What are Pronouns?
In linguistics, a pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun or noun phrase. Italian has several types of pronouns:
- Personal pronouns: You might know these as subjects. These are the Italian io, tu, lui/lei/Lei, noi, voi, loro.
- Direct object pronouns: These are the object of transitive verbs like mangiare (to eat), comprare (to buy), vedere (to see). They are connected to verbs without the use of any preposition.
- Indirect object pronouns: These are the object of intransitive verbs like andare (to go), arrivare (to arrive), morire (to die). They are connected to the verbs with the use of a preposition.
- Pronoun ne: Used to refer to topics and parts of amounts. It substitutes for objects that are introduced by the preposition di.
- Pronoun ci: Normally translated into “there”, is used for places.
In this article I will focus on the pronoun ci, what it means, when it is used, and how.
“Ci” in Italian
As I mentioned before, the Italian word ci is a pronoun. It is mainly used to refer to places that have already been mentioned in the conversation, although in some specific circumstances it is also used in combination with complex verbs to create idiomatic expressions.
As all pronouns, ci can either precede or follow the verb, depending on the verb tense and the corresponding rules for pronouns placement.
Let me show you some examples:
Sei mai stato in Italia?
Have you ever been to Italy?
No, ma ci voglio andare l’anno prossimo.
No, but I want to go there next year.
Amo Londra. Ci vado ogni estate.
I love London. I go there every summer.
Andiamo al parco. Luca ci va in macchina, noi ci andiamo in bicicletta.
Let’s go to the park. Luca is going there by car, we are going there by bike.
How to use “ci”?
To Replace the Name of a Place
As I mentioned before, ci is commonly used to replace the name of a place that has been mentioned previously. When used with this meaning, it can easily be translated with “there”.
Quando andate a Roma?
When are you going to Rome?
Ci andiamo domani.
We are going there tomorrow.
Non voglio venire al cinema con te oggi, ci sono andata ieri!
I don’t want to go to the cinema with you today, I went there yesterday.
For this very reason, ci is typically used with movement verbs like andare (to go) or arrivare (to arrive), or state verbs like essere (to be) and vivere (to live).
To Express Existence
The pronoun ci can also be used to create the expressions “there is” and “there are” in Italian. Just like in English these expressions make use of the word “there” to express the existence of something, we make use of ci to do the same in Italian.
Ci is combined with the verbs essere (to be) in its singular and plural forms, resulting in c’è (there is) and ci sono (there are).
C’è una persona alla porta.
There is a person at the door.
Ci sono molti studenti in classe.
There are many students in the class.
In Idiomatic Expressions
In Italian we have the so called pronominal verbs, which are idiomatic expressions where the verbs necessarily need one or more pronouns that have no specific translation, but are necessary for the verb to make sense.
Here I will show you some idiomatic expressions with ci:
I will list here the most common pronominal verbs that use ci:
- Metterci (to take time to perform an action): the verb mettere (to put) is combined with the pronoun ci to take on the meaning of taking an amount of time to do something.
Ci metto almeno mezz’ora per fare colazione.
It takes me at least half hour to have breakfast.
- Volerci (to take time to perform an action): the verb volere (to want) is combined with the pronoun ci to take on the meaning of taking an amount of time to do something.
Quanto ci vuole ad arrivare a Roma?
How long does it take to get to Rome?
As you can see, both metterci and volerci are translated and used in the same way, but their grammatical behavior is different.
Something that I always tell my students is that volerci is objective, used to emphasize the amount of time that is needed to complete an action. This is why it can be conjugated either in the third person singular or plural only.
Instead, metterci is subjective, used to emphasize how long it takes a specific person to complete an action. This is why it is conjugated according to the subject of the sentence, taking on a subjective meaning.
- Entrarci (to fit): the verb entrare (to enter) is combined with the pronoun ci to take on the meaning of fitting into something, both metaphorically and physically.
Io non c’entro niente con questa situazione.
This situation has nothing to do with me. (lit: I do not fit at all in this situation).
La tua maglia non c’entra in valigia.
Your shirt won’t fit in the suitcase.
- Sentirci (to hear well): the verb sentire (to hear) is combined with the pronoun ci to indicate the ability to hear well.
Non ci sento bene con le cuffie.
I can’t hear well with my headphones.
- Vederci (to see well): the verb vedere (to see) is combined with the pronoun ci to express the ability to see well.
Senza occhiali, non ci vedo da lontano.
Without glasses, I can’t see from afar.
Different Types of “ci”
In Italian, ci has different meanings and uses. Here, I created a comparative table that you can use to understand all its forms:
| Type of “ci” | Function | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflexive Pronoun | Replaces noi (us) in reflexive verbs to indicate an action done to oneself. | Ci svegliamo alle 7. | We wake up at 7. |
| Reciprocal Pronoun | Used with plural subjects to indicate a reciprocal action (each other). | Ci vediamo domani. | We’ll see each other tomorrow. |
| Indirect Object Pronoun | Replaces a noi (to us) with intransitive verbs. | Marco ci ha dato un regalo. | Marco gave us a gift. |
| Pronoun of Place | Replaces names of places, meaning “there”. | Ci vado spesso. | I go there often. |
| In Idiomatic Expressions | Combines with verbs like metterci, volerci etc. | Ci vuole un’ora. | It takes an hour. |
| With Complex Verbs | Part of fixed expressions or idioms where ci has no literal translation but contributes to meaning. | Sei stato licenziato? Non ci credo! | You’ve been fired? I can’t believe it! |
