Italian - English (British) translations for "un"
"un" Italian translation
Translation
a
Definition
The Italian determiner 'un' is the equivalent of the English indefinite article 'a' or 'an', used before a singular noun that is unspecified or unknown to the listener.
Part of speech
determiner
Translations
This is is an experimental feature. Please report any issues.Meaning: Indefinite article (masculine singular)
Ho comprato un libro.
I bought a book.
Meaning: One
Vorrei un caffè, per favore.
I would like one coffee, please.
Meaning: Some
Ho bisogno di un po' di soldi.
I need some money.
Meaning: An
Ho visto un elefante al parco.
I saw an elephant at the park.
Meaning: A certain
Un certo signore mi ha chiamato oggi.
A certain gentleman called me today.
Examples
This is is an experimental feature. Please report any issues.A1: Ho un cane.
I have a dog.
A1: Vorrei un caffè, per favore.
I would like a coffee, please.
A2: C'è un gatto sul tetto.
There is a cat on the roof.
B1: Ho comprato un libro ieri.
I bought a book yesterday. (simple past)
B1: Sto cercando un lavoro da mesi.
I have been looking for a job for months. (present continuous)
B2: Avevo visto un film interessante la settimana scorsa.
I had seen an interesting movie last week. (past perfect)
B2: Mi piacerebbe avere un po' più di tempo libero.
I would like to have a bit more free time. (conditional)
C1: Spero che tu abbia avuto un buon viaggio.
I hope you had a good trip. (subjunctive present)
C1: Avrei dovuto prendere un'altra strada per evitare il traffico.
I should have taken another road to avoid traffic. (conditional perfect)
C2: Se fossi stato più attento, non avrei perso un'occasione così importante.
If I had been more careful, I wouldn't have missed such an important opportunity. (subjunctive past)
Advanced Description
This is is an experimental feature. Please report any issues.In Italian, like in many other languages, articles are an important part of speech. They indicate the gender and number of the noun they refer to, as well as its definiteness or indefiniteness. The determiner 'un' is one of the two forms of the Italian indefinite article, the other being 'una'. 'Un' is used before masculine singular nouns that begin with a consonant sound, while 'una' is used before feminine singular nouns that begin with a consonant sound.
For example, if you wanted to say 'a book' in Italian, you would say 'un libro'. If the noun were feminine, such as 'a table', you would say 'una tavola'. If the noun began with a vowel sound, you would use the form 'un' for both masculine and feminine nouns: 'un'amica' (a friend), 'un'altra cosa' (another thing).
It's worth noting that unlike in English, where the indefinite article is often omitted in certain contexts (e.g. after the verb 'to be'), in Italian it is always required. So instead of saying 'he is doctor', you would say 'è un dottore' (he is a doctor). This makes articles an essential part of learning Italian grammar and vocabulary.