Expert: Maria Date: 7/4/2008 Subject: definite article
Question Dear Maria,
My question is about the use of the definite article with the words "pranzo", "cena", and "colazione".
I was once instructed that the definite article should not be used with the words "pranzo" and "cena", but that the definite article should be used with "colazione". Could you please tell me if this rule is correct or not.
I am wondering because I have recently encountered some sentences in a computer course that I am using to study Italian where "pranzo" and "cena" are not used with the definite article.
These sentences are:
Lei legge dopo pranzo.
Loro bevono il caffe dopo cena.
Now I am not sure which way is correct. Would you please tell me if these sentences are correct or not. I would really appreciate your help. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Rich
Answer Dear Rich,
actually I have to point out that the rule you mention, i.e. that the definite article should not be used with the words "pranzo" and "cena", while the definite article should be used with "colazione", is not fully correct, as it depends on the context.
For example we say :
“Il pranzo è servito”; “La cena è servita”; “La colazione è squisita”; “La cena durò a lungo”; “Il pranzo è stato veramente luculliano”; “La colazione del mattino è importante”.
But also:
“Vado a pranzo”; “Mi siedo a cena”; “Faccio colazione”; “Dopo pranzo faccio un pisolino”; “Dopo cena faccio una passeggiata”;”Verrò prima di cena”; “Andò via prima di pranzo”.
As you can see, we use the definite article in the first series of examples, while we don’t use it in the second series.
In short, it is the context that determines the presence / absence of the definite article.
With regard to the sentences you mention, i.e. “Lei legge dopo pranzo” and “Loro bevono il caffè dopo cena”, they are correct.
I have to add however that in Italian we can use also the nouns “dopopranzo” / ”dopocena” as compound nouns in phrases like
“ Ti ho invitato per il dopocena”, “Ho passato il dopopranzo in casa”, as in these sentences “dopocena” and “dopopranzo” indicate respectively all the hours after the dinner / lunch, not only the limited period of time after dinner/lunch.
Hope this can be helpful to you.
All the best,
Maria
