Articulated prepositions with in (nel, nella)

Merging "in" with articles

When you want to say that something is in or inside a specific place or container, the preposition in merges with the definite article to form a single word. Notice that the base word in changes its spelling to ne- before the article endings are added.

Masculine containers: nel and nei

For masculine nouns that use the article il, in merges to become nel. With the plural article i, they form nei.

Vowels and special masculine nouns: nell', nello, and negli

If a singular noun begins with a vowel, its article is l', which merges with in to become nell'.

For masculine nouns starting with z or s + consonant (like zaino), the article lo becomes nello. For plural masculine nouns that use the article gli (starting with a vowel or special consonants), the combination is negli.

Feminine containers: nella and nelle

For feminine nouns starting with a consonant, in combines with the singular article la to make nella, and with the plural article le to make nelle.

Putting it together

You will often use these articulated prepositions to contrast different locations and containers in a single sentence. Just remember to match the ending to the gender and number of the noun that follows.