Log inSign up

Marco vuole un attrezzo nuovo. Glielo compriamo noi.

Marco vuole un attrezzo nuovo. Glielo compriamo noi.
Marco wants a new tool. We are buying it for him.
From Lesson 130:Combined pronouns (me lo, te la)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Marco vuole un attrezzo nuovo. Glielo compriamo noi.

How did we get the word glielo?
Glielo is a combined pronoun. It joins the indirect object gli (to him) and the direct object lo (it). When gli combines with lo, la, li, or le, it changes its 'i' to an 'e' and joins together to form one single word: glielo.
How do I know to use lo in glielo instead of another pronoun?
The direct object pronoun has to match the thing you are talking about. Here, 'it' refers to un attrezzo (a tool), which is a masculine singular noun. So, we use lo. If Marco wanted a new car (una macchina), we would use la and say gliela compriamo noi.
Why is noi at the very end of the sentence?
In Italian, you usually don't need to say the subject pronoun like noi (we) because the verb compriamo already tells us who is doing the action. Adding noi at the end of the sentence adds strong emphasis: it means 'We are the ones buying it for him' (as opposed to someone else).
I see nuovo (new) comes after attrezzo. Can I put it before the noun?
Yes, but the meaning shifts slightly. When an adjective like nuovo comes after the noun (un attrezzo nuovo), it emphasizes a physical fact: the tool is physically brand new. If you put it before (un nuovo attrezzo), it often means 'a new tool to him' or 'an additional tool', even if the object itself happens to be second-hand.

Learn Marco vuole un attrezzo nuovo. Glielo compriamo noi and more in Italian

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Italian →