nounpreposition

l’a

at · to · for

È una preposizione che indica direzione, luogo o tempo, oppure si usa davanti a un complemento di termine.

Definition & meaning

A is one of the most frequent Italian prepositions. Its translation depends on context; common equivalents include to, at, in, by, and for.

Destination or direction: Vado a Roma means “I’m going to Rome.”
Location: Sono a casa means “I’m at home.”
Time: A mezzogiorno means “at noon.”
Indirect object or recipient: Do il libro a Maria means “I give the book to Maria.”
Purpose or intended use: Una macchina a benzina means “a petrol-powered car.”
Manner or means: A piedi means “on foot.”
Before an infinitive: Imparare a leggere means “to learn to read.”

It also names the letter a, the first letter of the Italian alphabet.

Grammar & Word origin

As a preposition, a is invariable. Before a noun with a definite article, it combines with the article:

al = a + il
allo = a + lo
alla = a + la
ai = a + i
agli = a + gli
alle = a + le

These forms are called preposizioni articolate (“articulated prepositions”). A comes from Latin ad, meaning “to” or “toward.”

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no single synonym for a: its possible replacements depend on the meaning in a particular sentence. For direction, verso (“toward”) may be similar, while presso (“at” or “near”) can sometimes express location. Neither can replace a in every context.

There is no general antonym. The appropriate contrast depends on the sentence.