Comprehensive Guide to Pronouns

LESSON PLAN

Definition 
Categorization
Placement
Agreement

Continuing Education

DEFINITION

A pronoun is a word that replaces or refers to one or more nouns or pronouns within a sentence.

CATEGORIZATION

Pronouns can be categorized according to what type of noun they replace or refer to.

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TABLE::

SUBJECT PRONOUNS Replace the subject of a sentence
DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS Replace the direct object of a sentence
INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS Replace the indirect object of a sentence
STRESSED PRONOUNS Emphasize the subject of a sentence or help differentiate between two object pronouns
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS Show that an action is reflected back on the subject
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS Refer to something that is being possessed by something else
CI & NE Replace phrases introduced by certain prepositions
THE IMPERSONAL “SI” Indicate the subject is “people in general”
DOUBLE PRONOUNS Result of combining a direct object pronoun with an indirect object pronoun, reflexive pronoun, or ci/ne
RELATIVE PRONOUNS Refer to a previously mentioned noun in order to relate two or more clauses
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS Refers to something that is either close or far away from the speaker
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS Signifies the subject is nonspecific (“people in general”)

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EXAMPLES::

Io ho comprato uno zaino.
I bought a backpack.
Purpose: Subject

Mi mancano le mie sorelle ma le vedo a Natale.
I miss my sisters but I will see them at Christmas.
Purpose: Indirect object, direct object

Cosa ti piacerebbe mangiare? A me piacerebbe una pizza. 
What would you like to eat? I myself would like a pizza.
Purpose: Stressed

Io ed i miei amici ci parliamo molto.
My friends and I talk to each other a lot.
Purpose: Reflexive

Durante l’estate, si va in spiaggia. 
During the summer, people go to the beach.
Purpose: Impersonal

Questa è mia sorella che è molto intelligente.
This is my sister, who is very intelligent.
Purpose: Relative

Quanti libri hai comprato? Ne ho comprati due. 
How many books did you buy? I bought two of them.
Purpose: Ci/ne

Ti puoi prestare la tua crema solare? Se non me la metto, mi scotto. 
Can you lend me your sunscreen? If I don’t put it on, I’ll burn. 
Purpose: Double

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PLACEMENT

Almost all pronouns come directly before the verb, however if there is a conjugated verb followed by an infinitive, may attach to the end of the infinitive. 

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EXAMPLES::

Hai guardato Harry Potter? Voglio guardarlo con te.
Have you seen Harry Potter? I want to watch it with you.
Purpose: Direct object pronoun

Domani possiamo parlarci.
Tomorrow we can talk with each other.
Purpose: Indirect object pronoun

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AGREEMENT

Pronouns generally agree in number and gender with the noun(s) or pronoun(s) they refer to or replace, however the way they change differs depending on the type of pronoun.

SUBJECT pronouns agree in number, gender, and person. 

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TABLE::

  Singular Plural
1st Person Io I Noi We

2nd Person

Tu You Voi You
3rd Person Lui/lei He/She Loro They

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DIRECT OBJECT pronouns agree in number, gender, and person. 

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TABLE::

  Singular Plural
1st Person Mi Me Ci Us

2nd Person

Ti You Vi You
3rd Person Lo/la Him/her LI/Le Them

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INDIRECT OBJECT pronouns agree in number, gender, and person. 

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TABLE::

  Singular Plural
1st Person Mi (To/for) me Ci  (To/for) us

2nd Person

Ti  (To/for) you Vi  (To/for) you
3rd Person Gli/le  (To/for) him/her Loro  (To/for) them

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STRESSED pronouns agree in number, gender, and person. 

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TABLE::

  Singular Plural
1st Person Me Myself Ci Us

2nd Person

Te Yourself Vi Yourselves
3rd Person Himself/herself Themselves

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REFLEXIVE pronouns agree in number, gender, and person. 

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TABLE::

  Singular Plural
1st Person Mi Myself Ci Ourselves

2nd Person

Ti Yourself Vi Yourselves
3rd Person Si Himself/herself Si Themselves

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POSSESSIVE pronouns agree in number, gender, and person and are always preceded by a definite article unless replacing a singular family member.

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TABLE::

  Masculine Feminine
  Singular Plural Singular Plural
My Mio Miei Mia Mie
Your Tuo Tuoi Tua Tue
His/Her Suo Suoi Sua Sue
Our Nostro Nostri Nostra Nostre
Your Vostro Vostri Vostra Vostre
Their Loro Loro Loro Loro

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EXAMPLES::

La mia macchina è nuova. È la tua?
My car is new. Is yours?

Suo cugino è un dottore. Cosa fa il vostro?
Her cousin is a doctor. What does yours do?

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CI & NE do not agree in number, gender, or person. Ci replaces a phrase introduced by a, in, or su, whereas nreplaces a phrase starting with di/da or a direct object pronoun when an amount is expressed.

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EXAMPLES::

Sei andato in Italia? Ci sono andato due anni fa. 
Have you been to Italy? I went there two years ago.

Quanti libri hai comprato? Ne ho comprato due. 
How many books did you buy? I bought two of them.

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THE IMPERSONAL “SI” does not agree in number, gender, or person, however the conjugation of the verb must agree in number with the direct object.

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EXAMPLES::

Durante l’estate, si viaggia molto.
During the summer, people (in general) travel a lot.

All’università, si studiano molte materie.
At university, people (in general) study many subjects.

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DOUBLE pronouns agree in number, gender, and person. 

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TABLE::

Direct Object Pronouns + Indirect Object Pronouns & Ci/Ne
  LO LA LI LE NE
MI Me lo Me la Me li Me le Me ne
TI Te lo Te la Te li Te le Te ne
GLI/LE Glielo Gliela Glieli Gliele Gliene
CI Ce lo Ce la Ce li Ce le Ce ne
VI Ve lo Ve la Ve li Ve le Ve ne
GLI/LE Glielo Gliela Glieli Gliele Gliene
Direct Object Pronouns + Reflexive Pronouns
  LO LA LI LE NE
MI Me lo Me la Me li Me le Me ne
TI Te lo Te la Te li Te le Te ne
SI Se lo Se la Se li Se le Se ne
CI Ce lo Ce la Ce li Ce le Ce ne
VI Ve lo Ve la Ve li Ve le Ve ne
SI Se lo Se la Se li Se le Se ne

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EXAMPLES::

Ci puoi fare una foto? Dopo, ve ne faccio una.
Can you take a picture of us? After I’ll take one of you.

Ti puoi prestare la sua crema solare? Se non me la metto, mi scotti. 
Can you lend me your sunscreen? If I don’t put it on, I’ll burn. 

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RELATIVE does not agree in number, gender, or person.

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TABLE::

Che  That, who Can function as a subject or an object
Quale  That, who Can function only as a subject and must be accompanied by a definite article
Cui  That, who Can function only as an indirect object and therefore always follows a preposition

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EXAMPLES::

Quello è il treno che ho preso ieri.
That is the train that I took yesterday.

L’uomo il quale vende le rose nel mio quartiere è molto simpatico.
The man who sells roses in my neighborhood is very nice.

L’Italia è il paese in cui vivo.
Italy is the country in which I live.

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DEMONSTRATIVE pronouns agree in number and gender.

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TABLE::

QUESTO
  Singular Plural
Masculine Questo Questi
Feminine Questa Queste
QUELLO
  Singular Plural
Masculine Quello Quelli
Feminine Quella Quelle

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EXAMPLES::

Mia sorella è questa.
My sister is that one.

Quelli  sono gli zaini nuovi.
Those are new backpacks.

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INDEFINITE pronouns have irregular agreement in number and gender.

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TABLE::

Agreement in number and gender
Tutto + def. art.  All Agrees in number and gender according to adjectives with four forms
Nessun  No, any + noun  Agrees in number and gender similarly to indefinite pronouns
Agreement in only gender
Alcuni/e  Some Always plural; Agrees in number according to adjectives with two forms
Does not agree in number or gender
Qualcuno Somebody, someone Always single; does not change to agree in gender
 Ognuno Anybody, anyone  Always single; does not change to agree in gender
Chiunque Anybody, anyone  Always single; does not change to agree in gender
Qualcosa Something Always single; does not change to agree in gender
 Niente Nothing  Always single; does not change to agree in gender
Nulla Nothing  Always single; does not change to agree in gender

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EXAMPLES::

Ognuno può imparare a nuotare.
Anyone can learn to swim.

Ho comprato le fragole. Ne vuoi alcune?
I bought  strawberries. Do you want some?

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CONTINUING EDUCATION

 

Direct object, indirect object, stressed, reflexive, ci & ne, and double pronouns