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Prepositional Noun Phrases: Sostantivi + preposizioni

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In Italian, nouns consisting of more than one word which combine to create a new, independent word can take the form of a noun + preposition + (article) + noun. These nouns can describe types of things with specificity (campo da calcio, camera da letto) and they can be idiomatic phrases (luna di miele).

Below is a suggestive list of nouns with prepositions, organized by the prepositions used in each phrase.

Sostantivo + da + (articolo) + sostantivo

Carta da lettera ... stationery, writing paper
Tavolo da cucina ... kitchen table
Sala da pranzo ... dining room
Camera da letto ... bedroom
Costume da bagno ... bathing suit
Ferro da stiro ... iron (for clothes)
Scarpe da ginnastica / tennis ... gym / tennis shoes
Abito da sera ... evening dress, black tie
Campo da calcio ... soccer field
Carta da parati ... wallpaper

Sostantivo + a + (articolo) + sostantivo

Mulino a vento ... windmill
Letto a castello ... bunk bed

Sostantivo + di + (articolo) + sostantivo

Raggio di sole ... sunbeam
Carta di credito ... credit card
Casa di cura ... rehab center
Casa di riposo (residenza per anziani) … nursing home
Luna di miele ... honeymoon
Olio d’oliva … olive oil
Uscita di sicurezza ... emergency exit
Punto di vista ... point of view
Avvocato del diavolo ... devil's advocate

Sostantivo + in + (articolo) + sostantivo

Festa in maschera ... costume party
Operazione in incognito … undercover operation

Sostantivo + per + (articolo) + sostantivo

Cibo per cani ... dog food
Macchina per l'ossigeno ... oxygen machine

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