When do you use the preposition da in Italian? Are there any tricks you can learn to avoid mistakes?
Da tre minuti
Since three minutes ago
Learn everything you need to know about this preposition and its variants here!
Preposition da in Italian
How to use the preposition da in Italian
Let me start with a general explanation of how prepositions work in this language.
Every preposition in Italian can either be semplice, simple, or articolata, “with article”.
Italian simple prepositions are what you probably already know as prepositions: DI, A, DA, IN, CON, SU, PER, TRA, FRA.
Vengo da Venezia.
I come from Venice.
When needed, any of these prepositions can be followed by an indefinite article, which will be placed in front of them as a word of its own.
Sono stato morso da un cane.
I was bitten by a dog.
When used in a sentence, however, DI, A, DA, IN and SU cannot be directly followed by a definite article. The definite article will fuse with these prepositions to create what is called a preposizione articolata, “preposition with article”.
Il ladro entra dalla finestra.
The thief enters through the window.
(DA + la)
Ci sono tre metri dal divano al televisore.
There are three meters from the sofa to the TV set.
(DA + il)
You cannot say:
Il ladro entra da la finestra.
Ci sono tre metri da il divano a il televisore.
Remember: if you need to use a definite article in front of DI, A, DA, IN and SU, you will need to fuse the article with the preposition itself.
PER, TRA and FRA are never fused with a definite article, so they only exist in their simple form.
Spegni il fuoco tra dieci minuti.
Turn off the heat in 10 minutes.
Questo regalo è per te.
This gift is for you.
CON can only fuse with the masculine singular article il, forming the preposition COL. Any other variant is not allowed.
That said, how many variants are there of the preposition da in Italian? Take a look at the following table.
Preposition da in Italian
Title: Italian All-in-One For Dummies
Language: English / Italian
Publisher: For Dummies
Learn to speak Italian like a native? Easy.
Italian All-in-One For Dummies appeals to those readers looking for a comprehensive, all-encompassing guide to mastering the Italian language. It contains content from all For Dummies Italian language instruction titles, including Italian For Dummies, Intermediate Italian For Dummies, Italian Verbs For Dummies, Italian Phrases For Dummies, Italian Grammar For Dummies, and Italian For Dummies Audio Set.
Since there’s a preposizione articolata for each definite article, there are a total of 7 variants of the preposition da in Italian.
For example, you could say…
L’ufficio rimarrà chiuso dalle 8 alle 12.
The office will be closed from 8 a.m. to noon.
Vengo dagli Stati Uniti.
I come from the United States.
Don’t worry. It all sounds so tiresome, but I assure you it’s not!
Now that we’ve seen how to use the preposition da in Italian, let’s see when you can use it.
When to use the preposition da in Italian
As you probably already know, the Italian preposition da roughly translates to the English preposition from. However, there are many cases where this rule does not apply.
At first glance, it might be hard to understand when and how to use this preposition. As you will see in a moment, however, there are quite a few rules that specify exactly when you have to use da in your sentence. You have to use DA and its variants with an article…
- to specify a starting point or source
- to translate since and for
- to translate the agent in the passive voice
- to describe the function of something
- to specify a place you walk/drive/pass through
- to specify the reason for an emotion you’re feeling
- to introduce someone you are paying a visit to
- to introduce someone’s age with specific adjectives
- to describe people
- to compare things
Che confusione! That can be… quite overwhelming, so let me make a few real-life examples for each of the given situations.
Preposition da in Italian for every situation
To specify a starting point or source, especially with the verb venire…
Siamo partiti da casa alle 8. Saremo lì verso mezzogiorno.
We left home at 8 a.m. We will be there around noon.
Vengo da un paesino in provincia di Pescara.
I come from a small town in the province of Pescara.
Da dove viene questo rumore?
Where is this noise coming from?
To translate since and for…
Lavoro in questo ufficio dal 2009.
I’ve been working in this office since 2009.
È da un’ora che ti aspetto!
I’ve been waiting for you for an hour!
Piove da quasi due giorni.
It has been raining for almost two days.
To translate the agent in the passive voice (“by”)…
Paolo è stato punto da una medusa ed è andato in ospedale.
Paul was stung by a jellyfish and went to the hospital.
Giorgio viene fermato dalla polizia.
Giorgio is stopped by the police.
To describe the function of something…
Ci sono due martelli sul tavolo da lavoro.
There are two hammers on the work table.
Hai visto i miei occhiali da lettura?
Have you seen my reading glasses?
Mio zio ha un cavallo da tiro.
My uncle owns a draft horse.
To specify a place you walk/drive/pass through…
Se passi dal centro del paese, fai attenzione ai vigili.
If you pass through the town center, beware the vigilantes.
L’aria entra dalla finestra.
Air enters through the window.
To specify the reason for an emotion you’re feeling…
Vincenzo si mise a urlare dalla rabbia.
Vincenzo started screaming in anger.
Adele saltellò sul posto dalla felicità.
Adele jumped on the spot from happiness.
To introduce someone you are paying a visit to…
Verrò da te verso le tre, sei a casa per quell’ora?
I’ll come to you around 3 o’clock, will you be you home by then?
Dovrei andare dal parrucchiere a farmi tagliare i capelli.
I should go to the hairdresser and get a haircut.
Dormo spesso dalla nonna.
I often sleep at grandma’s.
To introduce someone’s age with specific adjectives…
Stefano, che cosa vuoi fare da grande?
Stephen, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Da bambino mi piaceva spesso andare a pescare con papà.
As a child, I often liked to go fishing with Dad.
To describe people…
Valerio è un bel ragazzo dagli occhi verdi.
Valerio is a handsome boy with green eyes.
L’assassino è un uomo dai capelli rossi.
The killer is a red-haired man.
To compare things…
Il testo che hai scritto è completamente diverso da quello che ti ho dettato!
The text you wrote is completely different from what I dictated to you!
These are the main rules that you need to follow for using the preposition da in Italian correctly. And if you still aren’t sure if you can use it in a sentence, remember that the other Italian prepositions have their own rules. You can go by exclusion, andare per esclusione!
And that’s it with the preposition da in Italian! If you still have any doubts, feel free to leave a comment.
Now that you’ve seen how and when to use the preposition da in Italian, you might want to keep learning Italian online with these free Italian resources:
Or you might also want an excellent offline Italian grammar resource to take with you at all times (Amazon).
Aiuta Lingookies con un 👍!
❤️ If you liked this guide on the preposition da in Italian, consider sharing it with your social media friends who are also studying Italian.