ILGUR: Italian Language, Grammar and Usage Resource

The following prepositions are used to indicate place/location – either where one is or where one is going:

• The preposition, in, is used:
• when the place is a country, continent, or region

  Andiamo in Italia.
  We are going to Italy.

  Abita in Africa?
  Do you live in Africa?

  I miei nonni vivono in Toscana.
  My grandparents live in Tuscany.

• in the following expressions:
  NB: When the nouns below are modified by an adjective, then the definite article is used.
• in casa
• in bagno
• in sala
• in cucina
• in giardino
• in camera
• in città
• in paese
• in autobus
• in metro(politana)
• in macchina
• in piazza
• in negozio
• in banca
• in fabbrica
• in strada
• in ufficio
• in ospedale
• in trattoria
• in birreria
• in macelleria
• in salumeria
• in panetteria
• in + all other places that end in -ia (pizzeria, spaghetteria, ecc.)
• The preposition, a, is used:
• when the place is a city (a Roma, a New York, a Londra, ecc.)

  I suoi genitori abitano a Roma.
  Her parents live in Rome.

• with the following expressions:
  NB: When the nouns below are modified by an adjective, then the definite article is used.
• a casa
• a letto
• a cena
• a pranzo
• a colazione
• al ristorante
• al caffe
• al supermercato
• al mercato
• al bar
• a scuola
• al cinema
• al parco
• a teatro
• all’estero
• al mare
• alla stazione
• all’aeroporto
• al porto
• The preposition, da, is used:
• when the place is a person (such as a relative, profession, etc.):
• da Marco = at Marco’s (house)
• da Giovanna = at Giovanna’s (house)
• da me
• da te
• da lei
• da Lei
• da lui
• da noi
• da voi
• da loro
• dal barbiere
• dal meccanico
• dal sindaco
• dalla mamma
• dallo zio
• dal mio amico
• dalla sarta
• dal medico
• These prepositions below can also be used to indicate place:
• tra/fra, which means ‘between’, ‘in the middle of’ or ‘among’
  
  Giovanna siede tra gli alberi.
  Jane is sitting among the trees.

• tra/fra can also be used to express the distance remaining to a location:

  La prossima stazione è fra 25 chilometri.
  The closest station is 25 kilometers.

• The preposition, a, is used to express the distance remaining to a location:

  Siamo a 20 chilometri da Roma.
  We are 20 kilometers from Rome.

• per, as with the expression:

  per terra
  on the ground

  Le chiavi si trovano per terra.
  The keys are on the ground.

  per strada
  on the road; on the way; en route

• su, meaning on:

  Giovanni sede sullo sgabello.
  John is sitting on a stool.

• per is used with the verb, partire to say where someone is going:

  Parto per Milano alle 9.
  I am leaving for Milan at 9.

• per (and also the preposition, da) can also mean by, which is used to describe a place by which one passes:

  Sono passato per il negozio.
  I passed by the store.

  Marco è passato dal cinema.
  Marco passed by the cinema.

• The preposition, a, is used with the following prepositions:
• vicino a
• davanti a
• dietro a (a is optional)
• sopra a (a is optional)
• sotto a (a is optional)