Italian prepositions connect words and give meaning to your sentences.

Using them correctly is one of the most important parts of speaking Italian naturally.

These short words don’t always translate directly from English.

I’ll explain the rules clearly so you know exactly how to use them.

The simple prepositions

There are nine simple prepositions in Italian.

They are di, a, da, in, con, su, per, tra, and fra.

These short words tell you about time, location, direction, and possession.

Here’s a breakdown of what each one means and how to use it.

Di (of, from, about)

The word di shows possession, origin, or what something is made of.

A (to, at, in)

You’ll use a to show direction, time, or location.

Da (from, by, since)

This preposition shows movement away from a place or an action starting in the past.

In (in, into, to)

Use in for countries, regions, big islands, rooms, and seasons.

Con (with)

This shows company or the tool you use to do something.

Su (on, about)

Use su to show position or the topic of a conversation.

Per (for, in order to, through)

This preposition points to a destination, a duration of time, or a purpose.

Tra / Fra (between, among, in)

These two words mean the exact same thing and are completely interchangeable.

The articulated prepositions

In Italian, prepositions often combine with definite articles.

When a simple preposition meets a definite article, they merge into one new word.

We call these articulated prepositions (preposizioni articolate).

Not all simple prepositions combine with articles.

The prepositions di, a, da, in, and su always merge.

The prepositions tra and fra never merge.

The preposition per never merges in modern standard Italian.

The preposition con rarely merges today, except for col (con + il) and coi (con + i) in spoken language.

Here’s a complete table showing how the main five prepositions combine with articles.

Choosing between a and in for places

English speakers frequently confuse a and in when talking about locations.

In English, you say you’re “in” a city and “in” a country.

Italian uses different prepositions depending on the geographical size of the place.

You must use a for cities, towns, and small islands.

You must use in for countries, regions, continents, and large islands.

This strict rule applies across all regions of Italy.

However, you might hear regional variations with certain prepositions and nouns.

For example, in northern Italy, people often use the articulated preposition for names of people.

They might say la macchina della Giulia instead of the standard la macchina di Giulia.

It’s best to stick to the standard rules while you’re learning.

You’ll be understood perfectly everywhere you travel.