In Italian, there are two types of personal pronouns: subject pronouns, which indicate the subject of a sentence, and object pronouns, which indicate the person or thing affected directly or indirectly by the action of the verb.
Direct object pronouns answer the question "whom?", "what?".
Indirect object pronouns answer the questions "who / what … to?", "who / what … for?", "who / what … with?", "who … what by?", "whose?"
In Italian, there are two forms of object pronouns:
1. The stressed form (forma tonica o forte), which is used after the verb, generally to put a particular emphasis on the pronoun
2. The unstressed form (forma atona o debole), which is generally used before the verb
Let's have a look at the stressed form:
| |
Masculine |
Feminine |
Meaning |
| 1st |
me |
me |
| 2nd |
te
|
you |
| 3rd |
lui / sé (reflexive) |
lei, Lei / sé (reflexive) |
|
| 1st |
noi
|
us |
| 2nd |
voi
|
you |
| 3rd |
loro
|
them |
Examples:
- "Ma cosa dici?" "Io amo solo te!" / "What are you talking about?" I love only you"
- Tua sorella vuole parlare con me / Your sister wants to talk with me
- È per questo che hanno mandato voi? / Is that why they sent you over?
- Passi da loro stasera? / Do you call by their place tonight?
- Per noi è lo stesso / It makes no difference to us
