{"id":23598,"date":"2019-05-18T00:43:40","date_gmt":"2019-05-17T15:43:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/?p=23598"},"modified":"2026-05-25T08:33:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T23:33:12","slug":"italian-preposition-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-preposition-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian Preposition A: The Complete Guide for English Speakers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udd0d <strong>In short.<\/strong> The <strong>italian preposition a<\/strong> is one of the smallest words in the language and one of the busiest. It marks destination (<em>vado a Padova<\/em>), time (<em>alle nove<\/em>), age (<em>a vent&#8217;anni<\/em>), price (<em>a cinque euro<\/em>), means (<em>a piedi<\/em>), the person you talk or give to (<em>scrivo a Caterina<\/em>), and dozens of fixed phrases (<em>a posto<\/em>, <em>a mano a mano<\/em>, <em>riguardo a<\/em>). It also follows a small army of verbs before an infinitive (<em>imparare a guidare<\/em>, <em>cominciare a lavorare<\/em>). This B1 guide sorts out every regular role of A, the cases where it competes with <em>in<\/em>, the verbs that demand it, the trickiest idioms, and the slips that mark a sentence as written by a learner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" \/>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-toc-prepa\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-toc-h-prepa gb-headline-text\" style=\"text-align:center;font-size:24px\">Cosa impareremo oggi<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc46\ud83c\udffb Jump to section<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#forms\">Forms: a, ad, al, allo, alla, ai, agli, alle<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#place\">Place: a Padova, a casa, al cinema<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#time\">Time: alle nove, a mezzogiorno, a maggio<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#person\">Talking and giving to people: complemento di termine<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#age-price\">Age, price, speed: a vent&#8217;anni, a cinque euro<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#means\">Means and manner: a piedi, a mano, a fuoco lento<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#verb-inf\">Verbs followed by a + infinitive<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#idioms\">Fixed phrases and idioms with A<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#traps\">Five traps for English speakers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#cheat-sheet\">Cheat sheet<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#dialog\">Dialog: a viewing in Padova<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#related\">Related guides<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#quiz\">Quiz<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"forms\">Forms: a, ad, al, allo, alla, ai, agli, alle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before the meanings, the shapes. The italian preposition a has three faces. Plain <em>a<\/em> sits in front of a word with no article (<em>vado a casa<\/em>, <em>parlo a Pietro<\/em>). The form <em>ad<\/em> appears when the next word starts with the same vowel a, a comfort to the ear that native speakers add almost automatically (<em>ad agosto<\/em>, <em>passare ad altro<\/em>, <em>uno ad uno<\/em>). And when an article comes next, the italian preposition a fuses with it into the articulated forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table>\n<thead><tr><th>Article<\/th><th>Combined with A<\/th><th>Example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr><td>il<\/td><td>al<\/td><td>vado al mercato<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>lo<\/td><td>allo<\/td><td>siamo allo stadio<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>la<\/td><td>alla<\/td><td>davanti alla biblioteca<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>l&#8217;<\/td><td>all&#8217;<\/td><td>all&#8217;edicola, all&#8217;una<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>i<\/td><td>ai<\/td><td>ai bambini<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>gli<\/td><td>agli<\/td><td>agli amici<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>le<\/td><td>alle<\/td><td>alle otto, alle ragazze<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Caterina lavora al panificio di via Mazzini, a Lucca.<br><em>Caterina works at the bakery on via Mazzini, in Lucca.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Domani ad agosto comincia il corso ad Assisi.<br><em>Tomorrow in August the course in Assisi begins.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Telefono allo studio legale alle quattro.<br><em>I&#8217;ll call the law firm at four.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"place\">Place: a Padova, a casa, al cinema<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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 <em>in<\/em> along a clear line: cities, small islands and fixed activities take A; countries, regions and big enclosed spaces take <em>in<\/em>. <em>Vado a Padova<\/em>, <em>vivo a Bologna<\/em>, <em>passo l&#8217;estate a Capri<\/em>; but <em>vado in Italia<\/em>, <em>abito in Toscana<\/em>, <em>lavoro in Sardegna<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pietro abita a Padova da tre anni, in via Belzoni.<br><em>Pietro has lived in Padova for three years, on via Belzoni.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Domenica andiamo al Pantheon e poi a pranzo da mia zia.<br><em>On Sunday we&#8217;re going to the Pantheon and then to lunch at my aunt&#8217;s.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Margherita ha aperto una libreria di quartiere a Bologna.<br><em>Margherita has opened a neighborhood bookshop in Bologna.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>I bambini sono a scuola fino all&#8217;una.<br><em>The kids are at school until one.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Ci vediamo al cinema o al bar dopo?<br><em>Shall we meet at the cinema or at the bar afterwards?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-focus-acapri\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udd0d <strong>Small island, big island.<\/strong> Small islands keep the city pattern with the italian preposition a: <em>a Capri<\/em>, <em>a Ischia<\/em>, <em>a Procida<\/em>, <em>a Ponza<\/em>. The two big ones drop the italian preposition a and switch to <em>in<\/em> like regions: <em>in Sicilia<\/em>, <em>in Sardegna<\/em>. Sardinia and Sicily are large enough to host whole journeys, so the preposition follows the country logic instead.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"time\">Time: alle nove, a mezzogiorno, a maggio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Telling time is the second territory of the italian preposition a. For clock hours, Italian uses the articulated plural <em>alle<\/em> because <em>ore<\/em> (hours) is feminine plural and hides inside the phrase: <em>alle nove<\/em> stands for <em>alle (ore) nove<\/em>. One is singular and feminine, so <em>all&#8217;una<\/em>. <em>Mezzogiorno<\/em> and <em>mezzanotte<\/em> are masculine singular without an article, so plain A: <em>a mezzogiorno<\/em>, <em>a mezzanotte<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Il treno per Verona parte alle sette e quarantadue.<br><em>The train to Verona leaves at seven forty-two.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Pranziamo all&#8217;una in punto, mi raccomando.<br><em>We have lunch at one sharp, please don&#8217;t forget.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>La biblioteca chiude a mezzogiorno il sabato.<br><em>The library closes at noon on Saturdays.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>A maggio facciamo sempre il trasloco, costa meno.<br><em>In May we always do the move, it costs less.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>A Pasqua andiamo da Caterina a Lucca.<br><em>At Easter we go to Caterina&#8217;s place in Lucca.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Months and a handful of holidays take plain a: <em>a gennaio<\/em>, <em>a marzo<\/em>, <em>ad agosto<\/em>, <em>a Natale<\/em>, <em>a Pasqua<\/em>, <em>a Ferragosto<\/em>. Years take <em>nel<\/em> (<em>nel 2024<\/em>) and seasons take <em>in<\/em> (<em>in primavera<\/em>, <em>in estate<\/em>), a useful contrast to keep with the italian preposition a column. For an age, the italian preposition a returns: <em>a vent&#8217;anni<\/em>, <em>a sessantacinque<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-task-time\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83c\udfaf <strong>Mini-task #1.<\/strong> Fill the gap with the right form: <em>a, ad, al, alla, all&#8217;, alle, ai, agli<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pietro lavora ___ panificio fino ___ una.<\/li>\n<li>Il volo per Trieste parte ___ sette e ___ ritorno \u00e8 ___ undici di sera.<\/li>\n<li>___ agosto chiudono quasi tutte le sartorie ___ centro di Lucca.<\/li>\n<li>Caterina ha smesso di fumare ___ quarant&#8217;anni.<\/li>\n<li>Domenica andiamo ___ Capri e luned\u00ec ___ Sicilia.<\/li>\n<li>I corsi cominciano ___ ottobre e finiscono ___ giugno.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<details><summary><strong>\ud83d\udc49 Show answers<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>1. al panificio \u00b7 all&#8217;una \u00b7 2. alle sette \u00b7 al ritorno \u00b7 alle undici \u00b7 3. Ad agosto \u00b7 al centro \u00b7 4. a quarant&#8217;anni \u00b7 5. a Capri \u00b7 in Sicilia (countries\/large islands take in) \u00b7 6. a ottobre \u00b7 a giugno<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"person\">Talking and giving to people: complemento di termine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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 <em>complemento di termine<\/em>, and the italian preposition a is its standard marker. A long list of everyday verbs builds the pattern <em>verbo + qualcosa + a qualcuno<\/em>: <em>dare<\/em>, <em>dire<\/em>, <em>scrivere<\/em>, <em>regalare<\/em>, <em>mandare<\/em>, <em>mostrare<\/em>, <em>insegnare<\/em>, <em>chiedere<\/em>, <em>rispondere<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ho scritto un&#8217;email a Pietro per il preventivo del trasloco.<br><em>I wrote an email to Pietro for the moving estimate.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Caterina ha regalato un libro di ricette ai suoi cugini di Lecce.<br><em>Caterina gave a cookbook to her cousins in Lecce.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>La professoressa insegna spagnolo agli studenti del liceo Manzoni.<br><em>The teacher teaches Spanish to the students at Liceo Manzoni.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Devo telefonare alla scuola guida per spostare l&#8217;appuntamento.<br><em>I have to phone the driving school to move the appointment.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Margherita ha risposto a tutte le mail dei clienti ieri sera.<br><em>Margherita answered all the client emails last night.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few verbs catch English speakers off guard because the object looks direct in English but is indirect in Italian. <em>Telefonare<\/em>, <em>rispondere<\/em>, <em>credere<\/em>, <em>permettere<\/em>, <em>somigliare<\/em> all take the italian preposition a: <em>telefono a Pietro<\/em> (not &#8220;telefono Pietro&#8221;), <em>rispondo alla domanda<\/em>, <em>credo a Caterina<\/em>. When the receiver becomes a pronoun, the italian preposition a disappears and the pronoun does the job alone: <em>scrivo a Pietro<\/em> becomes <em>gli scrivo<\/em>; <em>scrivo a Caterina<\/em> becomes <em>le scrivo<\/em>. The full <em>a + person<\/em> stays only for emphasis or contrast: <em>il regalo l&#8217;ho fatto a lui, non a lei<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"age-price\">Age, price, speed: a vent&#8217;anni, a cinque euro<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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: <em>a vent&#8217;anni<\/em> means &#8220;at the age of twenty&#8221;. Price uses the italian preposition a for unit cost or rate: <em>le ciliegie sono a quattro euro al chilo<\/em>. Speed and rates use it the same way: <em>a cento all&#8217;ora<\/em>, <em>a passo svelto<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pietro ha imparato a nuotare a sei anni in piscina a Bologna.<br><em>Pietro learned to swim at six in the pool in Bologna.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Le fragole oggi sono a tre euro al cestino, un&#8217;occasione.<br><em>Strawberries today are three euros a basket, a bargain.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>L&#8217;idraulico fattura ottanta euro all&#8217;ora, pi\u00f9 la chiamata.<br><em>The plumber charges eighty euros an hour, plus the call-out.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>A quarant&#8217;anni Caterina ha aperto la sua sartoria a Lucca.<br><em>At forty Caterina opened her tailor shop in Lucca.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Sul tratto autostradale tra Verona e Brescia si viaggia a centotrenta.<br><em>On the motorway stretch between Verona and Brescia you travel at a hundred and thirty.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"means\">Means and manner: a piedi, a mano, a fuoco lento<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The italian preposition a also describes how something is done. With body parts the italian preposition a builds the everyday means-of-transport set (<em>a piedi<\/em>, <em>a cavallo<\/em>, <em>a nuoto<\/em>), which sits beside the <em>in<\/em> family for vehicles (<em>in macchina<\/em>, <em>in treno<\/em>, <em>in bici<\/em>). With hand work the italian preposition a expresses craft (<em>fatto a mano<\/em>, <em>scritto a mano<\/em>, <em>cucito a macchina<\/em>). In the kitchen it marks the cooking style (<em>a fuoco lento<\/em>, <em>a vapore<\/em>, <em>al forno<\/em>, <em>alla griglia<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Da casa al panificio Margherita va sempre a piedi, anche d&#8217;inverno.<br><em>From home to the bakery Margherita always goes on foot, even in winter.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Questo maglione l&#8217;ha fatto a mano mia nonna a Verona.<br><em>This sweater was hand-knitted by my grandmother in Verona.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Le verdure cuociono a vapore mentre il pollo \u00e8 al forno.<br><em>The vegetables cook in the steamer while the chicken is in the oven.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Il sugo va lasciato a fuoco lento per almeno due ore.<br><em>The sauce should be left on low heat for at least two hours.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>I bambini hanno cantato la canzone a memoria, senza il foglio.<br><em>The kids sang the song from memory, without the sheet.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you switch from a body part to a vehicle, the italian preposition a steps aside for <em>in<\/em>: <em>vado in macchina<\/em>, <em>arriviamo in treno<\/em>, <em>partiamo in autobus<\/em>. Does the means have an engine or wheels? Use <em>in<\/em>. Does it use your own body? Use the italian preposition a.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"verb-inf\">Verbs followed by a + infinitive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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 <em>di<\/em> + 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.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Motion plus purpose<\/strong>: <em>andare a<\/em>, <em>venire a<\/em>, <em>tornare a<\/em>, <em>correre a<\/em>, <em>passare a<\/em>, <em>uscire a<\/em>. <em>Vado a comprare il pane.<\/em><br><em>I&#8217;m going to buy bread.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Beginning and continuing<\/strong>: <em>cominciare a<\/em>, <em>iniziare a<\/em>, <em>mettersi a<\/em>, <em>continuare a<\/em>, <em>seguitare a<\/em>. <em>Margherita ha cominciato a studiare giapponese a quarant&#8217;anni.<\/em><br><em>Margherita started studying Japanese at forty.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Learning, teaching, practising<\/strong>: <em>imparare a<\/em>, <em>insegnare a<\/em>, <em>esercitarsi a<\/em>, <em>abituarsi a<\/em>, <em>provare a<\/em>. <em>Pietro impara a guidare alla scuola guida di via Po.<\/em><br><em>Pietro is learning to drive at the driving school on via Po.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Helping, inviting, forcing<\/strong>: <em>aiutare a<\/em>, <em>invitare a<\/em>, <em>costringere a<\/em>, <em>obbligare a<\/em>, <em>spingere a<\/em>. <em>L&#8217;idraulico mi ha aiutato a chiudere il rubinetto principale.<\/em><br><em>The plumber helped me close the main tap.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Succeeding, managing<\/strong>: <em>riuscire a<\/em>, <em>arrivare a<\/em>, <em>fare in tempo a<\/em>. <em>Non riusciamo a trovare un parcheggio davanti all&#8217;anagrafe.<\/em><br><em>We can&#8217;t find a parking spot in front of the registry office.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two reliable signals. If the main verb describes movement and the second verb says <em>why<\/em> you move, the italian preposition a is almost always right (<em>scendo a prendere il latte<\/em>, <em>salgo a parlare con il vicino<\/em>). 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 (<em>mi sono messa a cucinare<\/em>, <em>ti aiuto a riparare la bici<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-task-verbinf\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83c\udfaf <strong>Mini-task #2.<\/strong> Which sentences need <em>a<\/em> before the infinitive? Add it where it is missing, mark the others as already correct.<\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Caterina ha cominciato ___ cucire all&#8217;et\u00e0 di dieci anni.<\/li>\n<li>Voglio ___ partire domani mattina presto.<\/li>\n<li>I bambini sono andati ___ giocare al parco di Verona.<\/li>\n<li>Devo ___ chiamare l&#8217;idraulico stasera.<\/li>\n<li>Pietro ha imparato ___ riparare le biciclette in officina.<\/li>\n<li>Non riesco mai ___ finire i libri che inizio.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<details><summary><strong>\ud83d\udc49 Show answers<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>1. a cucire (cominciare a) \u00b7 2. \u2713 no preposition (volere is modal, direct infinitive) \u00b7 3. a giocare (motion + purpose) \u00b7 4. \u2713 no preposition (dovere is modal) \u00b7 5. a riparare (imparare a) \u00b7 6. a finire (riuscire a)<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"idioms\">Fixed phrases and idioms with A<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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 (<em>a poco a poco<\/em>, <em>a mano a mano<\/em>, <em>a malapena<\/em>), some time-stretchers do too (<em>a lungo<\/em>, <em>a breve<\/em>, <em>a volte<\/em>), and a small set of prepositional formulas built on the italian preposition a act like conjunctions (<em>a meno che<\/em>, <em>a patto che<\/em>, <em>a condizione che<\/em>, all followed by the subjunctive). They are worth learning as chunks because their structure does not always match their literal pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table>\n<thead><tr><th>Italian phrase<\/th><th>English meaning<\/th><th>Example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr><td>a poco a poco<\/td><td>little by little<\/td><td>A poco a poco mi sto abituando al nuovo lavoro.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a mano a mano<\/td><td>as \/ gradually<\/td><td>A mano a mano che cresceva, parlava meglio.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a posto<\/td><td>in order, fine<\/td><td>Tutto a posto con il preventivo?<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a malapena<\/td><td>barely<\/td><td>A malapena sento la sua voce al telefono.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a lungo<\/td><td>for a long time<\/td><td>Ne abbiamo parlato a lungo ieri sera.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a breve<\/td><td>shortly<\/td><td>Le mandiamo il preventivo a breve.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a volte<\/td><td>sometimes<\/td><td>A volte vado al mercato dell&#8217;usato il sabato.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a presto<\/td><td>see you soon<\/td><td>Ci sentiamo, a presto!<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a memoria<\/td><td>by heart<\/td><td>Conosco il numero a memoria.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a caso<\/td><td>at random<\/td><td>Ha scelto il vino a caso.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a riguardo \/ riguardo a<\/td><td>about, regarding<\/td><td>Riguardo alla casa nuova, ne parliamo domani.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a seguito di<\/td><td>following, as a result of<\/td><td>A seguito della pioggia il viaggio \u00e8 rimandato.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a meno che (+ subj.)<\/td><td>unless<\/td><td>Vengo, a meno che non piova.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a patto che (+ subj.)<\/td><td>provided that<\/td><td>Te lo presto a patto che tu lo restituisca.<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>a costo di<\/td><td>at the cost of<\/td><td>Finisco il lavoro a costo di restare fino a tardi.<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"traps\">Five traps for English speakers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trap 1. Using the italian preposition a with countries.<\/strong> Wrong: <em>vado a Italia<\/em>. Right: <em>vado in Italia<\/em>. Cities and small islands take the italian preposition a; countries, regions and large islands take <em>in<\/em>. The rule has very few exceptions and is worth burning in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trap 2. Dropping the italian preposition a after a verb that demands it.<\/strong> Wrong: <em>comincio lavorare<\/em>, <em>imparo guidare<\/em>. Right: <em>comincio a lavorare<\/em>, <em>imparo a guidare<\/em>. When in doubt with a new verb plus infinitive, look it up in a dictionary entry: the construction <em>verb + a + inf<\/em> is part of the verb&#8217;s identity, not an optional flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trap 3. Treating telefonare, rispondere, credere as direct.<\/strong> Wrong: <em>telefono Pietro<\/em>. Right: <em>telefono a Pietro<\/em>. These verbs build their object with the italian preposition a in Italian. The same applies to <em>somigliare a<\/em>, <em>permettere a<\/em>, <em>nuocere a<\/em>, <em>piacere a<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trap 4. Confusing <em>a<\/em> and <em>ha<\/em>.<\/strong> Wrong: <em>lui a una bici<\/em>. Right: <em>lui ha una bici<\/em>. The verb form <em>ha<\/em> always carries the h; the italian preposition a never does. Italian schoolteachers spend years drilling this with native children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trap 5. Forgetting <em>ad<\/em> before another a.<\/strong> Wrong: <em>a agosto<\/em>, <em>a Andrea<\/em>. Right: <em>ad agosto<\/em>, <em>ad Andrea<\/em>. The euphonic <em>ad<\/em> only appears reliably before another <em>a<\/em>; before other vowels it is optional and slightly old-fashioned (<em>ad esempio<\/em> is fine, <em>a esempio<\/em> just as common).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cheat-sheet\">Cheat sheet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table>\n<thead><tr><th>Role<\/th><th>Pattern<\/th><th>Example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr><td>City \/ small island<\/td><td>a + name<\/td><td>vado a Padova, a Capri<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Place with article<\/td><td>al \/ alla \/ all&#8217;<\/td><td>al cinema, alla stazione, all&#8217;edicola<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Bare place noun<\/td><td>a + noun<\/td><td>a casa, a scuola, a letto<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Clock time<\/td><td>alle + plural \/ all&#8217;una<\/td><td>alle nove, all&#8217;una, alle sette e mezza<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Noon \/ midnight<\/td><td>a + noun no article<\/td><td>a mezzogiorno, a mezzanotte<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Month \/ holiday \/ age<\/td><td>a \/ ad<\/td><td>a maggio, ad agosto, a Natale, a vent&#8217;anni<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Indirect object<\/td><td>a + person<\/td><td>scrivo a Pietro, telefono a Caterina<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Price \/ rate per unit<\/td><td>a + price + al \/ all&#8217;<\/td><td>a tre euro al chilo, a ottanta all&#8217;ora<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Means by body<\/td><td>a + body part<\/td><td>a piedi, a cavallo, a mano<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Cooking style<\/td><td>a \/ al \/ alla<\/td><td>a vapore, al forno, alla griglia<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Verb + infinitive<\/td><td>verbo + a + inf.<\/td><td>imparo a guidare, riesco a finire<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Fixed phrase<\/td><td>chunk<\/td><td>a poco a poco, a posto, a memoria<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"dialog\">Dialog: a viewing in Padova<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-dialog-prepa\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffc\u200d\ud83e\uddb0 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> Allora, siamo arrivati. L&#8217;appartamento \u00e8 al secondo piano, a sinistra. Saliamo a piedi, l&#8217;ascensore \u00e8 in manutenzione.<br><em>So, here we are. The flat is on the second floor, on the left. Let&#8217;s walk up, the lift is being serviced.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc68\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Pietro:<\/strong> Va bene. A che ora abbiamo finito? Alle undici devo passare in libreria a ritirare un ordine.<br><em>Fine. What time will we be done? At eleven I need to stop by the bookshop to pick up an order.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffc\u200d\ud83e\uddb0 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> A breve, mezz&#8217;ora al massimo. La signora che vendeva qui ha abitato in questa casa per trent&#8217;anni, da quando si \u00e8 trasferita a Padova a venticinque anni.<br><em>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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc68\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Pietro:<\/strong> Bella la cucina. E il bagno? Riesco a entrare con la lavatrice a fianco?<br><em>Nice kitchen. And the bathroom? Can I fit the washing machine alongside?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffc\u200d\ud83e\uddb0 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> S\u00ec, l&#8217;attacco \u00e8 a destra del lavandino. A proposito, ho gi\u00e0 parlato all&#8217;idraulico del condominio: lavora a quaranta euro all&#8217;ora pi\u00f9 i pezzi.<br><em>Yes, the hookup is to the right of the sink. By the way, I&#8217;ve already spoken to the building&#8217;s plumber: he charges forty euros an hour plus parts.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc68\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Pietro:<\/strong> Onesto. A che prezzo siamo per il canone?<br><em>Fair. What price are we at for the rent?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffc\u200d\ud83e\uddb0 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> Ottocento al mese, riscaldamento centralizzato. Se ti decidi a breve, la proprietaria \u00e8 disposta ad abbassare a settecentocinquanta a patto che firmi un contratto di quattro anni.<br><em>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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc68\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Pietro:<\/strong> Ci penso a casa stasera e ti rispondo entro domani a mezzogiorno. Posso scriverti su WhatsApp?<br><em>I&#8217;ll think about it at home tonight and I&#8217;ll get back to you by tomorrow at noon. Can I message you on WhatsApp?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffc\u200d\ud83e\uddb0 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> Scrivimi pure. Se vuoi tornare a vedere l&#8217;appartamento a luce diversa, possiamo passare anche marted\u00ec pomeriggio.<br><em>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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc68\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Pietro:<\/strong> Perfetto. A presto allora, e grazie per l&#8217;occhio attento.<br><em>Perfect. See you soon then, and thanks for the careful eye.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Count the A&#8217;s: <em>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&#8217;idraulico, a quaranta euro all&#8217;ora, a che prezzo, al mese, a breve, ad abbassare, a settecentocinquanta, a patto che, a casa, a mezzogiorno, a luce diversa, a presto<\/em>. A single conversation puts the italian preposition a through almost every role in the cheat sheet.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-task-final-prepa\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83c\udfaf <strong>Mini-challenge.<\/strong> Translate into natural Italian using A where needed.<\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I work at the library on via Garibaldi from nine to one.<\/li>\n<li>At twenty-five he moved to Bologna to study engineering.<\/li>\n<li>The fish costs eighteen euros a kilo at the Saturday market.<\/li>\n<li>I called Margherita three times but she didn&#8217;t answer.<\/li>\n<li>We&#8217;re going to Capri in August, my brother is coming too.<\/li>\n<li>Caterina started working at the tailor shop at sixteen.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<details><summary><strong>\ud83d\udc49 Show answers<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>1. Lavoro alla biblioteca di via Garibaldi dalle nove all&#8217;una. \u00b7 2. A venticinque anni si \u00e8 trasferito a Bologna a studiare ingegneria. \u00b7 3. Il pesce costa diciotto euro al chilo al mercato del sabato. \u00b7 4. Ho telefonato a Margherita tre volte ma non ha risposto. \u00b7 5. Andiamo a Capri ad agosto, viene anche mio fratello. \u00b7 6. Caterina ha cominciato a lavorare in sartoria a sedici anni.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"quiz\">Test your understanding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-quiz-prepa\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n        <div class=\"wpProQuiz_content\" id=\"wpProQuiz_72\">\n                    <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_time_limit\">\n            <div class=\"time\">Time limit: <span>0<\/span><\/div>\n            <div class=\"wpProQuiz_progress\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_checkPage\" style=\"display: none;\">\n            <h4 class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">Quiz-summary<\/h4>\n\n            <p>\n                <span>0<\/span> of 2 questions completed            <\/p>\n\n            <p>Questions:<\/p>\n\n            <div style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_box\">\n                <ol>\n                                            <li>1<\/li>\n                                            <li>2<\/li>\n                                    <\/ol>\n                <div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <input type=\"button\" name=\"endQuizSummary\" value=\"Finish quiz\"\n                   class=\"wpProQuiz_button\">\n        <\/div>\n                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_infopage\" style=\"display: none;\">\n            <h4>Information<\/h4>\n\n            \n            <input type=\"button\" name=\"endInfopage\" value=\"Finish quiz\"\n                   class=\"wpProQuiz_button\">\n        <\/div>\n                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_text\">\n            <p>\n                <p style=\"text-align:center;\">&#8211;<\/p>\n            <\/p>\n\n            \n            <div>\n                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_button\" type=\"button\" value=\"Start quiz\"\n                       name=\"startQuiz\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_lock\">\n            <p>\n                You have already completed the quiz before. 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showMessage(texts.acceptTerms);\n                    return;\n                }\n            }\n            \n            $('#submit-btn').prop('disabled', true).text(texts.processing);\n            $('#form-message').hide();\n            \n            $.post('https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php', {\n                action: 'dante_process_auth',\n                mode: mode,\n                email: email,\n                password: password,\n                name: name,\n                redirect: redirect,\n                website: $('#website').val(),\n                nonce: $('input[name=\"nonce\"]').val()\n            }, function(r) {\n                if (r.success) {\n                    showMessage(texts.success, 'success');\n                    setTimeout(() => window.location.href = r.data.redirect, 1000);\n                } else {\n                    showMessage(r.data);\n                    $('#submit-btn').prop('disabled', false).text(mode === 'login' ? texts.signIn : texts.createAccount);\n                }\n            });\n        });\n    });\n    <\/script>\n    \n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n                <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_prerequisite\">\n            <p>\n                You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:                <span><\/span>\n            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_results\">\n            <h4 class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">Results<\/h4>\n                        <p class=\"wpProQuiz_time_limit_expired\" style=\"display: none;\">\n                Time has elapsed            <\/p>\n                            <p class=\"wpProQuiz_points\">\n                    You scored <span>0<\/span> out of <span>0<\/span> points, (<span>0<\/span>)                <\/p>\n                                    <div class=\"wpProQuiz_catOverview\" >\n                <h4>Categories<\/h4>\n\n                <div style=\"margin-top: 10px;\">\n                    <ol>\n                                                    <li data-category_id=\"148\">\n                                <span class=\"wpProQuiz_catName\">L\u00fcckentext: preposition A in context<\/span>\n                                <span class=\"wpProQuiz_catPercent\">0%<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n                                                    <li data-category_id=\"235\">\n                                <span class=\"wpProQuiz_catName\">Verifica: correct sentence with A<\/span>\n                                <span class=\"wpProQuiz_catPercent\">0%<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n                                            <\/ol>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div>\n                <ul class=\"wpProQuiz_resultsList\">\n                                            <li style=\"display: none;\">\n                            <div>\n                                <div style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; max-width:640px; margin:0 auto; padding:36px 24px; color:#1a1a1a; box-sizing:border-box; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; font-weight:700; color:#7b2d8b; margin:0 0 6px; line-height:1.2;\">Ciao ,<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:13px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:16px 0 14px;\">Your result &middot; 0 to 40%<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#f0f0f0; height:7px; border-radius:4px; overflow:hidden; margin:0 auto 36px; max-width:320px;\">\n<div style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg, #e9d5ee, #7b2d8b); width:20%; height:7px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:26px; color:#1a1a1a; margin:0 0 14px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.35;\">Let&#8217;s strengthen the foundations on this topic.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:18px; color:#333; line-height:1.65; margin:0 auto 38px; max-width:520px;\"><strong>Our suggestion.<\/strong> A <strong>10-Lesson Package<\/strong> gives you ten focused 55-minute sessions with a native teacher, at your own pace.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px; background:#e8e8e8; margin:0 auto 30px; max-width:120px;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:12px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:0 0 10px;\">Suggested next step<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; color:#7b2d8b; margin:0 0 6px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.2;\">10-Lesson Package<\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:16px; color:#666; margin:0 0 24px;\">One-to-one<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/vacanze.webp\" alt=\"10-Lesson Package\" style=\"width:140px; height:auto; margin:0 auto 26px; display:block;\"\/><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; color:#333; line-height:1.8; list-style:disc; padding-left:22px; margin:0 auto 32px; max-width:460px; text-align:left; display:inline-block;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Any level<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">55-minute one-to-one session on Zoom<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Your personal native teacher<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Interactive online materials<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Homework after every lesson<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/membership-checkout\/?level=8\" style=\"display:inline-block; padding:18px 40px; background:#7b2d8b; color:#fff !important; text-decoration:none; border-radius:8px; font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Arial,sans-serif; font-size:18px; font-weight:600; letter-spacing:0.3px;\">Get the 10-Lesson Package &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; font-style:italic; color:#555; margin:42px 0 0;\">Coraggio: un passo alla volta.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li style=\"display: none;\">\n                            <div>\n                                <div style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; max-width:640px; margin:0 auto; padding:36px 24px; color:#1a1a1a; box-sizing:border-box; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; font-weight:700; color:#ab2227; margin:0 0 6px; line-height:1.2;\">Ciao ,<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:13px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:16px 0 14px;\">Your result &middot; 41 to 65%<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#f0f0f0; height:7px; border-radius:4px; overflow:hidden; margin:0 auto 36px; max-width:320px;\">\n<div style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg, #fde2e2, #ab2227); width:53%; height:7px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:26px; color:#1a1a1a; margin:0 0 14px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.35;\">Solid base. Let&#8217;s build on it.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:18px; color:#333; line-height:1.65; margin:0 auto 38px; max-width:520px;\"><strong>Our suggestion.<\/strong> A <strong>weekly 1:1 lesson<\/strong> gives you the rhythm and the personalised feedback to turn what you know into what you say automatically.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px; background:#e8e8e8; margin:0 auto 30px; max-width:120px;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:12px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:0 0 10px;\">Suggested next step<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; color:#ab2227; margin:0 0 6px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.2;\">Weekly 1:1<\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:16px; color:#666; margin:0 0 24px;\">One-to-one<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/vacanze.webp\" alt=\"Weekly 1:1\" style=\"width:140px; height:auto; margin:0 auto 26px; display:block;\"\/><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; color:#333; line-height:1.8; list-style:disc; padding-left:22px; margin:0 auto 32px; max-width:460px; text-align:left; display:inline-block;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Any level<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">55-minute one-to-one session on Zoom<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Your personal native teacher<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Interactive online materials<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Homework after every lesson<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/membership-checkout\/?level=4\" style=\"display:inline-block; padding:18px 40px; background:#ab2227; color:#fff !important; text-decoration:none; border-radius:8px; font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Arial,sans-serif; font-size:18px; font-weight:600; letter-spacing:0.3px;\">Book a Weekly 1:1 lesson &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; font-style:italic; color:#555; margin:42px 0 0;\">Avanti tutta!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li style=\"display: none;\">\n                            <div>\n                                <div style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; max-width:640px; margin:0 auto; padding:36px 24px; color:#1a1a1a; box-sizing:border-box; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; font-weight:700; color:#b8860b; margin:0 0 6px; line-height:1.2;\">Ciao ,<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:13px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:16px 0 14px;\">Your result &middot; 66 to 85%<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#f0f0f0; height:7px; border-radius:4px; overflow:hidden; margin:0 auto 36px; max-width:320px;\">\n<div style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg, #faecc4, #b8860b); width:75%; height:7px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:26px; color:#1a1a1a; margin:0 0 14px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.35;\">Great work. You&#8217;re ready for the group.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:18px; color:#333; line-height:1.65; margin:0 auto 38px; max-width:520px;\"><strong>Our suggestion.<\/strong> In the <strong>Milano small-group course (A2-B1)<\/strong> you&#8217;ll move from solid grammar to live conversation.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px; background:#e8e8e8; margin:0 auto 30px; max-width:120px;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:12px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:0 0 10px;\">Suggested next step<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; color:#b8860b; margin:0 0 6px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.2;\">Milano group<\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:16px; color:#666; margin:0 0 24px;\">A2-B1<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/milano-no-sfondo.webp\" alt=\"Milano group\" style=\"width:140px; height:auto; margin:0 auto 26px; display:block;\"\/><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; color:#333; line-height:1.8; list-style:disc; padding-left:22px; margin:0 auto 32px; max-width:460px; text-align:left; display:inline-block;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Small groups, max 4 students<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Weekly live Zoom sessions<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Grammar, vocabulary, listening, writing<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Homework after every lesson<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/membership-checkout\/?level=7\" style=\"display:inline-block; padding:18px 40px; background:#b8860b; color:#fff !important; text-decoration:none; border-radius:8px; font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Arial,sans-serif; font-size:18px; font-weight:600; letter-spacing:0.3px;\">Join the Milano group &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; font-style:italic; color:#555; margin:42px 0 0;\">Ci vediamo in classe!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li style=\"display: none;\">\n                            <div>\n                                <div style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; max-width:640px; margin:0 auto; padding:36px 24px; color:#1a1a1a; box-sizing:border-box; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; font-weight:700; color:#2d6a4f; margin:0 0 6px; line-height:1.2;\">Ciao ,<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:13px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:16px 0 14px;\">Your result &middot; 86 to 100%<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#f0f0f0; height:7px; border-radius:4px; overflow:hidden; margin:0 auto 36px; max-width:320px;\">\n<div style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg, #cce5d5, #2d6a4f); width:93%; height:7px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:26px; color:#1a1a1a; margin:0 0 14px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.35;\">Bravissimo! You nailed it.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:18px; color:#333; line-height:1.65; margin:0 auto 38px; max-width:520px;\"><strong>Our suggestion.<\/strong> Step into the <strong>Milano small-group course (A2-B1)<\/strong> to turn accurate Italian into fluent Italian.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px; background:#e8e8e8; margin:0 auto 30px; max-width:120px;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:12px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:0 0 10px;\">Suggested next step<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; color:#2d6a4f; margin:0 0 6px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.2;\">Milano group<\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:16px; color:#666; margin:0 0 24px;\">A2-B1<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/milano-no-sfondo.webp\" alt=\"Milano group\" style=\"width:140px; height:auto; margin:0 auto 26px; display:block;\"\/><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; color:#333; line-height:1.8; list-style:disc; padding-left:22px; margin:0 auto 32px; max-width:460px; text-align:left; display:inline-block;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Small groups, max 4 students<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Weekly live Zoom sessions<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Grammar, vocabulary, listening, writing<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Homework after every lesson<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/membership-checkout\/?level=7\" style=\"display:inline-block; padding:18px 40px; background:#2d6a4f; color:#fff !important; text-decoration:none; border-radius:8px; font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Arial,sans-serif; font-size:18px; font-weight:600; letter-spacing:0.3px;\">Join the Milano group &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; font-style:italic; color:#555; margin:42px 0 0;\">A presto su Zoom!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/li>\n                                    <\/ul>\n            <\/div>\n                        <div style=\"margin: 10px 0px;\">\n                                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewDiv\" style=\"display: none;\">\n            <div class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewQuestion\">\n                <ol>\n                                            <li>1<\/li>\n                                            <li>2<\/li>\n                                    <\/ol>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewLegend\">\n                <ol>\n                    <li>\n                        <span class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewColor\" style=\"background-color: #6CA54C;\"><\/span>\n                        <span class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewText\">Answered<\/span>\n                    <\/li>\n                    <li>\n                        <span class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewColor\" style=\"background-color: #FFB800;\"><\/span>\n                        <span class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewText\">Review<\/span>\n                    <\/li>\n                <\/ol>\n                <div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div>\n                                    <input type=\"button\" name=\"review\" value=\"Review question\"\n                           class=\"wpProQuiz_button2\" style=\"float: left; display: block;\">\n                                        <div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_quizAnker\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/div>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_quiz\">\n            <ol class=\"wpProQuiz_list\">\n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_listItem\" style=\"display: none;\">\n                        <div\n                            class=\"wpProQuiz_question_page\" style=\"display:none;\" >\n                            Question <span>1<\/span> of <span>2<\/span>                        <\/div>\n                        <h5 style=\"display: none;\"\n                            class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">\n                            <span>1<\/span>. Question                        <\/h5>\n\n                        \n                                                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_question\" style=\"margin: 10px 0 0 0;\">\n                            <div class=\"wpProQuiz_question_text\">\n                                <p><strong>Setting.<\/strong> Liliana gestisce una piccola trattoria di paese a Tropea; il marito Ezio vende pesce al mercato di Pizzo all&#8217;alba. Maristella, la figlia, studia scienze gastronomiche all&#8217;universit\u00e0 di Cosenza e torna a casa nei fine settimana. Pasqualino \u00e8 lo zio anziano di Ezio e vive a Catanzaro.<\/p>\n<p><em>Setting (EN). Liliana runs a small village trattoria in Tropea; her husband Ezio sells fish at the Pizzo market at dawn. Their daughter Maristella studies food sciences at the University of Cosenza and comes home on weekends. Pasqualino is Ezio&#8217;s elderly uncle who lives in Catanzaro.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Fill the gap with the right form<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>Choose between A, AD, contracted forms (al \/ alla \/ alle \/ all&#8217;) and the other prepositions (in, da, con, per).<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n                            <\/div>\n                                                        <ul class=\"wpProQuiz_questionList\" data-question_id=\"6685\"\n                                data-type=\"cloze_answer\">\n                                \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"0\">\n\n                                        <hr\/><ul><li>Pasqualino torna ogni estate (a, in, da) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"1\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(a)<\/span><\/span> Tropea per rivedere il fratello e i nipoti.<br><br><em>Pasqualino comes back every summer to Tropea to see his brother and nephews.<\/em><\/li><li>Maristella ha studiato un semestre (in, a, da) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"2\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(in)<\/span><\/span> Spagna con il programma Erasmus.<br><br><em>Maristella studied a semester in Spain on the Erasmus programme.<\/em><\/li><li>Ezio passa (a il, al, in il) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"2\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(al)<\/span><\/span> mercato del pesce di Pizzo alle cinque del mattino.<br><br><em>Ezio stops by the fish market in Pizzo at five in the morning.<\/em><\/li><li>Il pullman per Cosenza parte (a, in, alle) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"4\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(alle)<\/span><\/span> sette in punto dal piazzale della stazione.<br><br><em>The coach to Cosenza leaves at seven sharp from the station forecourt.<\/em><\/li><li>La trattoria chiude la cucina (alle, a, alla) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"1\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(a)<\/span><\/span> mezzanotte, ma la sala resta aperta per il dolce.<br><br><em>The trattoria closes the kitchen at midnight, but the dining room stays open for dessert.<\/em><\/li><li>Liliana e Ezio festeggeranno il loro anniversario (a, ad, in) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"2\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(ad)<\/span><\/span> agosto, sulla spiaggia di Scilla.<br><br><em>Liliana and Ezio will celebrate their anniversary in August, on the Scilla beach.<\/em><\/li><li>Liliana ha telefonato (con, per, a) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"1\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(a)<\/span><\/span> Pasqualino per invitarlo alla sagra del pesce azzurro.<br><br><em>Liliana phoned Pasqualino to invite him to the local fish festival.<\/em><\/li><li>Ezio ha consegnato il pesce fresco (il, con il, al) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"2\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(al)<\/span><\/span> cugino che gestisce il ristorante sul porto.<br><br><em>Ezio handed over the fresh fish to his cousin who runs the restaurant on the harbour.<\/em><\/li><li>Quando il tempo \u00e8 buono, Maristella va all'universit\u00e0 (in, a, con) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"1\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(a)<\/span><\/span> piedi e ci mette mezz'ora.<br><br><em>When the weather is good, Maristella walks to university and it takes her half an hour.<\/em><\/li><li>Ezio ha imparato a suonare la chitarra (a, con, da) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"1\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(a)<\/span><\/span> cinquant'anni, dopo che i figli sono partiti.<br><br><em>Ezio learned to play the guitar at fifty, after his children moved out.<\/em><\/li><li>Maristella ha lasciato il vecchio appartamento di Catanzaro (con, per, a) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"1\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(a)<\/span><\/span> malincuore: ci aveva vissuto cinque anni.<br><br><em>Maristella reluctantly left her old flat in Catanzaro: she had lived there five years.<\/em><\/li><li>Maristella studia scienze gastronomiche (all', alla, nell') <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"4\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(all')<\/span><\/span> Universit\u00e0 della Calabria, vicino a Cosenza.<br><br><em>Maristella studies food sciences at the University of Calabria, near Cosenza.<\/em><\/li><\/ul><hr\/>                                    <\/li>\n                                                                <\/ul>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                    <div class=\"wpProQuiz_response\" style=\"display: none;\">\n                                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_correct\">\n                                                                            <span class=\"wpProQuiz_respone_span\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCorrect\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br>\n                                    <p><hr \/>\n<p>12 su 12 corrette. Hai la preposizione A in pugno: place, time, indirect object, manner, age e idiom.<\/p><\/p>                                <\/div>\n                                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_incorrect\">\n                                                                            <span class=\"wpProQuiz_respone_span\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIncorrect\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br>\n                                    <p><hr \/>\n<p><strong>Recap rapido (B1).<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin:0 0 0 18px; padding:0;\">\n<li><em>Place<\/em>: cities &amp; small places &rarr; <strong>a<\/strong> Tropea, <strong>a<\/strong> Capri. Countries\/regions &rarr; <strong>in<\/strong> Spagna, <strong>in<\/strong> Calabria.<\/li>\n<li><em>Contraction<\/em>: a + il = <strong>al<\/strong>, a + le = <strong>alle<\/strong>, a + l&#8217; = <strong>all&#8217;<\/strong>. &#8220;A il&#8221; e &#8220;a la&#8221; sono sempre sbagliati.<\/li>\n<li><em>Euphonic AD<\/em>: davanti a parole che iniziano per A &rarr; <strong>ad<\/strong> agosto, <strong>ad<\/strong> Ancona, <strong>ad<\/strong> alta voce.<\/li>\n<li><em>Time<\/em>: ore &rarr; <strong>alle<\/strong> sette, eccezioni singolari &rarr; <strong>a<\/strong> mezzogiorno, <strong>a<\/strong> mezzanotte, <strong>all&#8217;<\/strong>una. Mesi &rarr; <strong>a<\/strong> maggio.<\/li>\n<li><em>Indirect object<\/em>: dare, dire, scrivere, telefonare, spiegare reggono <strong>a<\/strong> &rarr; ha telefonato <strong>a<\/strong> Pasqualino. Attenzione: <em>chiamare<\/em> e <em>aiutare<\/em> NON vogliono A (sono transitivi).<\/li>\n<li><em>Manner<\/em>: <strong>a<\/strong> piedi, <strong>a<\/strong> mano, <strong>a<\/strong> voce alta, <strong>a<\/strong> malincuore (idiom = reluctantly).<\/li>\n<li><em>Age<\/em>: <strong>a<\/strong> cinquant&#8217;anni, <strong>a<\/strong> diciotto anni (punto della vita).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Wortschatz \/ glossary:<\/strong> <em>a malincuore<\/em> = reluctantly &middot; <em>a occhio e croce<\/em> = roughly &middot; <em>a piedi<\/em> = on foot &middot; <em>pescivendolo<\/em> = fishmonger &middot; <em>triglie<\/em> = red mullets &middot; <em>taralli<\/em> = small ring crackers &middot; <em>sagra<\/em> = village food festival.<\/p>\n<\/p>                                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        \n                                                    <div class=\"wpProQuiz_tipp\" style=\"display: none; position: relative;\">\n                                <div>\n                                    <h5 style=\"margin: 0 0 10px;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">Hint<\/h5>\n                                    <p><strong>Ricorda (B1):<\/strong> citt\u00e0 &amp; small places prendono <em>A<\/em>, paesi\/regioni prendono <em>IN<\/em>. La contrazione \u00e8 obbligatoria con l&#8217;articolo: <em>a + il = al<\/em>, mai &#8220;a il&#8221;. Davanti a parole in A- usa <em>AD<\/em> (ad agosto). Verbi tipo telefonare\/spiegare\/scrivere reggono <em>A<\/em>: ha telefonato <em>a<\/em> Pasqualino, non &#8220;telefonato Pasqualino&#8221;.<\/p>\n                                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        \n                                                <input type=\"button\" name=\"back\" value=\"Back\"\n                               class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton\"\n                               style=\"float: left !important; margin-right: 10px !important; display: none;\">\n                                                    <input type=\"button\" name=\"tip\" value=\"Hint\"\n                                   class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton wpProQuiz_TipButton\"\n                                   style=\"float: left !important; display: inline-block; margin-right: 10px !important;\">\n                                                <input type=\"button\" name=\"check\" value=\"Check\"\n                               class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton\"\n                               style=\"float: right !important; margin-right: 10px !important; display: none;\">\n                        <input type=\"button\" name=\"next\" value=\"Next\"\n                               class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton\" style=\"float: right; display: none;\">\n\n                        <div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n\n                        \n                    <\/li>\n\n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_listItem\" style=\"display: none;\">\n                        <div\n                            class=\"wpProQuiz_question_page\" style=\"display:none;\" >\n                            Question <span>2<\/span> of <span>2<\/span>                        <\/div>\n                        <h5 style=\"display: none;\"\n                            class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">\n                            <span>2<\/span>. Question                        <\/h5>\n\n                        \n                                                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_question\" style=\"margin: 10px 0 0 0;\">\n                            <div class=\"wpProQuiz_question_text\">\n                                <h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">For each group, pick the correct sentence<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>Six mini-groups, three sentences each. Only one in each group uses the preposition A correctly. Wrong sentences swap A with the wrong preposition (in, di) or use the wrong articulated form (al \/ allo \/ il).<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n                            <\/div>\n                                                        <ul class=\"wpProQuiz_questionList\" data-question_id=\"6686\"\n                                data-type=\"multiple\">\n                                \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"0\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"1\"> Maristella vola in Bologna per il Salone del Gusto la prossima settimana.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"1\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"2\"> Maristella vola di Bologna per il Salone del Gusto la prossima settimana.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"2\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"3\"> Maristella vola a Bologna per il Salone del Gusto la prossima settimana.\n<hr \/>                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"3\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"4\"> La trattoria di Liliana apre alle nove di mattina, anche la domenica.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"4\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"5\"> La trattoria di Liliana apre a nove di mattina, anche la domenica.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"5\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"6\"> La trattoria di Liliana apre in nove di mattina, anche la domenica.\n<hr \/>                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"6\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"7\"> Maristella ha cominciato a cucinare con la nonna di diciotto anni.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"7\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"8\"> Maristella ha cominciato a cucinare con la nonna a diciotto anni.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"8\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"9\"> Maristella ha cominciato a cucinare con la nonna in diciotto anni.\n<hr \/>                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"9\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"10\"> Ezio vende le triglie fresche di cinque euro al chilo, tutti i giorni.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"10\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"11\"> Ezio vende le triglie fresche in cinque euro al chilo, tutti i giorni.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"11\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"12\"> Ezio vende le triglie fresche a cinque euro al chilo, tutti i giorni.\n<hr \/>                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"12\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"13\"> Quando il porto \u00e8 chiuso al traffico, Ezio raggiunge il banco con i piedi.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"13\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"14\"> Quando il porto \u00e8 chiuso al traffico, Ezio raggiunge il banco a piedi.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"14\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"15\"> Quando il porto \u00e8 chiuso al traffico, Ezio raggiunge il banco in piedi.\n<hr \/>                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"15\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"16\"> Ezio ha regalato una cassetta di pesce azzurro al cugino del porto.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"16\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"17\"> Ezio ha regalato una cassetta di pesce azzurro allo cugino del porto.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                    \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"17\">\n\n                                                                                                                                <span style=\"display:none;\"><\/span>\n                                            <label>\n                                                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_questionInput\"\n                                                       type=\"checkbox\"\n                                                       name=\"question_72_6686\"\n                                                       value=\"18\"> Ezio ha regalato una cassetta di pesce azzurro il cugino del porto.                                            <\/label>\n\n                                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                <\/ul>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                    <div class=\"wpProQuiz_response\" style=\"display: none;\">\n                                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_correct\">\n                                                                            <span class=\"wpProQuiz_respone_span\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCorrect\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br>\n                                    <p><hr \/>\n<p>6 su 6 corrette. You can spot A from IN, DI and the wrong contraction in real sentences.<\/p><\/p>                                <\/div>\n                                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_incorrect\">\n                                                                            <span class=\"wpProQuiz_respone_span\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIncorrect\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br>\n                                    <p><hr \/>\n<p><strong>The six correct sentences:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol style=\"margin:0 0 0 22px; padding:0;\">\n<li><em>Maristella vola a Bologna per il Salone del Gusto la prossima settimana.<\/em><br \/><span style=\"color:#666;\">Maristella is flying to Bologna for the Food Festival next week.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><em>La trattoria di Liliana apre alle nove di mattina, anche la domenica.<\/em><br \/><span style=\"color:#666;\">Liliana&#8217;s trattoria opens at nine in the morning, even on Sundays.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><em>Maristella ha cominciato a cucinare con la nonna a diciotto anni.<\/em><br \/><span style=\"color:#666;\">Maristella started cooking with her grandmother at eighteen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><em>Ezio vende le triglie fresche a cinque euro al chilo, tutti i giorni.<\/em><br \/><span style=\"color:#666;\">Ezio sells fresh red mullets at five euros a kilo, every day.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><em>Quando il porto \u00e8 chiuso al traffico, Ezio raggiunge il banco a piedi.<\/em><br \/><span style=\"color:#666;\">When the harbour is closed to traffic, Ezio reaches his stall on foot.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><em>Ezio ha regalato una cassetta di pesce azzurro al cugino del porto.<\/em><br \/><span style=\"color:#666;\">Ezio gave a crate of fresh fish to his cousin from the harbour.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"margin-top:10px;\"><strong>Why the wrong ones are wrong (B1):<\/strong> <em>in Bologna \/ di Bologna<\/em> &rarr; cities take <strong>A<\/strong>, never IN or DI. <em>a nove \/ in nove<\/em> &rarr; clock hours take the article: <strong>alle nove<\/strong>. <em>di \/ in diciotto anni<\/em> &rarr; age uses <strong>a<\/strong>: <em>a diciotto anni<\/em>. <em>di \/ in cinque euro<\/em> &rarr; price per unit uses <strong>a<\/strong>: <em>a cinque euro al chilo<\/em>. <em>con i piedi \/ in piedi<\/em> &rarr; means of motion is <strong>a piedi<\/strong> (in piedi = standing up, different meaning). <em>allo cugino \/ il cugino<\/em> &rarr; before a consonant the contraction is <strong>al<\/strong>, and the verb <em>regalare<\/em> needs <strong>a<\/strong>: <em>al cugino<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/p>                                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        \n                                                    <div class=\"wpProQuiz_tipp\" style=\"display: none; position: relative;\">\n                                <div>\n                                    <h5 style=\"margin: 0 0 10px;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">Hint<\/h5>\n                                    <p><strong>Strategy (B1):<\/strong> read each sentence aloud and ask the implicit question. <em>Dove?<\/em> &rarr; cities take A, not IN. <em>A che ora?<\/em> &rarr; clock hours always carry the plural article (<em>alle<\/em>). <em>Quanto costa?<\/em> &rarr; price per unit is <em>a<\/em> + amount. <em>A chi?<\/em> &rarr; indirect object with article follows the same rules as the definite article: <em>al cugino<\/em> (not <em>allo cugino<\/em>, because <em>cugino<\/em> starts with a single consonant).<\/p>\n                                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        \n                                                <input type=\"button\" name=\"back\" value=\"Back\"\n                               class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton\"\n                               style=\"float: left !important; margin-right: 10px !important; display: none;\">\n                                                    <input type=\"button\" name=\"tip\" value=\"Hint\"\n                                   class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton wpProQuiz_TipButton\"\n                                   style=\"float: left !important; 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The answers below draw on real classroom usage and on the Treccani entry on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.treccani.it\/enciclopedia\/preposizione_%28La-grammatica-italiana%29\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">preposizione<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-pa-1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">When do I write ad instead of a?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Write ad when the next word begins with the vowel a, for the ear&#8217;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.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-pa-2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Why do I say a Padova but in Italia?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>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&#8217;ll write. With neighbourhoods inside a city, in usually wins: vivo in centro, lavoro in periferia.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-pa-3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">How do I tell time with the preposition a?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>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&#8217;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&#8217;ve drilled alle for every hour, you can stop thinking about it.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-pa-4\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Which verbs always take a before an infinitive?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-pa-5\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the difference between a piedi and in piedi?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-pa-6\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Can I say telefono Pietro instead of telefono a Pietro?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>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).<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-pa-7\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Why do Italians say a Capri but in Sicilia?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related\">Related guides<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-in-vs-a-place\/\">Italian In vs A: How to Say &#8216;At&#8217; and &#8216;In&#8217; for Places<\/a>: the sister guide for the place split between A and IN.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-motion-prepositions\/\">Italian Motion Prepositions: A, Da, Verso, In, Fino A<\/a>: A inside the broader family of motion prepositions.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-verbs-followed-by-a\/\">Italian Verbs Followed by A: Motion, Beginning, Learning<\/a>: the verb-plus-infinitive list expanded.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-prepositions\/\">Italian Prepositions: 8 Simple Rules for A1-A2 Learners<\/a>: the overview hub of all simple prepositions.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.treccani.it\/enciclopedia\/preposizione_%28La-grammatica-italiana%29\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Treccani: la preposizione<\/a>: institutional reference on Italian prepositions and their roles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Italian preposition A covers place, time, indirect object, age, price, means, and verb-plus-infinitive. Complete B1 guide with cheat sheet, dialogue in Padova, and quiz.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10020,"featured_media":23609,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1865],"tags":[1518,1519,1523,1520,1521,1525,1526,1522,1524,1517],"class_list":["post-23598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-b1","tag-a-casaccio","tag-a-colpo-sicuro","tag-a-forza-di","tag-a-malapena","tag-a-malincuore","tag-a-occhio-e-croce","tag-a-piu-non-posso","tag-a-tu-per-tu","tag-alla-buona","tag-avere-i-nervi-a-fior-di-pelle","no-featured-image-padding","pmpro-has-access"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10020"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23598"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60488,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23598\/revisions\/60488"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}