Italian Cleft Sentences: Emphasizing with 'È... che' and 'Quello che... è'
Learn to emphasize information in Italian using cleft structures like 'È Ana che ha chiamato' (It was Ana who called) and 'Quello che mi piace è...' (What I like is...).
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Italian, to emphasize a specific piece of information, you often use cleft sentences. These structures split a simple sentence into two parts, highlighting the element you want to focus on. For example, instead of saying 'Ana ha chiamato' (Ana called), you can say 'È Ana che ha chiamato' (It was Ana who called). Similarly, to emphasize what you like, you can say 'Quello che mi piace è...' (What I like is...). This lesson will teach you how to form and use these emphatic structures correctly, distinguishing them from other emphasis strategies like using 'do' in English. You'll learn the patterns, when to use them, and common pitfalls.
By the end, you can…
- form cleft sentences with 'è... che' to emphasize the subject or object.
- use 'quello che... è' to emphasize what someone does or likes.
- distinguish between cleft sentences and other emphasis strategies in Italian.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
È Ana che ha chiamato.
It was Ana who called.
eh AH-nah keh ah kyah-MAH-toh
Emphasizes that Ana (not someone else) called. Use with a singular subject.
È stato Marco che ha rotto il vaso.
It was Marco who broke the vase.
eh STAH-toh MAR-koh keh ah ROT-toh eel VAH-zoh
Emphasizes Marco as the doer. Note the past participle 'stato' agrees with the subject.
Quello che mi piace è la cucina italiana.
What I like is Italian cuisine.
KWEHL-loh keh mee PYAH-cheh eh lah koo-CHEE-nah ee-tah-LYAH-nah
Emphasizes the thing liked. 'Quello che' is the subject of the first clause.
Quello che voglio è un po' di pace.
What I want is a bit of peace.
KWEHL-loh keh VOL-lyoh eh oon poh dee PAH-cheh
Emphasizes the desire. 'Quello che' can be replaced by 'Ciò che' in more formal contexts.
È a Roma che ho conosciuto Luca.
It was in Rome that I met Luca.
eh ah ROH-mah keh oh koh-noh-SHOO-toh LOO-kah
Emphasizes the place. Prepositions like 'a' are kept before the focused element.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The cleft sentence 'È... che' is formed by placing 'è' (or another form of 'essere') before the element you want to emphasize, followed by 'che' and the rest of the sentence. For example: 'È Maria che ha preparato la cena' (It was Maria who prepared dinner). The verb 'essere' agrees in number with the emphasized element: 'Sono loro che hanno vinto' (It was they who won). For emphasis on the object or other elements, the same structure applies: 'È la pizza che voglio' (It's pizza that I want). Note that 'che' is invariable. For 'what... is', use 'Quello che... è': 'Quello che mi interessa è la storia' (What interests me is history).
When to use it
Use cleft sentences to highlight information, often to correct or contrast. For example, if someone says 'Ana ha chiamato', and you want to stress that it was Ana, not someone else, you say 'È Ana che ha chiamato'. Similarly, 'Quello che... è' is used to focus on the thing or action: 'Quello che voglio è dormire' (What I want is to sleep). These structures are common in both spoken and written Italian. In informal speech, you might hear 'È Ana che ha chiamato' pronounced with a stronger intonation on 'Ana'. Avoid overusing them; they are for emphasis, not neutral statements.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Chi ha chiamato?
Who called?kee ah kyah-MAH-tohÈ Ana che ha chiamato.
It was Ana who called.eh AH-nah keh ah kyah-MAH-tohCosa vuoi per cena?
What do you want for dinner?KOH-zah VWOH-ee pehr CHEH-nahQuello che voglio è una pizza.
What I want is a pizza.KWEHL-loh keh VOL-lyoh eh OO-nah PEET-tsahA little context goes a long way
In Italian, cleft sentences are very common in everyday conversation to emphasize or correct information. They are neutral in register and used across regions. However, in formal writing, 'Ciò che' may replace 'Quello che' for a more elegant tone. Be aware that in some southern regions, you might hear 'È che' used differently, but the standard structure remains widely understood.
One thing to watch for
Learners often try to emphasize the verb by using 'fare' as in English 'I do like it', producing 'Faccio mi piace'. This is incorrect.
Try this instead: Italian does not use 'do' for emphasis. Instead, use cleft sentences or stress intonation. For example, to emphasize liking, say 'Quello che mi piace è...' or simply stress the verb: 'Mi piace davvero' (I really like it).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you emphasize that it was Giulia who ate the cake?
Show a sample answer
È Giulia che ha mangiato la torta.
This uses the 'È... che' structure to focus on Giulia as the subject. Alternatively, you could say 'Giulia ha mangiato la torta' with strong intonation, but the cleft is more explicit.
2Translate: 'What I need is a holiday.'
Show a sample answer
Quello che mi serve è una vacanza.
This uses 'Quello che... è' to emphasize the need. 'Mi serve' means 'I need'. You could also say 'Ho bisogno di una vacanza', but the cleft adds emphasis.
3Is 'Sono loro che hanno ragione' correct? Why?
Show a sample answer
Yes, it's correct.
The verb 'sono' agrees with the plural 'loro'. It means 'It is they who are right.' The structure is 'Sono... che' for plural emphasis.
Use 'È... che' to emphasize a person, thing, or place, and 'Quello che... è' to emphasize what someone does or wants. Remember that 'essere' must agree with the focused element, and 'che' stays invariable.
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