Barbara-99ay
March 23, 2024
In lesson 4.7 on Possessive pronouns, I learned that a definite article (il, la) is usually required before the possessive pronoun, and that the possissive pronoun (my, your, his) goes before the noun. However in 4.8, I see the following example.
“Casa sua è accanto alla stazione.”
Shouldn't it be 'La sua casa…" ?
Enxhi-Rocket-Italian-Tutor
March 24, 2024
Hi Barbara,
In Italian, the possessive pronouns can sometimes be used without the definite article when the context makes it clear which noun they refer to. In the sentence "Casa sua è accanto alla stazione," "sua" is a possessive pronoun meaning "his/her" and it refers back to "casa" (house), so it's not necessary to include the definite article "la." This construction is common in Italian and is understood to mean "His/her house is next to the station."
However, using "La sua casa" would also be correct and it would mean "His/her house" more explicitly. Both constructions are grammatically correct, but the choice between them often depends on the context and personal style.
I hope this clarifies the usage of possessive pronouns without the definite article in Italian. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!