L07: UNSTRESSED ADVERBS OF PLACE

[Peter]

L07: UNSTRESSED ADVERBS OF PLACE
(Avverbi atoni di luogo)

There are only three such adverbs of place: ci, vi and ne. Of these the most common is ci, which acts as a particle. Vi is used in a similar way, but much less frequently. Ci and vi always precede the verb.

Examples of the use of ci

C’è molto da fare
There is a lot to do

Ci sono molte cose da fare
There are many things to do

C’erano molte cose da fare
There were many things to do

Anna, ci sei?
Anna, are you there?

Ci sarebbe potuto essere un grave incidente se non fosse stato per la sua prontezza di riflessi
There could have been a serious accident if it were not for his quick thinking

Ne behaves as an adverb of place in a similar way to how it behaves as a partitive pronoun. It has the meaning of from here/from there. Like ci and vi, ne also precedes the verb; however, where either the Infinitive form of the verb or its Imperative tense is used, ne is attached to the end of the verb.

Me ne vado
I am going (away from here)

Vattene!
Go away (from here)! (singular)

Andatevene!
Go away (from here)! (plural)