ILGUR: Italian Language, Grammar and Usage Resource

The indirect object in Italian, as in English, asks a chi or per chi (to whom or for whom) and is typically a person or an animal. In Italian, when the indirect object is not a pronoun, the indirect object is always proceeded by the preposition, a, or sometimes the preposition, per.

This contrasts in English where we can have indirect objects that are not proceeded by a prepositions, such as this example:

• I bought Jane a gift for Christmas.
  Ho comprato un regalo a Giovanna per Natale.

When the indirect object is a pronoun, no preposition need follow. The indirect object pronouns are:

• singolare

  mi = me, to me
  ti = you, to you
  gli = him, to him
  le = her, to her
  Le = you, to you (formal)

• plurale

  ci = us, to us
  vi = you, to you
  gli (loro) = them, to them (m. or f.)

It might be helpful to read the post on double object pronouns, since the indirect objects change form when used with direct object pronouns.

Some verbs in Italian take an indirect object. Here’s a list of some common verbs:

• affezionarsi / to grow fond of

  Si affeziona al nuovo cane.
  She is growing fond of the new dog.
  

• apparire / to appear

  La Madonna di Pompei le è apparsa in sogno.
  The Pompei Madonna appeared to her in a dream.
  

• appartenere / to belong

  Questa macchina appartiene a Gianni.
  This car belongs to Johnny.
  

• assomigliare / to resemble

  Tua madre assomiglia a mia zia.
  Your mother resembles my aunt.
  

• avvicinarsi / to approach

  Mi sono avvicinato al poliziotto per trovare il mio albergo.
  I approached the police office in order to find my hotel.
  

• badare / to look after

  Mia madre bada ai bambini durante il giorno.
  My mother looks after the children during the day.

• credere / to believe
• dare / to give
• dire / to say, to tell
• disubbidire / to disobey
• importare / to matter
• interessare / to interest
• mentire / to lie
• obbedire / to obey
• opporsi / to oppose
• parere / to appear, to seem
• parlare / to speak, to talk
• pensare / to think (of)
• ribellarsi / to rebel against
• rispondere / to answer
• sembrare / to look, to seem
• somigliare / to resemble
• sopravvivere / to survive
• sorridere / to smile (at)
• sparare / to shoot (at)
• telefonare / to phone
• ubbidire / to obey

(more examples to follow this weekend!)