The Italian pronoun (Ne) indicates a part of a whole, while the pronoun (Ci) replaces a name or an expression that indicates a place.
Pronouns In Italian
The Italian pronoun Ne and Ci
1. The partitive pronoun (Ne)
The partitive pronoun (ne) indicates a part of a whole and is normally accompanied by words that express quantities and come before the verb.
Words that express quantities:
- Numeri (Numbers)
- Litri (Liters)
- Grammi (Grams)
- Fette (Slices)
- Tazze (Mugs)
- Bottiglie (Bottles)
- Molto (Much)
- Poco (Little)
- Abbastanza (Enough)
- Qualcuno (Somone)
- “Hai i biglietti per tutti?” “No, ne ho solo quattro.”
- “Do you have tickets for everyone?” “No, I only have four”
- Non c’era più acqua e ne ho comprate sei bottiglie
- (There was no more water and I bought six bottles)
- Questa torta è buonissima: ne vuoi un’altra fetta?
- (This cake is delicious: do you want another slice?)
- Ha Comprato il pane, ma non ne ha comprato abbastanza.
- (He bought the bread, but he didn’t buy enough)
- La mia gatta ha fatto i gattini: ne vuoi uno?
- (My cat made kittens: do you want one?)
- “Avete molti amici in Italia?” “Sì, ne abbiamo moltissimi“
- “Do you have many friends in Italy?” “Yes, we have a lot of them”
- “Vuoi del caffè?” “No grazie. non ne voglio.”
- “Do you want some coffee?” “No thanks. I don’t want any”
- Ho molti DVD, ne vuoi qualcuno in prestito?
- (I have a lot of DVDs, do you want some to borrow?)
- C’erano molte persone, ma ne conoscevo solo alcune.
- (There were a lot of people, but I only knew a few.)
Be careful, however, when the quantity referred to is the whole, instead of using (ne), direct pronouns are used.
Let’s compare the sentences.
| Partial quantity | Entire quantity. |
| Ci sono due panini: ne vuoi uno? (There are two sandwiches: do you want one?) | Ci sono due panini: li vuoi tutti e due? (There are two sandwiches: do you want both of them?) |
| Quanti compagni hai invitato? Ne ho invitati cinque. (How many companions have you invited? I’ve invited five.) | Quanti compagni hai invitato? Li ho invitati tutti. (How many companions have you invited? I invited all of them.) |
| Ho comprato una scatola di biscotti e ne ho già mangiata metà (I bought a box of cookies and have already eaten half of them.) | Ho comprato una scatola di biscotti e li ho già mangiati tutti. (I bought a box of cookies and have already them all.) |
The Italian pronoun (ne) is invariable and is used instead of a masculine or feminine noun, singular or plural:
- “Quanto caffè vuoi?” “Ne voglio una tazza.” (m.s)
- (How much coffee do you want? I want a cup)
- “Quanta pasta prendi?” ” Ne prendo poca.” (f.s)
- (How much pasta do you take? I’ll take a little)
- “Quanti libri hai letto?” ” Ne ho letti tre.” (m.p)
- (How many books have you read? I’ve read three)
- “Quante sedie servono?” ” Ne servono sei.”
- (How many chairs do you need? We need six)
The pronoun (ne) is also used with negative expressions like:
- Non (Not)
- Nessuno (Nobody
- Nessuna (None)
- Non …più (Not anymore)
- Non..affatto (Not at all)
- Cercavamo un ristorante aperto a Natale, ma non ne abbiamo trovato nessuno.
- (We were looking for a restaurant open for Christmas, but we couldn’t find any)
- “Avete ancora posti in galleria?” “No, non ne abbiamo più”
- (Do you still have seats in the gallery? No, we don’t have any more.)
- “Avete bevuto molto champagne, ieri sera?” ” No, non ne abbiamo bevuto affatto.”
- (Did you drink a lot of champagne last night? No, we didn’t drink any at all)
When the pronoun (ne) is used with a verb in a compound tense, the past participle agrees with the gender of the noun it replaces and, for the number, with the quantity expressed:
- “Quanti biglietti hai comprato?” ” Ne ho comprato uno.”
- “How many tickets did you buy?” “I bought one”
[(comprato) is masculin like (biglietto) and singular like (uno)]
- “Quanti biglietti hai comprato?” “Ne ho comprati tre.”
- “How many tickets did you buy?” “I bought three”
[(comprati) is masculine like (biglietto) and plural like (tre)]
- C’erano ancora dei posti liberi e ne abbiamo occupati due.
- There were still some free seats and we took two.
- “Quante pizze avete ordinato?” “Ne abbiamo ordinata una”
- “How many pizzas have you ordered?” ” We have ordered one”
- “Quante pizze avete ordinato?” “Ne abbiamo ordinate due.”
- ” How many pizzas have you ordered?” “We ordered two”
The past participle agrees in the same way when the quantity is expressed with qualcuno/qualcuna (only singulare) or with alcuni/ alcune (Only plural)
- C’erano molte riviste e ne ho presa qualcuna.
- There were a lot of magazines and I got some.
- C’erano molte riviste: ne ho prese alcune.
- There were a lot of magazines and I took a few.
When the quantity is expressed with a pronoun (molto, poco, etc.) or an adverb (abbastanza), the past participle agrees with the noun replaced by (ne).
- “Vuoi ancora della pasta?” ” No, grazie, ne ho mangiata molta.”
- “Do you still want some pasta?” “No, thanks, I ate a lot”
- “Vuoi ancora della pasta?” ” No, ne ho mangiata abbastanza.“
- “Do you want more pasta?” “No, I’ve had enough.”
[(mangiata) is feminine singular like (pasta)]
- “Hai preso abbastanza soldi?” ” No, ne ho presi pochi.”
- “Did you get enough money?” ” Yes, I’ve had enough”
- “Hai preso abbastanza soldi?” ” Sì, ne ho presi abbastanza.”
- “Did you get enough money?” “Yes, I got enough.”
[(presi) is masculine plural like (soldi)]
If the quantity is expressed with a name (fetta, litro, tazza, etc.), the past participle can agree either with the name replaced by (ne) or with the name indicating the quantity:
- “Quanti biscotti hai comparto?” ” Ne ho comprati un pacchetto.”
- “How many biscuits have you packed?” ” I bought a pack.”
[(comprati) is a masculine plural like (biscotti)].
- “Quanti biscotti hai comprato?” “Ne ho comprato un pacchetto”
- “How many cookies did you buy?” ” I bought a package”
[(comprato) is masculine singolar like (pachetto)].
- “Quanta acqua hai bevuto?” ” Ne ho bevuta due bicchieri.”
- “How much water did you drink?” ” I drank two glasses.”
[(bevuto) is a feminine singolar like (acqua)]
- “Quanta acqua hai bevuto?” ” Ne ho bevuti due bicchieri.”
- “How much water did you drink?” ” I drank two glasses.”
[(bevuti) is masculine plural like (bicchieri)]
When the pronoun (ne) is used in a sentence with an infinitive verb (usually after dovere, potere, volere and sapere) it can be attached to the infinitive verb (which loses the final vowel) if the pronoun is joined to the infinitive, the past participle must not agree.
- C’era un problema da risolvere e ne abbiamo discusso a lungo.
- There was a problem to be solved and we discussed it for a long time.
- Abbiamo deciso di partire. che ne pensi?
- We have decided to leave. What do you think about it?
- L’argomento non ci intressava e non ne abbiamo parlato.
- We were not interested in the subject and we did not talk about it.
When (ne) is used in this way, the past participle does not have to agree.
The Italian pronoun (ne) is found together with the verbs Volere and Potere in some idiomatic expressions
- Non devi prendere tempo con lui: non ne vale la pena.
- You don’t have to waste time with him- it’s not worth it.
- Abbiamo speso di più, ma ne è valsa la pena.
- We spent more, but it was worth it
- È tutto il giorno che studio: non ne posso più.
- I’ve been studying all day: I can’t take it anymore.
- Ho comprato una macchina perchè non ne potevo più di andare a piedi.
- I bought a car because I was sick of walking.
2. Italian pronoun (Ci)
The Italian pronoun (ci) is used to replace a name or an expression that indicates a place. It is placed before the verb.
- Genova è una bella città: ci siamo stati diverse volte. (Ci= a Genova)
- (Genoa is a beautiful city: we have been there several times.)
- Non ho voglia di andare al cinema: Ci sono andato ieri sera. (Ci= al cinema)
- (I don’t want to go to the cinema: I went there last night)
- La cantine è molto grande e ci tengo il vino. (Ci = in cantina)
- (The cellar is very large and I keep the wine there.)
The pronoun ci can be joined to a verb in the infinitive, usually in sentences with (dovere, potere, volere and sapere). The meaning does not change.
- Sapete andarci? = Ci sapete andare?
- (Can you go there?)
- Vuoi venirci anche tu? = Ci vuoi venire anche tu?
- (Con you go there?)
- Quanto tempo puoi starci? Quanto tempo ci puoi stare?
- (How long you stay there?)
Often, with the verb (essere), the pronoun (ci) is used even if the place is named.
- In quell’ufficio ci sono impiegati molti gentili.
- (There are many nice employees in that office)
- A teatro c’era pochissima gente.
- (There were very few people in the theater)
- Qui non c’è nessuno.
- (There is no one here)
The pronoun (ci) is also used in some idiomatic expressions with the verbs (credere, mettere, pensare, riuscire, stare).
- Ci pensiamo noi: non dovete preoccuparvi.
- (We’ll take care of it: you don’t have to worry.)
- “Carlo si sposa.” “Non ci credo!”
- “Carlo is getting married” “I don’t believe it!”
- Quanto tempo ci metti ad arrivare in ufficio?
- (How long does it take you to get to the office?)
- Ho provato molte volte, ma proprio non ci riesco.
- I’ve tried many times, but I just can’t)
- Ci stai a andare in piscina oggi?
- (Are you going to go to the pool today?)