The particle ci
As is the case with pronouns, ci (mostly translated as either “us” or “there”) generally comes before the verb. It can be used as follows:
- To replace the pronouns noi (us) and a noi (to us):
Lucia ha salutato noi. → Lucia ci ha salutati.
Lucia greeted us.
Tua madre ha regalato a noi un cane. → Tua madre ci ha regalato un cane.
Your mother gave us a dog.
- To replace a complement of place (in which case it usually means “there”):
– Sei andato in piscina? – Sì, ci sono andato questa mattina.
–Did you go to the swimming pool? –Yes, I went there this morning.
– Vittorio è dal dottore? – No, ci è stato ieri.
–Is Vittorio at the doctor's? –No, he was there yesterday.
- With verbs followed by the prepositions a (about), su (on) and con (with):
– Pensi a Giacomo? – Sì, ci penso sempre!
–Do you think about Giacomo? –Yes, I think about him all the time!
– Scherzi sempre su questo argomento. – Vero, ci scherzo spesso!
–You always joke about that issue. –You're right, I often joke about it!
– Non vuoi giocare con il pallone? – No, non ci voglio più giocare.
–Don't you want to play with the ball? –No, I don't want to play with it any more.
A few common expressions that use ci:
– Ci sei? – Ci sono!
–Are you there? –I'm here!
Ecco, ci risiamo.
Here we go again (literally, “here we are again”).
Non ci arrivo.
I can't manage it.
Non ci vuole tanto.
It doesn't take much.
Non ci pensare.
Don't think about it.
Notes:
- Ci can be attached to the end of an infinitive verb (-are, -ere or -ire), in which case the last vowel of the verb is dropped:
Non ci posso fare niente. → Non posso farci niente.
I can't do anything about it.
- Ci can also be placed at the end of an imperative verb (used to give commands); in that case, we add an extra -c- after sta' (be) and va' (go):
Non voglio andare al supermercato... Vacci tu!
I don't want to go to the supermarket... You go (there)!
Ci si impegna per raggiungere l'obiettivo.
– Mi ci vedi in quel ruolo? – No, non ti ci vedo.
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