How to use tra: Italian grammar lesson 177

The word tra refers to the idea of an intermediate position (which doesn’t necessarily have to be central) with respect to two or more items, especially in terms of time and space. It can be translated into English as in the middle of, between, and among. Let’s learn how to use it!

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What does tra mean?

In today’s post, we’re going to focus on how to use tra, which is a very small but common word.

It is very easy to use since it has a specific meaning.

As we stated previously, it refers to the idea of an intermediate position between two or more items, in terms of time and space.

Tra can be translated as in the middle of, between, and among.

Just so you know, in Italian, we don’t differentiate between “between” and “among”. We just say tra.

Also, we usually use the word “e” (and) in the same sentence, since it lets us link two or more items that are in between, as you can see in the example below:

La città si trova tra le colline e il mare.

The city is located between the hills and the sea.

How to say among in Italian

Tra: examples

Let’s have a look at some examples:

C’è un bellissimo giardino tra le due case.

There’s a beautiful garden between the two houses.

Le chiavi sono cadute tra il divano e il muro.

The keys fell between the couch and the wall.

Luigi era seduto tra la madre e la zia.

Luigi was sitting between his mother and his aunt.

C’era anche il pilota dell’aereo tra i feriti.

The pilot of the plane was among the injured.

Costerà tra i 10 e i 15 euro.

It’ll cost between 10 and 15 euros.

Sei il migliore tra i miei amici.

You’re the best among my friends.

How to say between in Italian

When does tra mean in?

Tra can also mean in. This is when we’re discussing distance or time to something in the future.

Have a look at the examples below:

Ci vediamo tra un’ora.

See you in one hour.

Arriveranno tra quattro ore.

They’ll arrive in four hours.

Tra due chilometri c’è un supermercato.

There is a supermarket in two miles.

We say tra poco a lot. It means in a short period of time or just shortly, as in the sentence below:

Tra poco arrivo.

I’ll be there shortly.

What does tra mean in Italian

Tra or fra?

You might hear fra instead of tra.

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But basically, there is no difference in meaning between the two forms.

Sometimes, we prefer to say one rather than the other depending on the sound of the word we’re referring to.

For example, we might prefer to say phrases A, rather than phrases B, just to avoid repetition of the same sound:

A: tra fratelli
B: fra fratelli

among siblings

A: fra tre anni
B: tra tre anni

in three years

But other than that, we use them interchangeably.

You can say either sentence A or B since they both mean the same:

A: Il treno si è fermato tra Perugia e Siena.
B: Il treno si è fermato fra Perugia e Siena.

The train stopped between Perugia and Siena.

Meaning of tra in Italian

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FAQs on How to use tra: Italian grammar lesson 177

What does "tra" mean?

It's a preposition referring to the idea of an intermediate position between two or more items, in terms of time and space

When does "tra" mean in?

When we’re discussing distance or time to something in the future.

Tra or fra?

There is no difference in meaning.

Stefano

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