Parli Italiano?
Chapter 11: I pronomi ci e ne
The pronoun CI has different usages and meanings.
- The pronoun CI is used to replace the name of a place already mentioned. It means ‘there’ or ‘in/at/to a place’ that has already been mentioned.
In English, we do not necessarily need to say ‘there’; in Italian, we have to use CI.Sei mai andato a Napoli? Sì, ci sono andato l’anno scorso.
In this example, the pronoun ci stands for a Napoli.
- CI is used to substitute a word or phrase introduced by the prepositions a, su, in or con. In particular, it is used with verbs such as:
- Riuscire a (to manage to, to be able to) and provare a (to try to): Riesci a fare bene la raccolta differenziata? No, non ci riesco ma ci provo. CI stands for ‘a fare bene la raccolta differenziata.’
- Credere a/in (to believe in): Credi in Dio? Sì, ci credo
- Contare su (to count on): Puoi contare sull’aiuto del tuo amico Marco quando traslochi? Sì, ci posso contare. Lui è sempre molto disponibile.
- Con + a noun: Sei uscito con il tuo ragazzo ieri sera? No, ci esco domani. CI is used to substitute a word or phrase introduced by the prepositions a, su, in or con. In particular, it is used with verbs such as:
- In everyday speech, CI is often used when answering a question with the verb avere.
Hai i soldi per pagare l’affitto? Sì, ce li ho!
NOTA BENE
Ci always goes before the conjugated verb, i.e.: ci vado, ci sono andato, etc.
However, when there is a verb + an infinitive, it can go either before the conjugated verb or be attached to the end of the infinitive.
If it is attached to the end of the infinitive, you have to drop the last letter of the infinitive as in andare > andar.
Sei già andato a Roma?
No, ma ci voglio andare.
OR
No, ma voglio andarci.
The pronoun NE is used:
- To express a quantity. It commonly answers the explicit or implicit question, “How much/how many?” It behaves like a direct object pronoun, but it is used when talking about part of the quantity.
- With many common verbs to mean “about it” rather than “of it.” The verbs that use NE with this meaning are:
- pensare: Cosa ne pensi? (What do you think about it?)
- dire: Cosa ne dici? (What do you say about it?)
- sapere: Sai qualcosa delle elezioni? (What do you know about it?) Non ne so niente (I don’t know anything about it)
- parlare: Loro parlano tanto di politica; ne parlano troppo! [they talk so much about politics; they talk about it too much!]
- importare: Non me ne importa (I don’t care about it); Non me ne importa niente (I don’t care about it at all)
For more detail and examples on the pronoun NE see Chapter 4.