In lesson 29 of Coffee Break Portuguese, we’re learning how to make a phone call in Portuguese. Join Rafael and Ava to find out what to say when you answer the phone in Portuguese, learn other useful phrases you’ll need for a telephone conversation, and hear everything in context in a practice dialogue.
When to use ‘di’ and ‘da’: Italian prepositions
Do you know the difference between di and da? These two Italian prepositions are easily confused by learners of the language, but in this article we’re going to look at the most common uses of each of these prepositions in Italian so that you never confuse them again!
The Coffee Break Italian Show is a series of bite-sized, friendly podcast episodes, in which we unpack and explain tricky topics for Italian learners. Join Francesca and Maurizio in our latest episode to find out more about the Italian prepositions di and da, and to learn when to use each of them.
So, let’s get into the topic, and we’d recommend listening to the podcast episode as you go. Plus, make sure to look out for your free worksheet at the end, to help you test your knowledge!
The Italian preposition ‘di’
First up, let’s talk about di. When it comes to prepositions in Italian, di often expresses origin, ownership, or composition. For example:
Questa è la bici di Matteo.
This is Matteo’s bike. (Ownership)
Ho comprato una cravatta di seta.
I bought a silk tie. (Composition)
When you were learning how to ask someone where they come from, you may have learned something along the lines of the following phrases:
Di dove sei?
Where are you from?
Sono di Torino.
I am from Turin.
Here, we’re using the preposition di to indicate your place of origin.
The Italian preposition ‘da’
Now, let’s turn our attention to the preposition da. Da typically expresses movement from a location.
You may have come across another possibility when learning how to talk about where you come from:
Da dove vieni?
Where do you come from?
Vengo da Torino.
I come from Turin.
So, when it comes to choosing between prepositions in Italian to say where you come from, just remember the following:
essere + di or venire + da
If you’re giving the name of your country, we need to remember to include the article, and in this case we can only use venire da. For example:
Vengo dall’Italia.
I come from Italy.
Vengo dalla Scozia.
I come from Scotland.
Here, we’re using the articulated form of the preposition da, where it is combined with the definite article.
Using the preposition ‘da’ with a person’s place
However, da doesn’t always mean “from”. In fact, this Italian preposition can be used in various contexts.
Da can also indicate movement towards or location at a person’s house, or a professional’s shop or office.
For instance, if you had been at a doctor’s appointment, you would say:
Sono andato dal dottore.
I went to the doctor’s.
But we would also use da to indicate your current location, rather than destination. For example:
Sono dal dottore adesso.
I’m at the doctor’s just now.
As you can see, da can be translated in different ways in English, depending on the context. So, remember that it is important not to associate Italian prepositions with just one meaning in English.
When it is used with a person’s name, the Italian preposition da is used to talk about going to or being at someone’s place or house. Here are some examples:
Vado da Francesca.
I’m going to Francesca’s (house).
Sono da Francesca.
I’m at Francesca’s (house).
Choosing between the Italian prepositions ‘di’ and ‘da’
In this podcast episode of The Coffee Break Italian Show, Francesca and Maurizio mention a particularly interesting use of di and da, where the choice of preposition can quite drastically change the meaning.
Imagine you’re enjoying a nice cup of coffee. To refer to what you’re drinking, you’d use the following phrase:
una tazza di caffè
a cup of coffee
Here, we know that it is a cup that contains coffee.
However, if you’re in a shop and looking to buy some new coffee cups for your house, what you are looking for is the following:
una tazza da caffè
a coffee cup
When the preposition da is used in this phrase, it introduces the purpose or function of the cup, but there isn’t necessarily currently any coffee in it.
Let’s see two more examples of this difference in full sentences:
Vorrei sei tazze di caffè.
I would like six cups of coffee.
Vorrei sei tazze da caffè.
I would like six coffee cups.
You will come across the same difference between these two prepositions in Italian in other contexts. For example, compare the following phrases:
un bicchiere di vino
a glass of wine
un bicchiere da vino
a wine glass
A final, subtle difference between ‘di’ and ‘da’
Let’s look at one more common context in which it can be tricky to choose between the Italian prepositions di and da.
Consider the distinction between the following phrases:
un libro di Italo Calvino
an Italo Calvino book
un libro scritto da Italo Calvino
a book written by Italo Calvino
You may recognise that the second phrase is using a passive structure. In the passive voice, the preposition da is used to introduce what is known grammatically as the agent – the person by whom the action has been performed. In a full sentence, our example would be as follows:
Questo libro è stato scritto da Italo Calvino.
This book was written by Italo Calvino.
Francesca and Maurizio mention in the podcast episode that Calvino’s books are some of their favourites. If you’re not already familiar with his works, we have another Coffee Break Italian podcast episode all about Calvino.
Let’s look at two final examples – this time comparing the use of the prepositions di and da when talking about a film.
un film di Federico Fellini
a Federico Fellini film
un film che è stato diretto da Federico Fellini
a film that was directed by Federico Fellini
A visual summary of the Italian prepositions ‘di’ and ‘da’
We hope that you now feel more confident choosing between di and da. However, these two prepositions in Italian can be easily mixed up by anyone, so don’t worry if you make mistakes, as native speakers will still understand what you mean.
To get the most out of this article, we’d recommend watching or listening to the full podcast episode with Francesca and Maurizio on The Coffee Break Italian Show. And don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts so that you always know when there’s a new episode available.
Finally, if you’d like more help with your Italian, you can sign up to receive regular, free email lessons, which will arrive straight to your inbox. Just sign up at the bottom of this article.
Keep listening out for uses of di and da, so that you become more familiar with these two Italian prepositions. In the meantime, as always, happy Coffee Breaking!
Listen to the podcast
‘Du’, ‘des’, ‘au’ and ‘aux’: a guide to French contractions
As French learners, you have probably come across many words in French that may be short, but which can be tricky to get your head around. This is because there are many French contractions – words that are the combined form of two words.
Today we’re going to focus on some of the most common French contractions: du, des, au and aux. These are called contracted articles in French and if you’ve previously been confused by them, don’t worry!
The Coffee Break French Show is a video and audio podcast series, in which we discuss and explain interesting French language topics for learners. In our most recent episode, Pierre-Benoît and Max are here to equip you with the knowledge to use French contractions confidently in your conversations.
If you’re ready, let’s get into our topic for today and learn more about French contractions, and we’d suggest listening along to the podcast as you read.
Plus, look out for your free worksheet at the bottom of this article, which will help you put what you’ve learned to the test. C’est parti !
Definite articles in French
Before we look at how to form and use French contractions, do you know what du, des, au and aux all have in common?
All four of these French contractions incorporate a definite article. Like in English, there are both definite and indefinite articles in French, and when we talk about definite articles, we are referring to the words for “the”.
As you probably already know, in French there are four words for “the”. Let’s do a quick review of these.
le
the (masculine singular)
la
the (feminine singular)
les
the (masculine and feminine plural)
l’
the (masculine and feminine singular when the noun starts with a vowel or silent h-)
L’ is used with both masculine and feminine singular nouns that start with a vowel or a silent h-. For example:
l’université
the university
l’homme
the man
l’heure
the hour, the time
Understanding French contractions
When the definite articles in French meet prepositions, some of them undergo contraction, resulting in the words we’re exploring today: du, des, au and aux.
Contracted articles in French with the preposition ‘de’
So, what happens when we use de in front of these definite articles?
du
Let’s start by looking at what happens when the preposition de meets the masculine singular definite article, le.
de + le = du
In contexts where le means “the”, it is not possible to have de le together – they always merge to become du. Du is therefore an example of a contracted article in French.
Watch out for the pronunciation of the u vowel sound in du, as it is a very commonly used word, which is easily confused with doux (“soft”) or d’où (“from where” or “hence”). For help with the difference between the vowel sounds u and ou in French, you can find our podcast episode and article here.
de la
Now, let’s look at what happens when the preposition de meets the feminine singular definite article, la.
de + la = de la
This one is straightforward, as de and la can always exist side by side and there is therefore no contraction.
des
When de is followed by the plural definite article, les, this becomes another contracted article in French.
de + les = des
It is not possible to have de les together in this context – it always changes to des.
de l’
Finally, when de is followed by the definite article l’, like de la, it is straightforward and there is no contraction.
de + l’ = de l’
Partitive articles in French
But what do the French contractions du, de la, des and de l’ mean? These four forms of de + definite article often translate as “of the” or “from the”.
However, in other contexts, they function as partitive articles in French. Partitive articles are used to express unspecified quantities of a noun and are used where in English we would use “some” or simply no article at all.
For example:
du pain
some bread (or simply “bread”)
de la confiture
jam, some jam
des fruits
fruit, some fruit
de l’alcool
alcohol, some alcohol
The preposition ‘de’ with verbs
Another situation in which we commonly see the combination of de and the French definite articles is when we have a verb that requires the preposition de, which is then followed by a definite article and a noun.
For instance, we can take the following verbal phrase, which requires the preposition de:
avoir besoin de
to need
If you want to say that you need the phone, we’re going to see a contracted article in French. This is because le téléphone is a masculine singular noun, and the de will merge with the le:
J’ai besoin du téléphone.
I need the phone.
Another verb that is sometimes followed by the preposition de is parler.
parler de
to talk about
parler de la pluie et du beau temps
to chit-chat, to make small talk, to talk about trivial things
This French idiom literally means “to talk about the rain and the good weather”.
Now an example with a plural noun:
Nous parlons des vacances.
We’re talking about the holiday / vacation.
Finally, let’s see some examples of contracted articles with de following the verb penser.
penser de
to think of (in the sense of having an opinion on something)
For example:
Qu’est-ce que tu penses du film ?
What do you think of the movie?
Qu’est-ce que tu penses de l’histoire ?
What do you think of the story?
Contracted articles in French with the preposition ‘à’
Now, let’s see what happens when we use à in front of the definite articles in French.
au
When the preposition à meets the masculine singular definite article, le, there is a contraction.
à + le = au
Just as we saw before with du, in contexts where le means “the”, it is not possible to have à le together – they always merge together to form the French contraction au. Au is therefore another example of a contracted article in French.
à la
Similarly, just as de la is possible in all contexts, à and la can also always exist side by side and there is therefore no contraction in French.
à + la = à la
aux
When à is followed by the plural definite article, les, this becomes another contracted article in French.
à + les = aux
à l’
Finally, when à is followed by the definite article l’, like de l’, it is straightforward and there is no contraction in French.
à + l’ = à l’
The preposition ‘à’ with verbs
There are many verbs that require the preposition à after them, when they are followed by a noun. This means that we often come across à followed by a definite article in French.
Let’s take a look at some examples, starting with the verb aller:
aller à
to go to
Je vais au cinéma.
I’m going to the cinema.
Je vais à la piscine.
I’m going to the swimming pool.
Earlier, we mentioned penser de. However, the verb penser is also sometimes used with the preposition à.
penser à
to think about (in the sense of having something on your mind)
Je pense aux films qu’on a vus ensemble.
I’m thinking about the movies we watched together.
Did you notice the spelling of vus? If you’re wondering about that extra -s on the end, you can find out more about the preceding direct object rule in French.
When do we not use French contractions with ‘de’ and ‘à’?
The final point to mention on the topic of contracted articles in French is that there are some situations where de le, de les, à le and à les do exist side by side, and don’t merge into the French contractions du, des, au and aux.
This happens when the le or les is not functioning as a definite article, but instead as a direct object pronoun. For example:
J’ai besoin de le contacter.
I need to contact him.
J’ai peur de les déranger.
I’m afraid to disturb them.
Pense à le rappeler !
Think about calling him back!
In these three sentences, the le or les are direct object pronouns, which means that they don’t form contracted articles with the preposition de or à.
A visual summary of contracted articles in French
We hope that you now have a better understanding of French contractions and, in particular, that you feel equipped to use the tricky words du, des, au and aux with confidence.
If you haven’t already, join Pierre-Benoît and Max in the podcast version of this lesson on The Coffee Break French Show to learn more about French contractions. And don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast feed and our channel on YouTube to find out when the next episode is released, which will be on another useful topic for French learners.
Looking for further help with your French? You should also know that we send out regular, free lessons by email, which will help you improve your French in short, coffee-break-length lessons. Sign up below!
Happy Coffee Breaking!
Listen to the podcast
Spanish question words: with or without an accent?
With accent marks and upside-down question marks, there is a lot to think about when it comes to using Spanish question words. This is why forming questions in Spanish is something our Coffee Break language learners regularly ask us about.
The Coffee Break Spanish Show is a podcast series of short but useful conversations, in which we talk about interesting Spanish language topics. In the latest episode, Concha and Mark are here to explain all about Spanish questions and, in particular, Spanish question words.
Continue reading to find out more, and why not listen to the podcast as you go? Plus, don’t miss our free worksheet at the end to practise what you learn!
Common Spanish question words
First of all, let’s start with a reminder of some of the most common Spanish question words. For each question word, we’ll include a short example. ¡Vamos a ello!
¿Cómo?
How?
¿Cómo te llamas?
What’s your name? (literally, “how do you call yourself?”)
¿Dónde?
Where?
¿Dónde está la biblioteca?
Where is the library?
¿Cuándo?
When?
¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?
When is your birthday?
¿Qué?
What?
¿Qué estás haciendo ahora?
What are you doing just now?
Here are some bonus question words in Spanish that Concha and Mark didn’t mention in the podcast episode.
¿Quién? / ¿Quiénes?
Who?
¿Quién es tu madre?
Who is your mother?
¿Cuál? / ¿Cuáles?
Which?, What?
¿Cuál es tu color favorito?
What’s your favourite colour?
¿Cuánto/a?
How much?
¿Cuánta agua bebes al día?
How much water do you drink daily?
¿Cuántos/as?
How many?
¿Cuántas veces haces ejercicio a la semana?
How many times a week do you exercise?
Straight away, there are two really interesting things to note about all of these questions: each of the question words has an accent, and the sentences start with an upside-down question mark. Let’s talk about that question mark first.
Opening question marks in Spanish
When using Spanish question words to ask a question in Spanish, remember that you always need an opening question mark at the start of the question.
However, the start of the question doesn’t necessarily mean the start of the sentence. For example, an opening question mark can come after another form of punctuation or midway through a sentence:
Sé que ya me lo has dicho, pero ¿me puedes decir otra vez dónde está tu casa?
I know you have already told me, but can you tell me again where your house is?
However, we could also simply ask:
¿Me puedes decir dónde está tu casa?
Can you tell me where your house is?
Because these questions are structured slightly differently, they therefore require the opening question mark in different parts of the sentence.
Now, let’s turn our attention to the accents on Spanish question words.
Accents on Spanish question words
As you’ll have noticed in the earlier examples, all of the Spanish question words contain an accent. This is a straightforward rule: within a direct question, the question word must have an accent on it.
Spanish question words in indirect questions
However, Spanish question words can also be used in indirect questions.
This means that in situations in which we don’t have a direct question, but the question is implied within the statement, we still use a Spanish question word (and therefore an accent appears on the word). We can think of these as “indirect questions”.
Vamos a ver algunos ejemplos.
Me pregunto dónde está María.
I wonder where María is.
No sé cómo lo hace.
I don’t know how he / she does it.
No sé cuándo va a llegar Marta, dijo que iba a llegar a las doce.
I don’t know when Marta is going to arrive. She said she was going to arrive at 12 o’clock.
In all of these statements, although there are no question marks, there is still an element of questioning implied. To illustrate this, we can easily restructure the statements to form questions. For example:
Me pregunto: ¿dónde está María?
I wonder: where is María?
¿Cómo lo hace? No sé.
How does he / she do it? I don’t know.
Therefore, because the question is implied within the statement, we are still using a Spanish question word and therefore still an accent.
Similar Spanish words without accents
You may have come across the same words from our list of question words above, but without an accent.
If so, you’ll know that it can sometimes be tricky to know when to include the accent or not. For example, do you know the difference between que and qué, or como and cómo?
As we’ve just seen, Spanish question words can be used in either direct or indirect questions, and the question words always contain an accent.
However, there are words similar to our Spanish question words that don’t have an accent. In this case, the words are not question words, and they are instead serving a different function.
Let’s take a look at some examples:
Esta chaqueta es como la que tenía cuando era pequeña.
This jacket is like the one I had when I was little.
Estoy donde me dijiste.
I am where you told me (to be).
In these two examples, como and donde have a different function to cómo and dónde, and since there is no question implied, there is no accent on them.
Here’s another interesting example:
Veremos qué pasa.
We’ll see what happens.
In this example, qué is our question word (within an indirect question). We’re wondering what is going to happen and there is an element of doubt about what that might be.
However, this sentence would also be correct without the accent on the qué, but it would have a subtle difference in meaning.
Veremos que pasa.
We’ll see it happen. / We’ll see that it happens.
This time, we’re not wondering about what is actually going to happen, but rather simply stating that whatever that is, we’ll see it.
Test yourself on Spanish question words: accent or no accent?
Now that you’ve learned more about question words in Spanish, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test! We have a short quiz to help you put into practice what you’ve learned.
Read the following sentences and decide if the word in brackets should include an accent or not. The answers are at the end of this article. ¡Buena suerte!
- Ese es el profesor (que / qué) te comenté.
- Dime (cuando / cuándo) aterriza tu vuelo y voy a recogerte.
¡Eso es todo! We hope you now feel more comfortable knowing how to form questions in Spanish and how to tell the difference between que and qué, donde and dónde, and como and cómo!
If you found this article useful, why not listen to the full episode with Concha and Mark on The Coffee Break Spanish Show. For more episodes for Spanish learners, make sure to subscribe to our podcast feed and our channel on YouTube.
As well as this, you can sign up to receive regular, free email lessons to help you improve your Spanish. You will also receive language-learning tips and tricks from Mark, the founder of Coffee Break Languages. Sign up below, and we hope that you enjoy the first lesson that arrives in your inbox.
In the meantime, pay attention to these question words in Spanish the next time you’re reading. Or, when you’re listening aloud, try to visualise where the accents would be included. Good luck as you keep practising your Spanish and, as always, happy Coffee Breaking!
PS. Here are the answers to the test:
- Ese es el profesor que te comenté. (“That is the teacher that I mentioned to you.”)
- Dime cuándo aterriza tu vuelo y voy a recogerte. (“Tell me when your flight lands and I’ll go and pick you up.”)
Listen to the podcast
Deciphering the dative and accusative cases: exploring two-way prepositions in German
Understanding which case to use when talking about locations and destinations can be a game-changer in your German-learning journey.
Today we’re focusing on prepositions of location in German. So, let’s decipher the dative and accusative cases in German and unravel whether it’s a location or destination together!
The Coffee Break German Show is a podcast series of short, friendly conversations in which we discuss tricky topics for German language learners. In the latest episode, Thomas and Mark talk about locations and destinations in German, and which case to use with each.
Continue reading to find out more, and why not listen to the podcast as you go? Plus, don’t miss our free worksheet at the end to practise what you learn!
‘Wo’ or ‘wohin’?
First things first, let’s talk about the key distinction between wo, “where”, and wohin, “where to”. In English, we might not be accustomed to such a clear differentiation, but in German, it’s crucial. Here’s a quick comparison:
Wo bist du?
Where are you?
Here, we’re asking for a static location, which requires the dative case.
Wohin gehst du?
Where are you going?
In this case, we’re asking about movement or direction, which calls for the accusative case in German.
We’re going to be talking about the dative and accusative cases a lot in this article, so if you need a reminder of what cases are in German and how they work, you can read our introduction to German cases.
Location using the dative, or destination with the accusative?
Now, let’s focus on some examples.
Dein Schlüssel liegt auf dem Küchentisch.
Your key is on the kitchen table.
Here, we’re describing a static location, so we use the dative case in German with dem Küchentisch. Note that der changes to dem in the dative.
The clue’s in the question: ‘wo’ or ‘wohin’?
Consider the following sentence:
Ich lege die sauberen Klamotten auf das Bett.
I’m putting the clean clothes on the bed.
Since we’re indicating movement towards a destination (the bed), we use the accusative case with das Bett. This involves the question:
Wo legst du die sauberen Klamotten hin?
Where are you putting the clean clothes?
The suffix -hin at the end shows there is movement involved – a change of location – and therefore, the need for the accusative case.
Here’s another example to consider:
Die Rehe leben im Wald.
The deer live in the forest.
Again, we’re describing a static location (the forest), so we use the dative case with im Wald. And this involves the question word wo?
Wo leben die Rehe?
Where do the deer live?
Dative or accusative case in German?
In the following example, we’re indicating movement towards a destination (the burrow), so we use the accusative case in German with in seinen Bau.
Der Fuchs rennt in seinen Bau unter der Erde.
The fox is running into its burrow underground.
Unter der Erde is in the dative because that is the location of the burrow.
Let’s look at another example:
Wir treffen uns bei meinen Eltern.
We’re meeting at my parents’ house.
When we talk about meeting at a location, even if we are not there yet, we use the dative case with bei meinen Eltern.
Here’s another example:
Am Samstag gehen wir auf ein Konzert.
We’re going to a concert on Saturday.
Since we’re indicating movement towards a destination (the concert), we use the accusative case with auf ein Konzert.
There’s always an exception!
But wait, there are a couple of prepositions in German that require special attention!
Zu always takes the dative case in German, even when used in the context of a wohin question. For example:
Ich gehe zum Arzt.
I’m going to the doctor.
Wir fahren zu meinen Eltern.
We’re driving to my parents’ place.
Nach also always takes the dative case, although it’s typically used without an article, so it cannot be seen that it is in the dative case:
Er fliegt morgen nach Spanien.
He’s flying to Spain tomorrow.
Der Zug fährt nach Westen.
The train is heading west.
A visual summary of prepositions of location in German
So, there you have it – your guide to navigating prepositions of location in German! Understanding the nuances of cases and contexts will not only enhance your language skills, but also make you feel more confident in your German conversations.
If you found this interesting, make sure to listen to the full episode with Thomas and Mark on The Coffee Break German Show. We will regularly be uploading more episodes for German learners, so make sure to subscribe to our podcast feed and our channel on YouTube to find out when the next episode is available.
Plus! To get regular, free German lessons in your inbox, you can sign up for our short (coffee-break-sized) email lessons that will help you improve your German. You will also hear from Mark, the founder of Coffee Break Languages, giving advice for language learners at any level. Sign up below!
So give it a go – use what we’ve covered today and you’ll gain confidence with using the dative and accusative cases in German with no problems at all! And if you’d like to take this topic a stage further, find out the differences between in, an, auf, nach, and zu.
Bis bald and happy Coffee Breaking!
Listen to the podcast
How do you say ‘I like’ in Italian: ‘mi piace’ vs ‘mi piacciono’
As a learner of Italian, you’ve probably already come across mi piace and mi piacciono. These are our two essential phrases for expressing likes and dislikes in Italian. However, these expressions work a little differently from the straightforward verb “to like” in English. This is why a common question we receive from our Coffee Break community of language learners is: how do you say “I like” in Italian?
The Coffee Break Italian Show is a podcast series of bite-sized, friendly conversations in which we demystify tricky Italian language topics. In the latest episode, Maurizio and Mark discuss the phrases mi piace and mi piacciono, and how to use them to say “I like” in Italian.
So, let’s get started and unpack the intricacies of mi piace vs mi piacciono together.
Continue reading to find out more, and why not listen to the podcast as you go? Plus, don’t miss our free worksheet at the end to practise what you learn. Cominciamo!
How to use ‘piacere’ in Italian
First of all, let’s make sure we understand the basic structure of the verb piacere.
In English, we say “I like” followed by the thing that we like. In Italian, however, it’s a little different. The idea is expressed as follows: “something is pleasing or appealing to me”. Or, if you want to flip it around: “to me is pleasing or appealing something”.
Now, using this idea, let’s explore how to use mi piace and mi piacciono in different scenarios.
Expressing likes using ‘mi piace’ with singular nouns
When you’re talking about liking singular nouns, we use mi piace. For instance:
Mi piace l’italiano.
I like Italian.
Mi piace la zuppa di ceci.
I like chickpea soup.
What if you don’t like something? Easy! We just add non in front of mi piace. For example:
Non mi piace lo sciroppo d’amarena.
I don’t like sour cherry syrup.
Note that, as we explained in the previous section, it is the thing that you like (for example, Italian or chickpea soup) that is the subject of the sentence – in other words, what is carrying out the action of pleasing.
Expressing likes using ‘mi piacciono’ with plural nouns
Now, what if you’re a fan of multiple things?
Mi piacciono in English also translates to “I like”. When the thing that you like is plural, you use this expression. Remember that this is because the subject of the verb is the thing that you like, or rather the thing that is pleasing to you. This means that the verb has to change to be in its plural form.
For example:
Mi piacciono le verdure.
I like vegetables.
Here, we are literally saying “vegetables are pleasing to me”.
Mi piacciono le persone interessanti.
I like interesting people.
Non mi piacciono gli spaghetti all’amatriciana.
I don’t like amatriciana spaghetti.
Mi piacciono il salotto e il bagno di questa casa.
I like this house’s living room and bathroom.
The two sentences above are both curious examples. First of all, we need to remember that spaghetti is a plural concept in Italian, even though it is usually considered a singular, uncountable noun in English.
In the final example, note that although il salotto and il bagno are, individually, singular nouns, here they are combined to form a plural subject, which is why we use mi piacciono instead of mi piace. Therefore, if you’re making lists of things you like (or don’t like), use piacciono, even if they are, individually, singular nouns.
That’s it for nouns… But how do you say “I like” in Italian if you are talking about an activity, rather than a thing?
Expressing likes using ‘mi piace’ with verbs
To express that you like doing something, we are going to use mi piace followed by the verb in its infinitive form. For instance:
Mi piace viaggiare.
I like to travel / I like travelling.
Mi piace camminare.
I like to walk / I like walking.
Mi piace correre e viaggiare.
I like running and travelling.
Did you notice something interesting about our third example? That’s right – while we used mi piacciono with il salotto and il bagno combined, we always stick with mi piace for infinitives, which is why correre and viaggiare together are still used with mi piace.
How to say what someone else likes
To talk about someone else’s likes, simply swap out mi for the relevant pronoun. This is because in Italian we are literally saying “to you is pleasing …” or “to them is pleasing …” Let’s look at some example sentences:
Mi piace guidare. Ti piace guidare?
I like driving. Do you like driving?
The verb therefore stays the same and it is only the pronoun that changes (in this case from mi to ti).
Non gli piacciono le moto.
He doesn’t like motorbikes. / They don’t like motorbikes.
Note that gli can either mean “to him” or “to them”.
Le piace andare in palestra.
She likes going to the gym.
Ci piacciono le gite in montagna.
We like mountain trips.
Non vi piace il gelato al cioccolato?
Don’t you (all) like chocolate ice cream?
Before we move on, here is a summary of all of the pronouns we are going to use with piacere:
mi – “to me”
ti – “to you”
gli – “to him”
le – “to her”
ci – “to us”
vi – “to you (plural)”
gli / a loro – “to them”
Note that you can use a loro with piace or piacciono instead of gli, when you want to say “they like”. If the verb is in the negative form, a loro comes before non, unlike other pronouns. For example:
A loro non piacciono le moto.
They don’t like motorbikes.
Using ‘piacere’ with names
When you want to talk about specific people and what they like, use a followed by the person’s name. For example:
A Mark piace insegnare le lingue.
Mark likes teaching languages.
Here, the Italian structure is along the lines of “to Mark teaching languages is pleasing”.
Or, a negative example could be:
A Francesca non piace il pollo sulla pizza.
Francesca doesn’t like chicken on pizza.
Practising ‘mi piace’ vs ‘mi piacciono’
Now that you’ve got the hang of how to say “I like” in Italian, why not try a couple more on your own?
Have a go at translating the following sentences from English into Italian. The answers are at the end of the article.
- I don’t like writing emails.
- Michela likes Swedish language and culture.
That’s it for the basics on the verb piacere in Italian. Now, with a little practice, you’ll be effortlessly expressing your likes and dislikes in Italian like a native speaker!
If you found this interesting, make sure to listen to the full episode with Maurizio and Mark on The Coffee Break Italian Show. We will regularly be uploading more episodes for Italian learners, so subscribe to our podcast feed and our channel on YouTube to find out when the next episode is available.
Plus! To get regular, free Italian lessons in your inbox, you can sign up for our short (coffee-break-sized) email lessons that will help you improve your Italian. You will also hear from Mark, the founder of Coffee Break Languages, giving advice to language learners at any level. Sign up below, and we hope that you enjoy the first lesson that arrives in your inbox.
Good luck as you keep practising your Italian and, as always, happy Coffee Breaking!
PS. Here are the answers to the translation challenge:
- Non mi piace scrivere (le) email.
- A Michela piacciono la lingua e la cultura svedese.
Listen to the podcast
What does ‘on’ mean in French? Find out the 3 meanings of this pronoun
You’ve probably come across the word on in French many times. It’s a very versatile word, but this means that it can be challenging to fully understand its meaning at times. In fact, a regular question we receive from our Coffee Break community of language learners is: what does on mean in French?
The Coffee Break French Show is a podcast series of bite-sized, friendly conversations in which we explain tricky French language topics. In the latest episode, Max and Mark discuss the use of the on pronoun in French in everyday contexts.
Continue reading to find out more, and why not listen to the podcast as you go? Plus, don’t miss our free worksheet at the end to practise what you learn!
French subject pronouns
First things first, let’s do a quick review of the French subject pronouns.
Typically, when you’re looking at a verb table or practising conjugations in French, the verb is divided up into its six forms, with the subject pronouns listed as follows:
je – “I”
tu – “you” (informal singular)
il, elle, on – “he, she, one/you/we”
nous – “we”
vous – “you” (formal singular or informal/formal plural)
ils, elles – “they”
As we look into the uses of on, remember that it is included on the same line as il and elle because it uses the same form of the conjugated verb. So, when conjugating verbs with on, you treat it like you would il or elle (for example, on mange or on parle).
The key thing to remember here is that the third line – il, elle, on – does not translate to “he, she, it”. The subject pronoun on can be translated in various ways, but it doesn’t mean “it”.
What does ‘on’ mean in French?
After this brief recap, the question remains: what does on mean in French? In fact, the versatile pronoun on has three main uses and meanings.
Let’s look at them below!
When ‘on’ means “we”
In informal settings, on is very often used instead of the subject pronoun nous. In these situations, on therefore simply means “we”.
On is less formal than nous and more commonly used in spoken French. For example, at the start of this podcast episode, Mark asked Max:
De quoi parle-t-on aujourd’hui ?
What are we talking about today?
It would have been equally correct to use nous and say:
De quoi parlons-nous aujourd’hui ?
What are we talking about today?
This sounds much more formal to a native French speaker. In standard, written French, however, remember to use nous instead of on.
Let’s look at some more examples where on is used instead of nous to mean “we”.
Si tu veux, on peut déjeuner ensemble.
If you want, we can have lunch together.
On va au ciné samedi ?
Shall we go to the cinema on Saturday?
On se voit demain soir ?
Shall we see each other tomorrow evening?
In this example, note that the reflexive pronoun used (se) matches the third person singular form of the verb. Using the nous form instead, this sentence would be:
Nous nous voyons demain soir ?
Shall we see each other tomorrow evening?
When ‘on’ refers to people in general
The second use of the French pronoun on is to refer to everyone. That is to say that on can be used to make generalisations about what groups of people do.
In this sense, on can be compared to “one” in English. However, although “one” is rarely used outside very formal situations in English, on is completely neutral and natural in French.
Let’s look at some examples and notice how on can be translated in various ways when it refers to people in general.
En France, on mange beaucoup de fromage.
In France, people eat a lot of cheese.
En Italie, on parle italien.
In Italy, everyone speaks Italian.
En Écosse, on doit s’habituer à la pluie.
In Scotland, you have to get used to the rain.
As a side note, notice that in all of these statements we are using the preposition en with the name of each country. If prepositions with cities and countries is something that you’re looking for more help with, we have another episode of The Coffee Break French Show all about this topic.
We’ve therefore seen how on can refer to “we” or to people in general. However, there is a third use of the pronoun on in French, so let’s look at this one now.
When ‘on’ refers to an unidentified person
The third use of this subject pronoun in French is when it refers to an unidentified or unspecified person. So, what does on mean in French in these contexts? Well, in this scenario, on is like saying “someone” in English.
Consider these examples:
On a frappé à la porte.
Someone knocked at the door. / There was a knock at the door.
On m’a volé mon portefeuille.
Someone stole my wallet. / My wallet was stolen.
This is just like saying:
Quelqu’un m’a volé mon portefeuille.
Someone stole my wallet.
In the sentences above, since the identity of the subject is unknown, we can use on in French.
On nous* a demandé de sortir.
We were asked to leave. / They asked us to leave.
On nous* a dit que le musée était fermé aujourd’hui.
We were told that the museum is closed today. / They told us that the museum is closed today.
In these two examples, it is likely that the identity of the person or people is known, but it isn’t important to the conversation, which is why on is used.
*Watch out for the nous in these examples. This isn’t to be confused with the subject pronoun nous. Instead, this nous is an indirect object pronoun, indicating that it was “us” that they asked to leave.
That’s it for the three uses of the pronoun on in French. Before we finish, let’s focus on one final aspect of this interesting pronoun.
Using possessive adjectives with ‘on’
We’ve now answered our main question: what does on mean in French? But there are still a couple of interesting points to consider.
Earlier, we saw that when on is used with a reflexive verb, it uses the third person singular reflexive pronoun se. For example:
En Écosse, on doit s’habituer à la pluie.
In Scotland, you have to get used to the rain.
However, there is another interesting aspect of agreement when using on, which we need to keep in mind, and that is with possessive adjectives.
Let’s start by looking at the following question using the subject pronoun nous:
Est-ce que nous avons fait nos valises ?
Have we packed our suitcases?
If we replace nous with on, something interesting happens!
Est-ce qu’on a fait nos valises ?
Have we packed our suitcases?
Did you expect nos to change to ses? In fact, because the possessive adjective means “our” here, we still use the adjective associated with nous (notre in the singular or nos in the plural), in order to follow the same meaning.
However, there are other situations in which we would use the possessive adjective son, sa or ses with on. For example:
On doit prendre son passeport pour voyager.
One must take one’s passport to travel. / You must take your passport to travel.
In this situation, since on refers to people in general, rather than “us”, the correct possessive adjective to use is son, instead of notre.
So, when on means “we”, use the possessive adjective notre or nos. When on means “everyone”, “one” or a general “you”, use the possessive adjective son, sa or ses.
A summary of what ‘on’ means in French and when to use it
The pronoun on is very commonly used in French, so we hope that you now understand when and why it is used, and that you feel you know how to incorporate it into your own speaking.
Don’t forget to listen to the full episode about the pronoun on with Max and Mark on The Coffee Break French Show. For more episodes for French learners, you can subscribe to our podcast feed and our channel on YouTube.
As well as this, we regularly send free email lessons that will help you improve your French. Sign up below to receive the next free lesson straight to your inbox, and we hope that you enjoy it.
Happy Coffee Breaking!
Listen to the podcast
CBGa 1.28 | Talking about the past in Gaelic – The past tense using the verb ‘to be’
Welcome to another episode of Coffee Break Gaelic! Join teacher Susanna and learner Mark as they go through the past tense of the verb “to be”. In this lesson, you’ll also learn how to talk about events in the past in Gaelic.
CBP 1.28 | Hobbies and free time – Talking about what you like doing in Portuguese
Welcome to lesson 28 of Coffee Break Portuguese! The topic of this lesson is free time. We’re going to learn how to talk about your hobbies and the activities you enjoy doing, as well as how to say when and how often you do them, using adverbs of frequency in Portuguese. We’ll also be joined by Catarina in a Cafezinho com Catarina all about Portuguese food and cooking.
CBGa 1.27 | How to ask ‘Why?’ – Forming and responding to questions in Gaelic
Welcome back to another lesson of Coffee Break Gaelic! This time, Susanna and Mark are exploring how to ask the question “why?” in Gaelic. By the end of the lesson, you’ll be able to discuss the reasons why you’re learning Gaelic.
CBP 1.27 | Telling the time – How to tell the time in Portuguese
In lesson 27 of Coffee Break Portuguese, we’re covering another useful, everyday topic – telling the time. We’ll learn how to ask someone for the time, how to say what the time is in Portuguese, and how to say at what time events start and end. Vamos lá!
CBGa 1.26 | Describing people in Gaelic – Eye colour, hair, and other personal features
In this lesson of Coffee Break Gaelic, we’re talking about descriptions so we can describe what people look like. Don’t miss this important lesson!
CBP 1.26 | Talking about work – Jobs and professions in Portuguese
Olá! The topic of today’s lesson is work. In this episode we’re learning new vocabulary to refer to different types of work and professions, as well as finding out how to ask someone what their job is and how to talk about what you do.
CBGa 1.25 | Clothes and colours – Talking about what you are wearing
In this lesson, we’re focusing on the topic of clothing and colours. We’ll learn some key vocabulary for items of clothing and how to describe what someone is wearing. This provides the perfect opportunity to revise adjective agreements in Gaelic.
CBP 1.25 | Descriptions and appearances – How to describe people in Portuguese
We’ve reached lesson 25 of our course and today’s topic is describing people in Portuguese. We’ll be learning useful words and phrases to describe someone’s appearance and say what they are like. This means that we’ll also be reviewing the basics of adjective agreement in Portuguese. Finally, we’ll be joined by Catarina, who has a fascinating cultural segment about a very famous writer from the Portuguese-speaking world.
Unlocking the language of loyalty: Coffee Break Dog
In a world where communication transcends barriers, Coffee Break, renowned for its innovative language learning methods, introduces a groundbreaking addition to its repertoire: Coffee Break Dog. This initiative marks a significant leap in understanding and, starting 1st April 2024, will help to bridge the communication gap between humans and their beloved canine companions.
A simple concept
The concept is simple yet profound: to empower individuals with the ability to converse with their dogs in a language they understand. Mark, the founder of Coffee Break, encapsulates the essence of this venture, stating “imagine starting your day not just with your favourite coffee but with a conversation that goes beyond words, reaching out to your furry friend in a language they understand.”
Groundbreaking techniques
At the heart of Coffee Break Dog lies the fusion of Coffee Break’s proven language learning techniques with the pioneering research of renowned dog expert, Flora Lipos. Lipos’ insights into canine behavior and communication serve as the cornerstone for this transformative experience. By applying the Coffee Break methodology to Lipos’ research, learners embark on a journey to decipher the intricate nuances of dog language.
According to Lipos, “Dogs communicate through a complex interplay of vocalizations, body language, and subtle cues. Understanding these signals is key to forging a deeper bond with our canine companions.” This sentiment underscores the significance of Coffee Break Dog in facilitating meaningful connections between humans and dogs.
Curriculum Outline
The curriculum of Coffee Break Dog comprises twenty comprehensive video and audio lessons, meticulously crafted to equip learners with the skills to converse with their pets effectively. From interpreting barks to deciphering different types of tail wagging, each lesson delves into the intricacies of canine communication. What sets this program apart is its interactive nature, encouraging active participation from both learners and their furry counterparts.
As Mark emphasizes, “It’s Coffee Break style for canine communication.” This approach not only makes learning enjoyable but also fosters a sense of camaraderie between humans and their canine companions.
Bone-us content
Furthermore, Coffee Break Dog goes beyond solo learning experiences by offering a special bonus: a partner course tailored specifically for dogs. Through this complementary program, dogs are empowered to understand and respond to human cues, thereby facilitating seamless communication between the two species.
Whether you’re a seasoned dog lover, a devoted pet parent, or simply intrigued by the language of loyalty and love, Coffee Break Dog promises to be your gateway to a whole new world of connection. As Mark aptly puts it, “You’ll no longer be barking up the wrong tree.”
Coffee Break Dog represents a revolutionary approach to fostering communication and understanding between humans and dogs. By amalgamating cutting-edge research with innovative teaching methodologies, this initiative not only enriches the lives of individuals and their pets but also strengthens the bond that transcends species barriers. So why wait? Start learning the language of loyalty with Coffee Break Dog today and embark on a journey of unparalleled connection with your furry companion.
April Fools!
Yes, Coffee Break Dog is, of course, a special announcement for April Fools Day, but we do have 10 other human languages available. Click here to discover your next language today!
CBGa 1.24 | Parts of the body and talking about your health
In Lesson 24 of Coffee Break Gaelic, we’re looking at the topic of health. Language expert Susanna teaches learner Mark the words for different parts of the body and how to describe aches and pains.
CBP 1.24 | The present tense and the alphabet – Beginners’ essentials to verbs and spelling in Portuguese
In lesson 24 of Coffee Break Portuguese we’re covering two essential topics to help you take your beginner’s Portuguese further. Join Rafael and Ava to learn how to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense and learn the Portuguese alphabet. Vamos lá!
CBGa 1.23 | Telling the time in Gaelic and numbers up to twenty
We’re covering a very important topic in Lesson 23 of Coffee Break Gaelic – telling the time! This is a great opportunity to revise Gaelic numbers.
CBP 1.23 | At the pharmacy – Health and medicine vocabulary
Welcome to lesson 23 of Coffee Break Portuguese! In this lesson we’re covering the transactional language that you’ll need on a trip to the pharmacy in a Portuguese-speaking location. We’ll be learning how to ask for medicine and ask how to take it, as well as other useful words and phrases on the topic of health. This episode expands on what we learned in the previous episode, so make sure to check out episode 22 wherever you’ve found this episode.
