# Italian Prepositions Cheat Sheet

This guide explains the difference between **della / dalle / da / dei / del / dallo / etc.** in Italian. These forms come from combining simple prepositions with definite articles.

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## Table of Contents

* [Key Concepts](#key-concepts)
* [Forms](#forms)

  * [Di + Article](#di--article-often-of-the-or-partitive-some)
  * [Da + Article](#da--article-often-from-the--by-the--at-the)
* [Examples](#examples)
* [When to Use "di"](#when-to-use-di)
* [When to Use "da"](#when-to-use-da)
* [Tips](#tips)
* [Quick Reference Table](#quick-reference-table)

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## Key Concepts

* **Preposizione semplice** = simple preposition (di, da, a, in, su, etc.)
* **Articolo determinativo** = definite article (il, la, lo, i, gli, le, l’)
* **Preposizione articolata** = preposition + article combined (e.g. di + il → del, da + la → dalla)
* **Articolo partitivo** = used to express "some / any"; looks the same as "di + article" forms.

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## Forms

### Di + Article (often "of the" or partitive "some")

* di + il → **del**
* di + lo → **dello**
* di + l’ → **dell’**
* di + la → **della**
* di + i → **dei**
* di + gli → **degli**
* di + le → **delle**

### Da + Article (often "from the / by the / at the")

* da + il → **dal**
* da + lo → **dallo**
* da + l’ → **dall’**
* da + la → **dalla**
* da + i → **dai**
* da + gli → **dagli**
* da + le → **dalle**

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## Examples

| Italian            | Components       | Meaning                   |
| ------------------ | ---------------- | ------------------------- |
| **del pane**       | di + il pane     | some bread / of the bread |
| **della carne**    | di + la carne    | some meat                 |
| **dei libri**      | di + i libri     | some books                |
| **dalle finestre** | da + le finestre | from the windows          |
| **dallo specchio** | da + lo specchio | from the mirror           |

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## When to Use "di"

1. **Possession**

   * La macchina **di Marco** → Marco’s car
   * Il libro **della professoressa** → the professor’s book

2. **Origin (where someone/something is from)**

   * Sono **di Roma** → I’m from Rome
   * Un vino **del Piemonte** → a wine from Piedmont

3. **Material / content**

   * Una statua **di marmo** → a marble statue
   * Un bicchiere **d’acqua** → a glass of water

4. **Partitive (some/any)**

   * Vorrei **del pane** → I’d like some bread
   * Hai **delle idee**? → Do you have any ideas?

5. **About (with certain verbs)**

   * Parlare **di politica** → to talk about politics
   * Ricordarsi **di fare i compiti** → to remember to do homework

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## When to Use "da"

1. **Movement: from a place**

   * Vengo **da Milano** → I come from Milan
   * È scesa **dal treno** → she got off the train

2. **Agent (by someone)**

   * Un libro scritto **da Dante** → a book written by Dante
   * Un quadro dipinto **da Picasso** → a painting painted by Picasso

3. **At someone’s house/place**

   * Sono **dai miei genitori** → I’m at my parents’ house
   * Andiamo **dal medico** → we’re going to the doctor’s office

4. **Since / for (time)**

   * Studio italiano **da due anni** → I’ve been studying Italian for two years
   * Vivo qui **dal 2020** → I’ve lived here since 2020

5. **Function / purpose (with nouns)**

   * Occhiali **da sole** → sunglasses (glasses for sun)
   * Scarpe **da ginnastica** → sneakers (shoes for gym)

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## Tips

* Always check the **noun gender and number**.
* Watch out for masculine singular nouns starting with **s+consonant, z, gn, ps, x**, which use **lo / gli** (and therefore: *dallo, degli*, etc.).
* **di + article** = often means possession, origin, or partitive (some).
* **da + article** = often means movement (from), origin (by), or location (at someone’s place).

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## Quick Reference Table

| Preposition | Singular M      | Singular F  | Plural M  | Plural F |
| ----------- | --------------- | ----------- | --------- | -------- |
| **di**      | del/dello/dell’ | della/dell’ | dei/degli | delle    |
| **da**      | dal/dallo/dall’ | dalla/dall’ | dai/dagli | dalle    |

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✅ Use this guide as a quick reference when reading or writing Italian.