#083: Introduction to the pronoun, ne
The pronoun ne can be confusing to English speakers, but it is not difficult to understand once you know how it works. After learning these rules, try to work it into your Italian. Practice using it in your writing and speaking so that it becomes second nature to you. Try looking for examples online (click here to repeat a search on Google News and see ne used in varying contexts) as this will help you to understand better it uses.
Ne has the following functions in Italian:
- Ne is used to replace partitive constructions. Consider it a way to avoid repeating the same thing over again. See the example below:
Vuoi del latte?
Do you want some milk?
No, non ne voglio. (ne = del latte)
No, I do not want any (of it).
As you can see in the example, del latte (some milk) is replaced with the pronoun, ne, which translates in English as any (of it).
Think of ne as a special object pronoun for the partitive.
- When the partitive is modified by an adjective, only the noun is replaced by ne, and the adjective remains and follows the preposition, di:
Vuoi del latte fresco?
Do you want some fresh milk?Sì, grazie! Ne vorrei di fresco. (ne = del latte)
Yes, thank you! I would like some (of the fresh stuff).Hai visto dei film interessanti?
Have you seen any interesting films?
Sì, ne ho visti di interessanti.
Yes, I have seen some interesting ones.
- Ne is used to substitute nouns when numbers and quantities (definite* or indefinite** but not tutto***) are involved. The rule is this: When the direct object is missing in the presence of a definite or indefinite quantity, then ne must be used.
Take note when the noun being replaced is modified by an adjective. The quantity and adjective remain, and the adjective agrees in gender and number with the item being replaced by ne. See the examples below:
Vorresti due mele?
Would you like two apples?Si, grazie! Ne vorrei due.
Yes, thank you! I would like two (of them).Vorresti due mele rosse?
Would you like two red apples?Si, grazie! Ne vorrei due rosse.
Yes, thank you! I would like two red ones.Quante riviste hai ricevuto?
How magazines did you receive?Ne ho ricevute tre. (ne = tre riviste)
I received three (of them).Compra sempre troppe mele.
She always buys too many apples.Perché ne compra troppe? (ne = troppe mele)
Why does she buy so many of them?
It should be noted that the past participle generally must agree in gender and number with the object which ne has replaced. In second example above, ne replaced ‘magazines’ (le riviste) causing the past participle to become ricevute.
Take note the agreement of the past participle when ne replaces definite and indefinite quantities that are not numbers in compound tenses:
Non ti piace la Diet?
You don’t like the diet soda?
No, mi dispiace. Però ne ho bevuto un sorso.
No, sorry. But I drank a sip of it. (ne = della Diet)
- Ne replaces prepositional phrases introduced by the preposition, di.
Hai scritto della polemica?
Did you write about the controversy?Si, ne ho scritto. (ne = della polemica)
Yes, I wrote about it.
- Ne can also be used to substitute prepositional phrases introduced by da, but only when it the phrase represents motion from a place. Ne normally does not replace the agent in passive sentences (introduced by da).
Il cane ha corso nella stanza da letto, ma ne è uscito subito. (ne = dalla stanza da letto).
The dog ran into the room, but he went out immdiately.
- Ne can also be used with verbs that use the preposition, da, such as:
ottenere da:
Conoscevi Gino oggi?
You met Gino today?
Sì, comunque non ne ho ottenuto nulla. (ne = da Gino, da lui)Yes, however I did not obtain anything from him.
Other verbs with da:
ricavare da
trarre da
risultare da
- Ne influences the past participle in compound tenses in certain situations, while in others it does not:
Ne does not influence the past participle when replacing prepositional phrases:
Hai scritto della polemica?
Did you write about the controversy?
Si, ne ho scritto. (ne = della polemica)
Yes, I wrote about it.
Ne does influence the past participle when it replaces a number or an indefinite quantity, where the past participle agrees in gender and number with the noun substituted for ne:
Ho comprato tre mele.
Ne ho comprate tre.
If the quantity is indicated by another noun (etto, chilo, pacco, cesto, tazza, sacco) the past participle agrees with the quantity noun and not with the object that was replaced:
Quante mele hai comprato al supermercato?
How many apples did you buy at the supermarket?
Ne ho comprato un etto.
I bought 100 grams of them.
With reflexive verbs, the past participle agrees with the object replaced by ne and not with the subject (remember, that with reflexive verbs, si becomes se before ne):
Giovanna si è comprata tre gonne.
Giovanna bought herself three skirts.
Giovanna se ne è comprate tre.Giovanna bought herself three of them.
- Ne is also used in various idiomatic expressions (as seen below). Remember that in many of these constructions, ne is not translated literally and may have no meaning in the sentence:
andarsene
farne a meno
non poterne più
valerne la pena
combinarne di tutti i colori
venirsene
starsene
partirsene
rimanersene
*Definite quantities: any number (1, 10, 100, 12012, ecc.), etto, chilo, pacco, cesto, tazzo, sacco, sorso, etc.
**Indefinite quantities are: molto, poco, troppo, tanto, nessuno, alcuno, qualcuno.
*** Tutto is never used with ne because, as it means “all” or “whole”, there’s no partitive.
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Ciao,
Non riesco a capire la risposta alla domanda “Ti piace la Diet?”
Avrei pensato che la risposta giusta fosse:
No, mi dispiace. Pero’ ne ho bevutA un sorso” (invece di bevutO)
La Diet e’ femminile, no?
Grazie,
Giacinta
Hi Giacinta:
Perhaps I didn’t explain well. I’ll fix it. When ne is used to replace quantities (un sorso di + qualcosa), the past participle agrees with the quantity and not with the object being replaced.
Ti piace la Diet?
Do you like the Diet soda?
No, mi dispiace. Pero` ne ho bevuto un sorso.
No, I’m sorry. But I drank a sip of it.
Ne means “of it”, that is the diet soda. While La Diet is feminine, the past participle agrees with “sorso” not la Diet.
Ciao Keith, Sono Jessica di Melbourne dell’Australia.Mi trovo qui al tuo blog dopo leggere il magnifico “parola del giorno’ quando posso
Beh communque, questo post mi interessava un sacco, particolarmente dato il fatto che voglio parlare italiano piu’ naturale. Quindi grazie! Pero’ ho trovato qualcosa che potrebbe essere un sbagliato ma e molto possibile che sono un’ po confusa :p
Did you write about the controversy
Hai scritto della polemica?
Yes, I wrote about it.
Si, ne ho scritto. (ne = della polemica)
Non me lo so spiegare perche’ si scrive ‘scritto’? Seconda la tua spiegazione la participo dovrebbe essere ‘scritta’ perche’ ‘polemica’ e’ femminile. Grazie in anticipo e scusami per tutti i errori!
Hi Jessica, I’ll write in English to the benefit of those whose Italian is not as good as yours.
It is not scritta because “della polemica” is not a partitive construction, but a prepositional phrase.
Scrivere di + qualcosa means “to write about + something”
Ne does not influence the gender or number of the past participle when it replaces prepositional phrases, only when it replaces partitive constructions.
Re-read rule #7 carefully. If you still have questions, I’ll post some more examples. Agreement with the past participle can be tricky with ne
Hi –
I had a question with the pronoun "ne" – I understand that it is used to represent a quantity, but cannot be used when referencing "tutto". Likewise, is it appropriate to use "ne" when there is "nessuno" – or better to use "lo, la, li, le"?
For example:
Quanti caffe' beve al giorno? Ne beve uno. or, if answered in the negative: Non ne beve nessuno or Ne lo beve nessuno. Which is correct?
Hi there!
Good question!
1) Nessuno is generally used in negative expressions. For example:
Quanti caffè beve al giorno?
How much coffee does he drink a day?
Ne beve uno.
He drinks one (of them)
Non ne beve nessuno.
He doesn't drink any
2. Remember that lo, la, le, and li are direct object pronouns.
You can't use ne with them:
Giovanni beve un caffé al giorno?
Giovanni drinks one coffee a day?
Sì, lo beve ogni giorno.
Yes, he drinks it every day.
or, using ne:
Sì, ne beve uno al giorno.
Yes, he drinks one a day.
Ne is used only when replacing quantities – actual (1, 5, 1000, un sorso, un sacco) or indefinite ones (molto, poco, nessuno, tanto, etc). If you mention a quantity, like "uno", you need the ne. If you don't mention it, then you use a direct object pronoun. Depends on the context and what you want to say.
3. You're right, you can't use tutto and ne. For example:
Giovanni, hai comprato le mele quando sei andato al supermercato?
Sì, Mamma, le ho comprate tutte
Yes, Mom, I bought all of them.
le = le mele
Remember "tutto" and its variants are used with another noun: tutti i pacchetti, tutte le mele — here it functions as an adjective while the noun remains a direct object (ergo, you have to use direct object pronouns).
Please let me know if that makes sense. If you still have questions, please email me (info@ilgur.com). Thanks!
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