, a mano, a fuoco lento
The italian preposition a also describes how something is done. With body parts the italian preposition a builds the everyday means-of-transport set (a piedi, a cavallo, a nuoto), which sits beside the in family for vehicles (in macchina, in treno, in bici). With hand work the italian preposition a expresses craft (fatto a mano, scritto a mano, cucito a macchina). In the kitchen it marks the cooking style (a fuoco lento, a vapore, al forno, alla griglia).
- Da casa al panificio Margherita va sempre a piedi, anche d’inverno.
From home to the bakery Margherita always goes on foot, even in winter. - Questo maglione l’ha fatto a mano mia nonna a Verona.
This sweater was hand-knitted by my grandmother in Verona. - Le verdure cuociono a vapore mentre il pollo è al forno.
The vegetables cook in the steamer while the chicken is in the oven. - Il sugo va lasciato a fuoco lento per almeno due ore.
The sauce should be left on low heat for at least two hours. - I bambini hanno cantato la canzone a memoria, senza il foglio.
The kids sang the song from memory, without the sheet.
When you switch from a body part to a vehicle, the italian preposition a steps aside for in: vado in macchina, arriviamo in treno, partiamo in autobus. Does the means have an engine or wheels? Use in. Does it use your own body? Use the italian preposition a.
Verbs followed by a + infinitive
A separate role of the italian preposition a is the link between certain verbs and a following infinitive, a role that has nothing to do with place or time. There is no shortcut: Italian verbs split into those that take the italian preposition a + infinitive, those that take di + infinitive, and those that take no preposition at all. The good news is that the verbs that demand the italian preposition a fall into a few clean groups, easy to drill.
- Motion plus purpose: andare a, venire a, tornare a, correre a, passare a, uscire a. Vado a comprare il pane.
I’m going to buy bread. - Beginning and continuing: cominciare a, iniziare a, mettersi a, continuare a, seguitare a. Margherita ha cominciato a studiare giapponese a quarant’anni.
Margherita started studying Japanese at forty. - Learning, teaching, practising: imparare a, insegnare a, esercitarsi a, abituarsi a, provare a. Pietro impara a guidare alla scuola guida di via Po.
Pietro is learning to drive at the driving school on via Po. - Helping, inviting, forcing: aiutare a, invitare a, costringere a, obbligare a, spingere a. L’idraulico mi ha aiutato a chiudere il rubinetto principale.
The plumber helped me close the main tap. - Succeeding, managing: riuscire a, arrivare a, fare in tempo a. Non riusciamo a trovare un parcheggio davanti all’anagrafe.
We can’t find a parking spot in front of the registry office.
Two reliable signals. If the main verb describes movement and the second verb says why you move, the italian preposition a is almost always right (scendo a prendere il latte, salgo a parlare con il vicino). If the main verb describes a starting point, a learning curve, or an external push toward an action, the italian preposition a is the link again (mi sono messa a cucinare, ti aiuto a riparare la bici).
🎯 Mini-task #2. Which sentences need a before the infinitive? Add it where it is missing, mark the others as already correct.
- Caterina ha cominciato ___ cucire all’età di dieci anni.
- Voglio ___ partire domani mattina presto.
- I bambini sono andati ___ giocare al parco di Verona.
- Devo ___ chiamare l’idraulico stasera.
- Pietro ha imparato ___ riparare le biciclette in officina.
- Non riesco mai ___ finire i libri che inizio.
👉 Show answers
1. a cucire (cominciare a) · 2. ✓ no preposition (volere is modal, direct infinitive) · 3. a giocare (motion + purpose) · 4. ✓ no preposition (dovere is modal) · 5. a riparare (imparare a) · 6. a finire (riuscire a)
Fixed phrases and idioms with A
Italian carries a long shelf of fixed phrases built on the italian preposition a. Memorise the italian preposition a inside these chunks rather than the bare word alone. Some adverbs use the italian preposition a (a poco a poco, a mano a mano, a malapena), some time-stretchers do too (a lungo, a breve, a volte), and a small set of prepositional formulas built on the italian preposition a act like conjunctions (a meno che, a patto che, a condizione che, all followed by the subjunctive). They are worth learning as chunks because their structure does not always match their literal pieces.
| Italian phrase | English meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a poco a poco | little by little | A poco a poco mi sto abituando al nuovo lavoro. |
| a mano a mano | as / gradually | A mano a mano che cresceva, parlava meglio. |
| a posto | in order, fine | Tutto a posto con il preventivo? |
| a malapena | barely | A malapena sento la sua voce al telefono. |
| a lungo | for a long time | Ne abbiamo parlato a lungo ieri sera. |
| a breve | shortly | Le mandiamo il preventivo a breve. |
| a volte | sometimes | A volte vado al mercato dell’usato il sabato. |
| a presto | see you soon | Ci sentiamo, a presto! |
| a memoria | by heart | Conosco il numero a memoria. |
| a caso | at random | Ha scelto il vino a caso. |
| a riguardo / riguardo a | about, regarding | Riguardo alla casa nuova, ne parliamo domani. |
| a seguito di | following, as a result of | A seguito della pioggia il viaggio è rimandato. |
| a meno che (+ subj.) | unless | Vengo, a meno che non piova. |
| a patto che (+ subj.) | provided that | Te lo presto a patto che tu lo restituisca. |
| a costo di | at the cost of | Finisco il lavoro a costo di restare fino a tardi. |
Five traps for English speakers
Five recurring mistakes with the italian preposition a flag a B1 sentence as written by an English speaker. None of them is hard to fix once you see them named.
Trap 1. Using the italian preposition a with countries. Wrong: vado a Italia. Right: vado in Italia. Cities and small islands take the italian preposition a; countries, regions and large islands take in. The rule has very few exceptions and is worth burning in.
Trap 2. Dropping the italian preposition a after a verb that demands it. Wrong: comincio lavorare, imparo guidare. Right: comincio a lavorare, imparo a guidare. When in doubt with a new verb plus infinitive, look it up in a dictionary entry: the construction verb + a + inf is part of the verb’s identity, not an optional flourish.
Trap 3. Treating telefonare, rispondere, credere as direct. Wrong: telefono Pietro. Right: telefono a Pietro. These verbs build their object with the italian preposition a in Italian. The same applies to somigliare a, permettere a, nuocere a, piacere a.
Trap 4. Confusing a and ha. Wrong: lui a una bici. Right: lui ha una bici. The verb form ha always carries the h; the italian preposition a never does. Italian schoolteachers spend years drilling this with native children.
Trap 5. Forgetting ad before another a. Wrong: a agosto, a Andrea. Right: ad agosto, ad Andrea. The euphonic ad only appears reliably before another a; before other vowels it is optional and slightly old-fashioned (ad esempio is fine, a esempio just as common).
Cheat sheet
One table to scan before you write a sentence with the italian preposition a. Match the role to the example and the form of the italian preposition a follows. Print it, keep it beside the keyboard, refer back to it whenever the italian preposition a feels uncertain.
| Role | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| City / small island | a + name | vado a Padova, a Capri |
| Place with article | al / alla / all’ | al cinema, alla stazione, all’edicola |
| Bare place noun | a + noun | a casa, a scuola, a letto |
| Clock time | alle + plural / all’una | alle nove, all’una, alle sette e mezza |
| Noon / midnight | a + noun no article | a mezzogiorno, a mezzanotte |
| Month / holiday / age | a / ad | a maggio, ad agosto, a Natale, a vent’anni |
| Indirect object | a + person | scrivo a Pietro, telefono a Caterina |
| Price / rate per unit | a + price + al / all’ | a tre euro al chilo, a ottanta all’ora |
| Means by body | a + body part | a piedi, a cavallo, a mano |
| Cooking style | a / al / alla | a vapore, al forno, alla griglia |
| Verb + infinitive | verbo + a + inf. | imparo a guidare, riesco a finire |
| Fixed phrase | chunk | a poco a poco, a posto, a memoria |
Dialog: a viewing in Padova
Pietro is looking at a small flat near the canal in Padova. Caterina, his sister and a local estate agent, walks him through it on a Saturday morning. Count the italian preposition a in each line as it falls: place, time, person, age, means, idiom.
👩🏼🦰 Caterina: Allora, siamo arrivati. L’appartamento è al secondo piano, a sinistra. Saliamo a piedi, l’ascensore è in manutenzione.
So, here we are. The flat is on the second floor, on the left. Let’s walk up, the lift is being serviced.
👨🏽🦱 Pietro: Va bene. A che ora abbiamo finito? Alle undici devo passare in libreria a ritirare un ordine.
Fine. What time will we be done? At eleven I need to stop by the bookshop to pick up an order.
👩🏼🦰 Caterina: A breve, mezz’ora al massimo. La signora che vendeva qui ha abitato in questa casa per trent’anni, da quando si è trasferita a Padova a venticinque anni.
Soon, half an hour at most. The lady who lived here owned the flat for thirty years, since she moved to Padova at twenty-five.
👨🏽🦱 Pietro: Bella la cucina. E il bagno? Riesco a entrare con la lavatrice a fianco?
Nice kitchen. And the bathroom? Can I fit the washing machine alongside?
👩🏼🦰 Caterina: Sì, l’attacco è a destra del lavandino. A proposito, ho già parlato all’idraulico del condominio: lavora a quaranta euro all’ora più i pezzi.
Yes, the hookup is to the right of the sink. By the way, I’ve already spoken to the building’s plumber: he charges forty euros an hour plus parts.
👨🏽🦱 Pietro: Onesto. A che prezzo siamo per il canone?
Fair. What price are we at for the rent?
👩🏼🦰 Caterina: Ottocento al mese, riscaldamento centralizzato. Se ti decidi a breve, la proprietaria è disposta ad abbassare a settecentocinquanta a patto che firmi un contratto di quattro anni.
Eight hundred a month, central heating. If you decide soon, the owner is willing to come down to seven hundred and fifty provided you sign a four-year lease.
👨🏽🦱 Pietro: Ci penso a casa stasera e ti rispondo entro domani a mezzogiorno. Posso scriverti su WhatsApp?
I’ll think about it at home tonight and I’ll get back to you by tomorrow at noon. Can I message you on WhatsApp?
👩🏼🦰 Caterina: Scrivimi pure. Se vuoi tornare a vedere l’appartamento a luce diversa, possiamo passare anche martedì pomeriggio.
Go ahead and message me. If you want to come back and see the flat in different light, we can also drop by Tuesday afternoon.
👨🏽🦱 Pietro: Perfetto. A presto allora, e grazie per l’occhio attento.
Perfect. See you soon then, and thanks for the careful eye.
Count the A’s: al secondo piano, a sinistra, a piedi, a che ora, alle undici, a ritirare, a breve, a Padova, a venticinque anni, a fianco, a destra, all’idraulico, a quaranta euro all’ora, a che prezzo, al mese, a breve, ad abbassare, a settecentocinquanta, a patto che, a casa, a mezzogiorno, a luce diversa, a presto. A single conversation puts the italian preposition a through almost every role in the cheat sheet.
🎯 Mini-challenge. Translate into natural Italian using A where needed.
- I work at the library on via Garibaldi from nine to one.
- At twenty-five he moved to Bologna to study engineering.
- The fish costs eighteen euros a kilo at the Saturday market.
- I called Margherita three times but she didn’t answer.
- We’re going to Capri in August, my brother is coming too.
- Caterina started working at the tailor shop at sixteen.
👉 Show answers
1. Lavoro alla biblioteca di via Garibaldi dalle nove all’una. · 2. A venticinque anni si è trasferito a Bologna a studiare ingegneria. · 3. Il pesce costa diciotto euro al chilo al mercato del sabato. · 4. Ho telefonato a Margherita tre volte ma non ha risposto. · 5. Andiamo a Capri ad agosto, viene anche mio fratello. · 6. Caterina ha cominciato a lavorare in sartoria a sedici anni.
Test your understanding
The quiz below drills the italian preposition a across its main roles: place, time, person, idioms, and verbs followed by the italian preposition a. Take it once after the cheat sheet, then again a few days later.
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Frequently asked questions
Seven questions about the italian preposition a come up in every B1 cohort of learners working on the italian preposition a. The answers below draw on real classroom usage and on the Treccani entry on the preposizione.
When do I write ad instead of a?
Write ad when the next word begins with the vowel a, for the ear’s comfort: ad agosto, ad Andrea, ad altro, uno ad uno. Before other vowels (e, i, o, u) ad is optional and slightly literary: ad esempio is common, but a esempio is also correct. Never use ad before a consonant. The rule is one of those small Italian habits that sound off the moment you break them.
Why do I say a Padova but in Italia?
Italian sorts places into two columns. Cities and small islands take a: a Padova, a Firenze, a Bologna, a Capri, a Ischia. Countries, regions and large islands take in: in Italia, in Toscana, in Sicilia, in Sardegna. There are very few exceptions, so the rule covers almost every sentence you’ll write. With neighbourhoods inside a city, in usually wins: vivo in centro, lavoro in periferia.
How do I tell time with the preposition a?
For most clock hours, Italian uses alle because ore (hours) is feminine plural and hides inside the phrase: alle nove, alle sette e mezza, alle ventidue. One is singular and feminine, so all’una. Mezzogiorno (noon) and mezzanotte (midnight) are masculine singular with no article, so plain a: a mezzogiorno, a mezzanotte. The system is more regular than English clock English: once you’ve drilled alle for every hour, you can stop thinking about it.
Which verbs always take a before an infinitive?
Four big families. Motion plus purpose (andare a, venire a, tornare a, correre a, passare a): vado a comprare il pane. Beginning and continuing (cominciare a, iniziare a, mettersi a, continuare a): mi sono messa a studiare. Learning, teaching, practising (imparare a, insegnare a, abituarsi a, esercitarsi a, provare a): imparo a guidare. Helping, inviting, forcing (aiutare a, invitare a, costringere a, obbligare a, spingere a): aiutami a sistemare la cucina. A handful more: riuscire a, arrivare a, fare in tempo a. Modal verbs (dovere, potere, volere, sapere) take no preposition at all: devo partire, voglio restare.
What is the difference between a piedi and in piedi?
They look similar but mean different things. A piedi is a means of movement: vado al lavoro a piedi = I go to work on foot. In piedi is a posture: rimango in piedi sul treno = I stay standing on the train. The same body part, the same preposition pool, two completely separate ideas. Italians sort them out by ear: a piedi answers how, in piedi answers in what position.
Can I say telefono Pietro instead of telefono a Pietro?
No. Telefonare in Italian builds its object with a: telefono a Pietro, telefono al medico, telefono ai miei. The same applies to a small group of verbs that look transitive in English but are intransitive in Italian: rispondere a (rispondo alla domanda), credere a (credo a Caterina), permettere a, somigliare a, piacere a, nuocere a. With these verbs the preposition is mandatory unless you replace the person with a pronoun (gli telefono, le rispondo).
Why do Italians say a Capri but in Sicilia?
Italian treats small islands like cities and big islands like regions or countries. Capri, Ischia, Procida, Ponza, Elba: small enough to walk across, they take a. Sicilia and Sardegna are large enough to host whole journeys and host their own administrative regions, so they take in like a country or a region: in Sicilia, in Sardegna. There is no strict square-kilometre rule, but the split is stable and you can trust it.
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Related guides
Five guides that pair with the italian preposition a, plus an institutional reference on Italian prepositions you can keep open beside any study of the italian preposition a.
- Italian In vs A: How to Say ‘At’ and ‘In’ for Places: the sister guide for the place split between A and IN.
- Italian Motion Prepositions: A, Da, Verso, In, Fino A: A inside the broader family of motion prepositions.
- Italian Verbs Followed by A: Motion, Beginning, Learning: the verb-plus-infinitive list expanded.
- Italian Prepositions: 8 Simple Rules for A1-A2 Learners: the overview hub of all simple prepositions.
- Treccani: la preposizione: institutional reference on Italian prepositions and their roles.
Hi Riccardo, I’m not sure about “a fior di pelle” on its own, meaning “nervous, tense”. I believe that it has to be preceded by “avere i nervi” to acquire this meaning. Otherwise it just signifies something superficial, on the skin, or on the surface. Che be pensi?
Avere i “nervi a fior di pelle” is a set phrase. One can also say avere “i brividi a fior di pelle”. For example here.
Otherwise, “a pelle” is used when you have a “gut feeling”.