Intro.
Pronouns are central elements of Italian grammar: they allow us to substitute already known nouns within the sentence, avoiding repetitions and making sentences more fluid. There are different categories of pronouns, each with a specific function: personal, direct, indirect, reflexive, combined, just to name a few.
This guide focuses particularly on Italian indirect pronouns, which are those pronouns that substitute the person or animal to whom the action expressed by the verb is directed. Their correct use allows us to avoid redundancy, lighten sentence construction, and make Italian more natural, closer to the spontaneity of native speakers.
At the end of this guide, you'll know what an indirect pronoun is, how to identify it, where to place it within the sentence, which verbs it's most frequently used with, and you'll also understand the difference with direct pronouns.
1. Italian Indirect Pronouns
Indirect pronouns are words that substitute the indirect object of the verb, that is, the person or animal to whom the action expressed by the verb is directed. They perform the function of indirect object and are used with verbs followed by the preposition "a" that answer the question "A chi?" (To whom?).
Let's consider the sentence:
Ho telefonato a Marco ieri sera e ho detto a Marco che oggi porto a Marco un regalo.
I called Marco last night and told Marco that today I'll bring Marco a gift.
In this sentence, "Marco" is the indirect object of the verbs telefonare (to call), dire (to say), and portare (to bring). The expression "a Marco" answers the question "a chi?" (to whom?), that is: I called, I said, and I'm bringing a gift to whom? To Marco. To avoid repeating "a Marco," we use the indirect pronoun "gli" in the second and third parts of the sentence.
The sentence with the substitution of the indirect pronoun "gli" will be:
Ho telefonato a Marco e gli ho detto che oggi gli porto un regalo.
I called Marco and told him that today I'll bring him a gift.
Indirect pronouns correspond to personal subject pronouns in this way and are:
| Subject Pronoun | Indirect Pronoun |
|---|---|
| io | mi |
| tu | ti |
| lui/lei | gli / le (Le) |
| noi | ci |
| voi | vi |
| loro | gli (Vi) |
Indirect pronouns in this form are called atoni (unstressed). They are invariable and are not preceded by a preposition.
The pronouns mi, ti, ci, vi agree in number with the noun they substitute; the singular indirect pronouns gli and le agree in gender (respectively masculine and feminine) and number with the noun they substitute; the plural indirect pronoun gli is used to substitute plural nouns regardless of gender:
- mi and ti for masculine and feminine singular;
- ci and vi for masculine and feminine plural;
- gli (singular) for masculine singular;
- le for feminine singular;
- gli (plural) regardless of gender.
Example:
Paolo scrive una lettera a Sandra.
Paolo writes a letter to Sandra.
Paolo scrive una lettera a chi? → a Sandra
Paolo writes a letter to whom? → to Sandra
In this sentence, the name "Sandra" can be substituted by the feminine singular indirect pronoun le:
Example:
Paolo le scrive una lettera.
Paolo writes her a letter.
Indirect pronouns are used in this way:
• the indirect pronouns mi, ti, ci, vi are the same as direct pronouns and substitute names of people (and in familiar use also domestic animals);
Example:
A: Mi presti una penna?
B: Sì, ti presto quella nera?
A: Can you lend me a pen?
B: Yes, shall I lend you that black one?
• the indirect pronouns gli and le substitute both people and animals;
Examples:
A: Telefoni a Giacomo per favore?
B: Sì, gli telefono tra poco. (gli = a Giacomo → persona)
A: Will you call Giacomo, please?
B: Yes, I'll call him shortly. (gli = to Giacomo → person)
A: Dai i croccantini al gatto?
B: Sì, gli do i croccantini al pollo. (gli = al gatto → animale)
A: Are you giving the cat the kibble?
B: Yes, I give him chicken kibble. (gli = to the cat → animal)
• the plural pronoun gli substitutes two or more names regardless of gender.
Example:
A: Avete risposto a Letizia e Angela?
B: Sì, gli abbiamo risposto. (gli = a Letizia e Angela)
A: Have you replied to Letizia and Angela?
B: Yes, we replied to them. (gli = to Letizia and Angela)
• for the formal form in the singular, the third-person pronoun Le is used for both masculine and feminine; for the formal form in the plural, Vi is used.
Examples:
Signor Marchi, Le possono chiedere un’informazione?
Mr. Marchi, may they ask you for information?
Signori Conti, Vi mando subito i documenti.
Mr. and Mrs. Conti, I'll send you the documents right away.
Note: It's possible, both in more formal spoken language and in written language, to use the pronoun loro as a third-person plural indirect pronoun placed after the verb.
Example:
Ho detto loro di venire a casa nostra. → Gli ho detto di venire a casa nostra.
I told them to come to our house.
Loro placed after the verb is also used in the formal form in very formal contexts.
Example:
Signori, riservo Loro un posto in prima classe? → Signori, Vi riservo un posto in prima classe?
Gentlemen, shall I reserve you a seat in first class?
2. Indirect Pronouns with Compound Tenses
When indirect pronouns are found with a compound tense like the passato prossimo, the past participle remains unchanged. Indirect pronouns are placed before the auxiliary verb avere:
Examples:
Abbiamo parlato con il professore e ci ha spiegato la regola.
We spoke with the professor and he explained the rule to us.
Ho mandato un messaggio ad Alessio e gli ho scritto tutta la verità.
I sent a message to Alessio and I wrote him the whole truth.
3. The Position of Indirect Pronouns
In Italian, the position of indirect pronouns within the sentence changes depending on the verbal form.
As a general rule, indirect pronouns are placed before conjugated verbs; they follow and unite with verbs in the imperative and in indefinite forms.
3.1 The Position of Indirect Pronouns with Verbs in Simple and Compound Tenses
Unstressed indirect pronouns precede verbs in sentences with simple tenses like the present and in compound tenses like the passato prossimo.
Examples:
A: Per favore, telefoni (tu) a Stefania?
B: Sì, le telefono tra poco.
A: Please can you call Stefania?
B: Yes, I’ll call her shortly.
A: Racconti tu una favola ai bambini?
B: Sì, gli racconto la loro favola preferita.
A: Are you telling the children a story?
B: Yes, I’m telling them their favorite one.
Mi hanno fatto una sorpresa magnifica!
They really surprised me!
A: Hai raccontato la verità ai tuoi genitori?
B: Sì, gli ho raccontato tutto.
A: Did you tell the truth to your parents?
B: Yes, I told them everything.
3.2 Indirect Pronouns with Modal Verbs dovere, potere, volere or Other Verbs Followed by an Infinitive
Indirect pronouns with modal verbs dovere (to have to/must), potere (to be able to/can), and volere (to want):
• Indirect pronouns are placed before the modal verb or united with the infinitive.
Examples:
Mi puoi prestare il tuo libro? ↔ Puoi prestarmi il tuo libro?
Can you lend me your book?
Ti devo parlare. ↔ Devo parlarti.
I need to talk to you.
Both forms are equivalent and can be used interchangeably in the sentence, without generating any change in meaning.
Example:
Ci vuoi raccontare tutto? ↔ Vuoi raccontarci tutto?
Do you want to tell us everything?
Indirect pronouns with other verbs followed by an infinitive:
In these structures, the indirect object is logically connected to the infinitive verb. Indirect pronouns are placed before the conjugated verbs - both in simple tenses like the present and future, and in compound ones like the passato prossimo - or they are united with the infinitive.
In both cases, it's more frequent to unite the pronouns with the infinitive.
Examples:
Ti vengo a portare le chiavi. ↔ Vengo a portarti le chiavi.
I'm coming to bring you the keys.
Vi finirò di raccontare tutta la storia domani. ↔ Finirò di raccontarvi tutta la storia domani.
I’ll finish telling you the whole story tomorrow.
Gli siamo andati a spiegare la situazione. ↔ Siamo andati a spiegargli la situazione.
We went to explain the situation to him.
Le ho cominciato a raccontare la verità. ↔ Ho cominciato a raccontarle la verità.
I started to tell her the truth.
• Indirect pronouns are placed before verbs in the construction fare + infinitive.
Example:
Ti faccio assaggiare un dolce tipico della mia città!
I'll let you try a traditional dessert from my city!
Ci fai vedere le foto delle vacanze?
Will you show us your vacation photos?
3.3 The Position of Indirect Pronouns with the Imperative
Indirect pronouns are placed after and united with verbs in informal imperative forms (imperative with "tu").
Example:
È una storia bellissima! Raccontami tutto!
It's a beautiful story! Tell me everything!
The verbs dire (to say), dare (to give), fare (to do/make) double the consonant of the indirect pronoun in the second person singular when used in truncated imperative forms:
- dire → di' → dimmi (tell me);
- dare → da' → dammi (give me);
- fare → fa' → fammi (do it for me).
Example:
Dammi una mano con queste valigie! Sono pesantissime!
Help me out with these suitcases! They're very heavy!
• With the negative imperative expressed by non + infinitive, pronouns can precede or follow the infinitive (the pronoun unites with the infinitive which loses its final vowel).
Both forms are equivalent and can be used interchangeably, without changing the meaning of the sentence.
Example:
Non mi raccontare bugie! ↔ Non raccontarmi bugie!
Don’t tell me lies!
3.4 The Position of Indirect Pronouns with Indefinite Moods
• Indirect pronouns unite with the present infinitive and present gerund, with which they form a single word (the infinitive loses its final vowel).
Examples:
Hai fatto bene a raccontarmi la verità.
You did well to tell me the truth.
Puoi chiarire i tuoi dubbi, chiedendoci spiegazioni.
You can clarify your doubts by asking us for explanations.
• With verbs in the past infinitive and past gerund, like avere detto (to have said) or avendo detto (having said), the indirect pronoun unites with the auxiliary avere (to have).
In the past infinitive, the auxiliary avere (to have) loses its final vowel -e, as in the forms avermi (to have me), averti (to have you), avergli (to have him), averle (to have her), averci (to have us), avervi (to have you plural).
In the past gerund, the pronoun is simply added to avendo (having), as in the forms avendomi (having me), avendoti (having you), avendogli (having him), avendole (having her), avendoci (having us), avendovi (having you plural).
Examples:
Mi pento di avergli creduto troppo in fretta.
I regret having believed him too quickly.
Avendogli parlato a lungo, ho capito meglio la sua posizione.
Having spoken to him at length, I understood his position better.
4. Stressed Indirect Pronouns
Alongside the unstressed form, indirect pronouns also have a forma tonica (stressed form). They mainly substitute people, and in familiar use also domestic animals. They are generally found after verbs.
They are found after the preposition "a" and are used when you want to give particular emphasis to the pronoun, often with a contrastive value.
In the stressed form, indirect pronouns only change in the first and second person singular; for all other persons, the same forms as personal subject pronouns preceded by the preposition "a" are used:
| Subject Pronoun | Indirect Pronouns |
|---|---|
| io | a me |
| tu | a te |
| lui/lei | a lui/a lei |
| noi | a noi |
| voi | a voi |
| loro | a loro |
Examples:
Puoi dare il mio numero a lei, non a lui.
You can give my number to her, not to him.
A te va sempre tutto bene!
Everything always goes well for you!
Attention! The stressed forms of indirect pronouns are placed before the verb with verbs like piacere (to like), sembrare (to seem), servire (to need/serve):
Example:
A noi piace camminare, a loro piace correre.
We like to walk, they like to run.
Stressed pronouns are also used after other prepositions:
Examples:
Pranzi con me domani?
Will you have lunch with me tomorrow?
Ho fatto tutto questo per te.
I did all this for you.
Il prossimo weekend andiamo da loro.
Next weekend we’re going to their place.
Stressed pronouns are also used in some constructions:
• after words like "anche" (also), "tranne che" (except), "come" (like), "quanto" (as much as):
Examples:
Questa volta dico anche a te!
This time I'm telling you too!
Non ho mai parlato con nessuno come con te.
I've never talked to anyone like I talk to you.
5. How to Use Indirect Pronouns
To understand how to use indirect pronouns, you must consider the verb. In Italian, some verbs are used only with indirect pronouns. These verbs govern an indirect object and are followed by the preposition "a". They answer the question "A chi?" (To whom?)
They are verbs like: telefonare (to call), piacere (to like), credere (to believe), rispondere (to answer), volere bene (to love) followed by the preposition "a":
Examples:
A: Telefoni tu a Gabriele? (a chi telefoni? → a Gabriele)
B: Sì, gli telefono domani.
A: Are you calling Gabriele? (who are you calling? → Gabriele)
B: Yes, I’ll call him tomorrow.
A: A voi piace questa canzone? (a chi piace? → a voi)
B: Sì, ci piace molto.
A: Do you like this song? (who likes it? → you)
B: Yes, we like it a lot.
6. Indirect Pronouns in Context: Italian Short Story
This short dialogue demonstrates how indirect pronouns work naturally within Italian conversation, showing the interplay between different pronoun forms, verb constructions, and everyday communication to create a complete picture of how Italians use these grammatical elements in real-life situations.
Marina: Andiamo un weekend a Lecce per il tuo compleanno? Io non l'ho mai vista, e tu?
Stefano: Sì, qualche anno fa, ma mi fa piacere visitarla di nuovo con te!
Marina: Che caro! Facciamo così: tu che hai già visto Lecce pensi all'itinerario, io prendo i biglietti del treno.
Stefano: D'accordo. Ti propongo questo: la Basilica di Santa Croce, il Duomo e la piazza…poi l'Anfiteatro Romano e Piazza Sant'Oronzo…
Marina: Se prendiamo il treno delle 7, abbiamo tempo per goderci tutta la giornata a Lecce e girarla in lungo e largo.
Stefano: Alle 7? Così presto? Lo sai che a me piace dormire fino a tardi.
Marina: Dai! Dormi in treno! Ti prometto che non cammineremo tutto il giorno. Allora, prendo i biglietti?
Stefano: Va bene, prendili!
Marina: Poi ricordami di prendere anche la guida su Lecce che ci ha prestato zia Agnese?
Stefano: Sì, ci sarà utile!
Di ritorno a casa…
Stefano: Allora cosa ti è piaciuto di più?
Marina: Senza dubbio la Basilica di Santa Croce... Mi ha lasciato senza fiato...
Stefano: Mi mandi le foto che hai fatto?
Marina: Certo ti invio subito tutto. Guarda, ci sono anche quelle fatte al ristorante. Come si chiama il panino che mi hai consigliato?
Stefano: La puccia. Tra l’altro, i camerieri sono stati gentilissimi: ci hanno portato i piatti subito e ci hanno perfino offerto il caffè leccese.
Marina: Il caffè leccese infatti ti è piaciuto molto! Lo hai bevuto con piacere.
Stefano: Vero! Purtroppo a te non piace il latte di mandorle, non sai cosa ti sei persa!
7. Test Your Knowledge: Grammar Quiz
Test your skills and see what you've learned from this lesson on Italian indirect pronouns by completing the following quiz.
8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 🙋♀️
What's the difference between direct and indirect pronouns?
Direct pronouns substitute the direct object of the verb (answering the questions Who?, What?) while indirect pronouns substitute the indirect object that receives the action expressed by the verb (answering the question "A chi?" - To whom?). For example: Lo vedo (I see him - who do I see? him - direct) vs Gli parlo (I speak to him - to whom do I speak? to him - indirect). The pronouns mi, ti, ci, vi are identical in both forms, but lo/la/li/le are only direct, while gli/le (singular) and gli (plural) are only indirect.
When do I use formal forms?
Use Le for formal singular (both masculine and feminine) and Vi for formal plural when addressing someone with respect: e.g., Professore, Le scrivo domani (Professor, I'll write to you tomorrow); Signori Conti, Vi mando subito i documenti (Mr. and Mrs. Conti, I'll send you the documents right away).
What happens when I need to substitute multiple nouns regardless of gender?
When you substitute feminine, masculine, or mixed gender nouns (like Letizia and Valerio) with an indirect pronoun, you always use the masculine plural gli: e.g., Avete risposto a Letizia e Valerio? (Have you replied to Letizia and Valerio?) → Sì, gli abbiamo risposto. (Yes, we replied to them.).
Can I use indirect pronouns with all verbs?
No, only with verbs that govern an indirect object and answer the question "A chi?" (To whom?). These are verbs followed by the preposition "a" like telefonare (to call), piacere (to like), rispondere (to answer), scrivere (to write), dare (to give).
Can I always choose whether to put the pronoun before or after the verb?
No, the position depends on the verbal form.
With simple and compound tenses, indirect pronouns are placed before the verb: e.g., Gli parlo. (I speak to him.) / Gli ho parlato. (I spoke to him.).
With modal verbs dovere (to have to), potere (to be able to), volere (to want) or other verbs followed by an infinitive, indirect pronouns are placed either before the verbs or united with the infinitive: e.g., Gli devo parlare. - Devo parlargli. (I have to speak to him.) / Ti vengo a parlare. - Vengo a parlarti. (I'm coming to speak to you.).
With informal direct imperative, indirect pronouns are placed after the verb forming a single word: e.g., Parlagli! (Speak to him!); with negative direct imperative, indirect pronouns are placed before or after the infinitive forming a single word: e.g., Non gli parlare! / Non parlargli! (Don't speak to him!).
With present infinitive and present gerund, indirect pronouns are placed after and united with the verb: e.g., Parlargli è importante. (Speaking to him is important.) / Parlandogli più chiaramente, capirà la situazione. (Speaking to him more clearly, he will understand the situation.).
With past infinitive and past gerund, the indirect pronoun unites with the auxiliary avere (to have): e.g., Sono felice di averti parlato. (I am happy to have spoken to you.) / Avendogli parlato, mi sono tranquillizzato. (Having spoken to him, I calmed down.).
Adriana Rossi is a certified teacher of Italian as a foreign language from Rome, Italy, and has been part of the Giulia team since 2024. With a Modern Literature degree and advanced studies in Modern Philology, she specializes in tracing the origins and evolution of Italian words, bringing expertise in diction and expressive reading to help preserve and share Italy’s linguistic heritage with learners worldwide.
