Expert: Maria - 11/4/2009

Question
Dear Maria,

Thank you, once again, for your help with my previous question on October 25 in regards to the sentence “Mi piace ascoltare la radio”.

I hope you will not mind if I ask a follow up question.  I just want to make sure that I completely understand.    

Can you please verify for me that the following is usually correct:

Italian “intransitive verbs” are followed by “prepositions”, but are not followed by “direct objects”

Italian “transitive” verbs are followed by “direct objects” but are not followed by “prepositions”.  

Thank you very much.  I very much appreciate your help.

Sincerely,

Rich


Answer
Dear Rich,

yes, Italian “intransitive verbs” are followed by “prepositions”, but are not followed by “direct objects”.

For example :

-“Egli parla(intransitive) per (preposition) radio” (He  talks on the radio)

-“Giovanni partì (intransitive) per (preposition) Roma” (John  left for Rome)


As for your second statement, i.e “Italian “transitive” verbs are followed by direct objects, but are not followed by prepositions “, it is partly right.

In fact, “Italian “transitive” verbs, which express an action carried from the subject to the object, are normally followed by “direct objects”, but besides a direct object  they can have also a preposition, like in the following examples:

-“Ascoltare qualcosa (direct object) alla (preposition) radio”( to listen to something on the radio)

-“Mandare un messaggio(direct object)  per (preposition)  radio” (to send a message by radio)

-“Cantare una canzone (direct object) alla (preposition) radio” (to sing a song on the radio)

-“Sollevare qualcuno (direct object)  dalla (preposition) miseria” ( to raise someone from poverty)

Hope I made myself understood. Feel free however to ask me again.

Best regards,
Maria