My YouTube livestreams are an endless source of inspiration for blog posts.
As you may know, I host monthly YouTube livestreams where I answer the questions I get from my newsletter readers. Among the questions I received recently (which I addressed in my latest livestream), there was one about how to use proprio in Italian.
The person who asked me that question said that she finds the use of proprio really confusing. Students usually tell me this about proprio and other similar words, like mica, pure, and anzi. This is why, like I did with those tricky little words, I decided to complement the livestream with a blog post, thinking it might be useful to have something written to return to.
Also, as usual, I have created a downloadable PDF file to go with the post. You can find it in Your Italian Toolbox, where I upload all language-learning materials (you can access the page by subscribing to my newsletter), under the section Grammar. If you also struggle with these Italian words, there you will also find PDF files for my other posts about the use of pure, that of mica, and that of anzi, which I posted a few weeks ago.
But let’s now see how to use proprio in Italian.
Proprio in Italian has different functions.
Proprio can be an adverb, and it can be used with four different meanings.
1. It can be used to emphasise or reinforce the meaning of an adjective, an adverb, or a noun. In this case, it is a synonym of davvero, veramente, molto (really, truly, a lot).
For example:
Oggi sono proprio stanco. Non ho voglia di fare nulla. (I am very tired today. I don’t feel like doing anything).
Lui guida proprio velocemente. (He drives really fast)
È proprio un genio. (He’s a true genius)
2. It is used as a synonym of esattamente (exactly)
For example:
È proprio quello che ho detto (It’s exactly what I said)
È andata proprio in questo modo (It went exactly like this)
Stavo proprio parlando di te (I was talking about you)
3. It is used to reinforce a negation. In this case, it is a synonym of affatto (at all).
For example:
Non ho proprio voglia di uscire stasera (I don’t feel like going out tonight)
Vuoi venire anche tu? Non credo proprio (Do you want to come? I don’t think so)
Francesca non sa proprio cosa fare (Francesca doesn’t know what to do)
4. It is used with the meaning of appena, giusto (just).
For example:
Ho incontrato tua sorella proprio due minuti fa (I have met your sister just two minutes ago)
Sono arrivato proprio ora (I have just arrived)
Il volo è atterrato proprio adesso (The flight has just landed)
[Here is an IG reel about the use of proprio as an adverb]
Proprio can also work as a possessive adjective.
As a possessive adjective, proprio can replace possessive adjectives in the third-person singular (suo, sua, suoi, sue) and third-person plural (loro) but only when it refers to the subject of the sentence. If the owner of something is not the subject of the phrase, proprio cannot replace the possessive adjective.
Maria vive a casa sua = Maria vive a casa propria -> la casa è di Maria
Francesco guida la sua macchina = Francesco guida la propria macchina -> la macchina è di Francesco
Vanno in vacanza con i loro figli = Vanno in vacanza con i propri figli -> i figli sono loro
Why can you replace the possessive adjective with proprio? To avoid confusion or misunderstandings in certain sentences.
For example:
Paola dà a Marco la sua penna (Whose is the pen? Is it Paola’s or Marco’s) -> Paola dà a Marco la propria penna (we know for sure that the pen is Paola’s)
Proprio can be used as a possessive adjective also when the subject is undefined.
Ognuno ha la propria opinione (Everyone has their own opinion)
Tutti devono fare il proprio dovere (Everybody must do their own duty)
Ciascuno controlli la propria borsa (Everybody check their purses)
[Here is an IG reel about the use of proprio as a possessive adjective]
As an adjective, proprio can mean typical/common.
For example:
La nebbia è propria di questa zona (The fog is very common in this region)
La pigrizia è un’attitudine propria dei gatti (It is common for cats to be lazy)
Il clima piovoso era proprio dell’Inghilterra, ma forse ora il tempo sta cambiando (Rainy weather was typical in England but maybe things are changing now)
Finally, proprio can be used in the expression in proprio, which refers to working freelance, being self-employed, or having one’s own business.
Marcello lavora in proprio (Marcello is self-employed)
Lui è un lavoratore in proprio (He is self-employed)
Mio fratello si è messo in proprio (My brother started his own business)
Don’t forget the downloadable PDF file I have created for you to keep for future reference. You can find the file in Your Italian Toolbox, where I upload all language-learning materials (you can access the page by subscribing to my newsletter), under the section Grammar.
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