Learn Italian: Describe Rooms and Furniture with Prepositions and Adjectives
Say what is in a room and where it is, using c'è and ci sono, simple prepositions, and adjective agreement in Italian.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In this lesson you will learn to describe the inside of a room: what furniture is there and where it stands. The key tools are c'è (there is) and ci sono (there are), simple prepositions such as vicino a (near) and accanto a (next to), and adjectives that agree in gender and number with the noun. For example, 'C'è un tavolo piccolo vicino alla finestra' means 'There is a small table by the window.' You will practise word order, the preposition + article contractions, and adjective endings.
By the end, you can…
- say what furniture is in a room using c'è and ci sono.
- place objects with prepositions such as vicino a, accanto a, davanti a and dietro.
- make adjectives agree with singular and plural nouns.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
C'è un tavolo piccolo vicino alla finestra.
There is a small table by the window.
cheh oon TAH-voh-loh PEEK-koh-loh vee-CHEE-noh AHL-lah fee-NEHS-trah
Use c'è for one object; vicino a + article contracts to vicino alla.
Ci sono due sedie accanto al letto.
There are two chairs next to the bed.
chee SOH-noh DOO-eh SEH-dyeh ahk-KAHN-toh ahl LEHT-toh
Use ci sono for more than one object; accanto a + il becomes accanto al.
Il divano è davanti alla televisione.
The sofa is in front of the television.
eel dee-VAH-noh eh dah-VAHN-tee AHL-lah teh-leh-vee-ZYOH-neh
davanti a means 'in front of'; alla is a + la.
La scrivania è grande e marrone.
The desk is big and brown.
lah skree-vah-NEE-ah eh GRAHN-deh eh mahr-ROH-neh
Adjectives ending in -e, like grande, stay the same for masculine and feminine singular.
Nel bagno c'è uno specchio sopra il lavandino.
In the bathroom there is a mirror above the sink.
nehl BAH-nyoh cheh OO-noh SPEHK-kyoh SOH-prah eel lah-vahn-DEE-noh
sopra means 'above' and does not need a before il.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Use c'è + singular noun and ci sono + plural noun to say what exists in a room. Then add a prepositional phrase: C'è un letto grande nella camera. Ci sono due lampade vicino al divano. The preposition a combines with the article: a + il = al, a + la = alla, a + i = ai, a + le = alle. So vicino a + la finestra becomes vicino alla finestra. Adjectives usually follow the noun in these descriptions: una sedia rossa, un armadio vecchio. Some common adjectives, such as piccolo and grande, can also come before the noun, but after the noun is the safest pattern for learners.
When to use it
Use this pattern when you describe a room to someone who cannot see it, for example when renting a flat or explaining your home. Say Che cosa c'è in cucina? (What is in the kitchen?) and answer C'è un frigorifero, un forno e un tavolo. For location, use vicino a (near), accanto a (next to), davanti a (in front of), dietro (behind), sopra (above), sotto (under) and di fronte a (opposite). Note that dietro, sopra and sotto can stand alone: Il gatto è sotto il tavolo. These standard forms are understood everywhere in Italy.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Come è la tua camera?
What is your bedroom like?KOH-meh eh lah TOO-ah KAH-meh-rahÈ piccola ma luminosa. C'è un letto, un armadio e una scrivania.
It is small but bright. There is a bed, a wardrobe and a desk.eh PEEK-koh-lah mah loo-mee-NOH-zah. cheh oon LEHT-toh, oon ahr-MAH-dyoh eh OO-nah skree-vah-NEE-ahDov'è la scrivania?
Where is the desk?doh-VEH lah skree-vah-NEE-ahÈ davanti alla finestra, accanto al letto.
It is in front of the window, next to the bed.eh dah-VAHN-tee AHL-lah fee-NEHS-trah, ahk-KAHN-toh ahl LEHT-tohA little context goes a long way
In Italian homes, rooms are often described with their function rather than size: la camera da letto, il soggiorno, la cucina. When visiting, it is normal to comment briefly on a room, for example Che bella cucina! Avoid comparing it to your own home too directly; a simple compliment is more natural.
One thing to watch for
Saying *Ci sono un tavolo* or *C'è due sedie*.
Try this instead: Match the verb to the number of items: C'è un tavolo (one item) but Ci sono due sedie (two items). The noun after c'è is singular; after ci sono it is plural.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Translate: There is a small table near the window.
Show a sample answer
C'è un tavolo piccolo vicino alla finestra.
C'è introduces one table; piccolo agrees with tavolo; vicino a + la contracts to vicino alla. You could also say vicino alla finestra c'è un tavolo piccolo, which is equally correct.
2Make the adjective agree: La sedia è (rosso).
Show a sample answer
La sedia è rossa.
Sedia is feminine singular, so rosso becomes rossa. If you were describing two chairs, it would be Le sedie sono rosse.
3Say: The sofa is behind the television.
Show a sample answer
Il divano è dietro la televisione.
dietro can be used without a before the noun. Some speakers say dietro alla televisione, which is also acceptable in everyday Italian.
Use c'è for one thing and ci sono for several, add a preposition such as vicino a or davanti a for position, and make adjectives agree with the noun they describe.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Italian into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr