A1 Italian GrammarBasic Word Order
Learn the fundamental Italian sentence structure: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). Italian is flexible with word order due to verb conjugations, but the standard SVO pattern is essential for beginners. Understand how subject pronouns are often omitted because verb endings indicate the subject.
1Basic SVO Structure
Italian follows the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) pattern like English. The subject comes first, then the verb, and finally the object. However, Italian is more flexible than English because verb conjugations already indicate who is performing the action, making word order shifts possible for emphasis.
SVO Word Order
| Position | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Maria | Maria |
| Verb | mangia | eats |
| Object | la pizza | the pizza |
| Full sentence | Maria mangia la pizza. | Maria eats the pizza. |
Examples
Il gatto dorme sul divano.
The cat sleeps on the sofa.
Subject (il gatto) + Verb (dorme) + Location
Marco legge un libro.
Marco reads a book.
Standard SVO order
La bambina beve il latte.
The girl drinks the milk.
Subject + Verb + Object
Mio padre lavora in ufficio.
My father works in an office.
Subject + Verb + Location
2Subject Pronoun Omission
Unlike English, Italian often omits subject pronouns because verb endings clearly indicate the subject. 'Mangio' already means 'I eat', so saying 'Io mangio' is redundant unless you want emphasis. This is called 'pro-drop' and makes Italian sentences shorter.
With and Without Subject Pronoun
| With Pronoun | Without Pronoun | English |
|---|---|---|
| Io parlo italiano. | Parlo italiano. | I speak Italian. |
| Tu mangi la pasta. | Mangi la pasta. | You eat pasta. |
| Noi andiamo a casa. | Andiamo a casa. | We go home. |
| Loro studiano. | Studiano. | They study. |
Examples
Vivo a Roma.
I live in Rome.
No 'io' needed - 'vivo' shows first person
Parli inglese?
Do you speak English?
No 'tu' needed - '-i' ending shows second person
Lavoriamo insieme.
We work together.
No 'noi' needed - '-iamo' shows first person plural
Io parlo, tu ascolti.
I speak, you listen.
Pronouns used for contrast/emphasis
3Adjective Placement
Most Italian adjectives come after the noun, unlike English where adjectives precede nouns. However, some common short adjectives (bello, brutto, buono, cattivo, grande, piccolo) can go before the noun for a more subjective or emotional meaning.
Adjective Position
| Position | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| After noun (standard) | una macchina rossa | a red car |
| After noun | un uomo alto | a tall man |
| Before noun (common adj.) | una bella donna | a beautiful woman |
| Before noun (emphasis) | un grande amore | a great love |
Examples
Ho un cane nero.
I have a black dog.
Adjective 'nero' after noun
È una ragazza intelligente.
She is an intelligent girl.
Descriptive adjective after noun
È un buon libro.
It is a good book.
Common adjective 'buono' before noun
Abbiamo una piccola casa.
We have a small house.
'Piccola' can precede noun
4Questions and Negation
Italian questions often keep the same word order as statements - intonation (rising voice) or question words indicate a question. For negation, simply place 'non' directly before the verb. The word order otherwise remains the same.
Questions and Negation
| Type | Italian | English |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | Marco viene. | Marco is coming. |
| Question (intonation) | Marco viene? | Is Marco coming? |
| Negation | Marco non viene. | Marco is not coming. |
| Negative question | Marco non viene? | Isn't Marco coming? |
Examples
Parli italiano?
Do you speak Italian?
Question by intonation only
Non capisco.
I don't understand.
'Non' before verb for negation
Dove abiti?
Where do you live?
Question word + verb + (subject implied)
Non mangiamo carne.
We don't eat meat.
'Non' directly before verb