Articulated prepositions with "su"
Just like a, di, da, and in, the preposition su (on / on top of) fuses with definite articles to form single words called articulated prepositions.
Here is how su combines with the definite articles:
| Article | su + Article | Example |
|---|---|---|
| il | sul | sul balcone |
| lo | sullo | sullo schermo |
| la | sulla | sulla scrivania |
| l' | sull' | sull'erba |
| i | sui | sui fogli |
| gli | sugli | sugli alberi |
| le | sulle | sulle mensole |
Using singular forms
Use sul, sullo, sulla, or sull' when talking about an object placed on a single surface, depending on the gender and starting letter of the noun.
| The cat sleeps on the balcony. | Il gatto dorme sul balcone. |
| I put the keys on the desk. | Metto le chiavi sulla scrivania. |
| There is a mistake on the screen. | C'è uno sbaglio sullo schermo. |
| We eat on the grass. | Mangiamo sull'erba. |
Using plural forms
When the objects or surfaces are plural, use sui, sugli, or sulle.
| There are many books on the shelves. | Ci sono molti libri sulle mensole. |
| They write on the sheets of paper. | Loro scrivono sui fogli. |
| The birds are in the trees. | Gli uccelli sono sugli alberi. |
Placing and leaving things
You will frequently use articulated prepositions with su to describe placing or leaving everyday items on furniture or other surfaces. The verb lasciare is commonly used in these situations to mean "to leave" (an object behind).
| to leave (an object) | lasciare |
| Why do you leave the plate on the shelf? | Perché lasci il piatto sulla mensola? |
| I leave the tickets on the backpacks. | Lascio i biglietti sugli zaini. |
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