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| 3.1.2.1 Definite articles before possessive pronouns 2 |
So, back to the main topic.
In front of possessive pronoun a definite article is mandatory in Italian.
| Example | ||||||
| Io | vendo | la | mia | casa |  |
|
| I | sell | my | house. | |||
There are exceptions to that simple rule and there are exceptions to the exceptions as well.
The general rule that in front of a possessive pronouns must be an definite article DOES NOT APPLY, when ....
| ...there is a parental relationship: | |
| mio padre => my father | |
| mia madre => my mother | |
| mio zio => my uncle | |
| mia nonna => my grand mother | |
| mio cugino => my cousin | |
| mio fratello => my brother | |
| but: when talking in plural, there must be a definite article | |
| i miei zii => my uncles | |
| i miei nonni => my grandparents | |
| i miei cugini => my cousins | |
| i miei fratelli => my brothers | |
| and: if there is a more detailed description, there must be a definite article | |
| Il mio zio che abita a Roma. => My uncle living in Rome. | |
| La mia nonna che abita a Firenze. => My grandmother who lives in Florence | |
| Il mio cugino che è architetto. => My cousin, who is an architect. | |
| Il mio fratello che sta a Parigi adesso. => My brother who lives in Paris | |
| and: in the third person plural, there must be always a definite article | |
| Il loro zio. =>her uncle | |
| La loro madre => her mother | |
| Le loro sorelle => her sister | |
| and: in case of a pet name there must be a definite article | |
| il mio fratellino => my little brother | |
| la mia mamma => my mum | |
| il mio papà => my dad | |
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