Are you unsure whether to say 'questo libro' or 'quel libro'? You're not alone! The difference between questo and quello confuses many learners. In this guide, you'll learn the simple rule, see plenty of real-life examples, and practice with free exercises. In Italian, questo (this) and quello (that) are called demonstrative adjectives because they demonstrate where something is. Use questo for things near you (like a book in your hand) and quello for things farther away (like a book on a shelf across the room). Getting them right will make your Italian sound instantly more natural. Demonstrative adjectives provide important information in the context of everyday communication, helping to indicate whether the object or person being talked about is near or far from the speaker or listener. For example, when shopping for groceries, we can say 'Voglio comprare questo pane' to refer to one close ...
In Italian, the prepositions DA and PER are used to indicate the duration of an action, but they have different meanings and are used at specific times. DA is used when an action started in the past and still continues in the present. PER is used to indicate the duration of an action, but the action has not yet started at the time we are talking. Let's see how to use them. 1. The preposition DA The preposition DA indicates that the action started in the past and still continues in the present . The important thing here is that the action is not finished, it is still happening. For example: Da quanto sei in vacanza? Sono in vacanza DA dieci giorni. (The action of being on holiday started ten days ago and is still going on today). Da quanto studi in Italia? Studio in Italia DA due anni. (The action of studying started two years ago and continues in the present). Da quanto abiti in questa casa? Abito in questa casa DA cinque anni. (The action of living in this house started five y...