What or That in Italian: Understanding the Differences

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Learning Italian can feel like a whirlwind of new words, grammatical rules, and fun phrases.

One tricky aspect for English speakers is understanding how to use “what” and “that” in Italian.

While these English words are simple, their Italian counterparts can change based on context, sentence structure, and meaning.

Whether you’re making a question, expressing surprise, or linking ideas, it’s important to know the right word to use.

Let’s break it down so you can confidently tackle both of these common words in Italian!

What in Italian: Different Ways to Ask and Express

In English, the word “what” can serve multiple purposes: asking questions, making exclamatory remarks, or even introducing clauses.

In Italian, the translation for “what” depends on how it’s used in the sentence.

Here are the primary ways to say “what” in Italian:

1. Che – The All-Purpose “What”

“Che” is the most versatile translation for “what” in Italian.

It can be used to ask questions, make exclamations, or even introduce clauses.

It’s your go-to word in many situations!

• Question Form: When you want to ask “what” in general, che is used.

  • Example: Che cosa vuoi fare? (What do you want to do?)

  • Example: Che stai facendo? (What are you doing?)

• Exclamation: You can also use “che” in exclamatory phrases to express surprise or admiration.

  • Example: Che bello! (How beautiful!)

  • Example: Che giorno meraviglioso! (What a wonderful day!)

2. Cosa – An Informal “What”

“Cosa” is another word used for “what,” and it is more commonly used in informal speech.

It is a little more relaxed than “che,” but still perfectly understood in all contexts.

• Example: Cosa fai questo pomeriggio? (What are you doing this afternoon?)

• Example: Cosa vuoi mangiare? (What do you want to eat?)

Both “che” and “cosa” can be used interchangeably when asking general questions, but “cosa” is often favored in more casual conversations.

3. Quale – “Which” or “What” in Specific Choices

When you’re choosing between specific options, you’ll want to use quale.

This translates as “which” or “what” and is typically used when asking about something specific from a defined group.

• Example: Quale film preferisci? (Which movie do you prefer?)

• Example: Quale delle due camicie vuoi comprare? (Which of the two shirts do you want to buy?)

“Quale” is used when the question implies a selection from a known set of possibilities, rather than asking an open-ended “what.”

That in Italian: Understanding the Demonstrative and Relative Uses

In English, the word “that” can also serve several purposes, such as pointing to something, introducing a clause, or linking ideas.

In Italian, however, there are different words for “that,” depending on the function of the word in the sentence.

1. Che – A Flexible “That”

Just like in English, che can also be used in Italian as a relative pronoun, linking clauses or introducing information about something previously mentioned.

• Example (Relative Pronoun): Il libro che sto leggendo è interessante. (The book that I’m reading is interesting.)

• Example (Relative Pronoun): La ragazza che ha parlato è mia sorella. (The girl who spoke is my sister.)

In this case, “che” connects two parts of a sentence and serves as the equivalent of “that” or “who.”

2. Quello/Quella – Demonstrating “That”

If you want to point to something far away (either physically or figuratively), you’ll use quello (for masculine singular nouns) or quella (for feminine singular nouns).

These are the most common ways to translate “that” as a demonstrative pronoun.

• Example (Masculine): Quello è il mio ristorante preferito. (That is my favorite restaurant.)

• Example (Feminine): Quella è la mia casa. (That is my house.)

• Example (Plural): Quei ragazzi sono simpatici. (Those guys are nice.)

The difference between quello and quella depends on the gender of the noun they refer to, just like the English “that” would change if referring to a masculine or feminine object.

3. Quello/Quella as “That” in More Complex Sentences

In more complex sentences, quello or quella might be used to emphasize something more distant, either in space, time, or concept.

It highlights that the subject being talked about is far from the speaker or listener, either literally or figuratively.

• Example (Distance in Space): Quella macchina è rotta. (That car is broken.)

• Example (Distance in Time): Quella era un’estate meravigliosa. (That was a wonderful summer.)

4. Quelli/Quelle – Demonstrative Plurals

When referring to multiple things or people, you’ll use the plural forms quelli (masculine) and quelle (feminine) to translate “those” in English.

• Example (Masculine Plural): Quei libri sono nuovi. (Those books are new.)

• Example (Feminine Plural): Quelle ragazze sono gentili. (Those girls are kind.)

When to Use “What” vs. “That” in Italian

Understanding when to use “what” and “that” can feel tricky, but once you know their different uses in Italian, you’ll feel more confident.

Here’s a helpful guideline:

• Use che for both “what” and “that” in more general contexts, whether asking questions or linking clauses.

• Use cosa in informal questions when you want to say “what.”

• Use quale when referring to specific choices or asking about something particular.

• Use quello/quella when you want to point to something specific, usually far from the speaker, either physically or metaphorically.

Conclusion: Mastering “What” and “That” in Italian

The difference between “what” and “that” in Italian is all about understanding the context in which you’re speaking.

Whether you’re asking questions, making exclamations, or referring to something far away, Italian has several ways to express these concepts, and choosing the right one will help you sound more natural.

Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be able to use “what” and “that” in Italian with ease, impressing your friends and fellow language learners!

So, which word will you use next time you speak Italian?

Happy learning!

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