Nel
/nel/
The English phrase "in the" is translated into Italian as Nel.
Nel is a prepositional phrase used to indicate that something is located inside a specific place or area.
What does it mean word for word?
Nel is a contraction of the preposition in and the masculine singular article il, meaning "in the".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of "in the" must change to match the gender and number of the noun that follows it. While Nel is the default masculine singular form, other forms include: nello for masculine singular nouns starting with 's' followed by another consonant or 'z'. negli for masculine plural nouns starting with a vowel or certain consonants like 's' + consonant or 'z'. And nella and nelle for other genders and numbers.
How do you pronounce it?
/nel/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the two separate words in il. In Italian, the contraction Nel is mandatory.
Did you know?
- In Italian, you can say nel to mean 'in the' for a physical space, but for the 'in' of a month or season, the article is often omitted entirely.
- In the expression nel cuore, meaning 'in the heart', Italian speakers often omit the possessive 'my' or 'your' which English speakers almost always include.
- The word nel is used in the expression nel senso che, which translates to 'in the sense that' and is used constantly by Italians to clarify a point.
Examples in context
- Lei è nel pozzo.She's in the well.This sentence shows the use of Nel to describe a location.Tatoeba #2970098 by Guybrush88, translation #779440 by FeuDRenais2
- Tom è nel torto.Tom is in the wrong.This sentence uses Nel in an idiomatic expression about being in the wrong.Tatoeba #5974727 by Guybrush88, translation #5756861 by CM
- Io ero nella casa.I was in the house.This sentence shows the feminine form nella being used instead of the masculine Nel.Tatoeba #2565937 by Guybrush88, translation #2548845 by CK
- Nello zainoIn the backpack
- Nel libroIn the book
- Nel cinemaIn the cinema
- Nel ristoranteIn the restaurant
- Nella borsaIn the bag
- Nella scuolaIn the school
- Nella cittàIn the city
- Nel mareIn the sea
- Nel parcoIn the park
- Nel negozioIn the shop
- Nei museiIn the museums
- 4712 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Alessandro are looking for a lost ring at home.
- GiuliaAlessandro, hai visto il mio anello?Alessandro, have you seen my ring?
- AlessandroNo, non è nel salotto.No, it is not in the living room.
- GiuliaForse è nel bagno.Maybe it is in the bathroom.
- AlessandroL'ho trovato nel cassetto!I found it in the drawer!
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry nel.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
