A direct object pronoun is placed immediately before a conjugated verb. o; w% X) }' m4 x- S j' {* W' Y
Se vedo i ragazzi, li invito. (If I see the boys, I’ll invite them.)2 [' Z' W: O: P! R( |- A- B
Compra la frutta e la mangia. (He buys the fruit and eats it.)
2 e1 |) c) _7 l; ^6 K6 a% ~. G0 o In a negative sentence, the word non must come before the object pronoun.9 W% [# J. L6 P; T, w S3 ?
Non la mangia. (He doesn’t eat it.)6 w0 W/ A5 S8 A) v6 @
Perchè non li inviti? (Why don’t you invite them?)# S: p; g, N& N% i# w# _& R6 g1 t
The object pronoun is attached to the end of an infinitive. Note that the final –e of the infinitive is dropped.
' r; ]6 B( p7 ? è importante mangiarla ogni giorno. (It is important to eat it every day.); J# ] M* l: G) ^# l
è una buon’idea invitarli. It’s a good idea to invite them.& X. l' ^( w4 E$ w* k: n( {8 B
It is possible, but not necessary, to elide singular direct object pronouns in front of verbs that begin with a vowel or forms of avere that begin with an h. However, the plural forms li and le are never elided.
* v& f. C- `$ \ f, H+ } M’ama, non m’ama. (Mi ama, non mi ama.). (He loves me, he loves me not.)7 y0 h: {" _4 o y2 V
Il passaporto? Loro non l’hanno (lo hanno). (The passport? They don’t have it.)$ o7 m6 a5 q3 }# w3 _1 I
A few Italian verbs that take a direct object, such as ascoltare, aspettare, cercare, and guardare, correspond to English verbs that are used with prepositions (to listen to to wait for, to look for, to look at).
, L/ p6 i/ t3 ~ a% r) R H Chi cerchi? – Cerco il mio ragazzo. Lo cerco già da mezz’ora!# k* |6 w: X$ ]7 w
(Who are you looking for? – I’m looking for my boyfriend. I’ve been looking for him for half an hour!)
( J @1 {3 t1 T6 o Object pronouns are attached to ecco to express here I am, here you are, here he is, and so on.
0 O1 g# b- Y- X% ~2 K0 t+ @9 q0 s Dov’è la signorina? – Eccola! (Where is the young woman? – Here she is!)% Z {( C9 }* Z) d( M' I
Hai trovato le chiavi? – Sì, eccole! (Have you found the keys? – Yes, here they are!) |