sui
Lemma: sui
Translation: on the; about the; concerning the; upon the (preposition)
Etymology: "Sui" is a contraction of the preposition "su" (on, upon) and the masculine plural definite article "i" (the). "Su" derives from Latin "super" (above, over), which shares roots with English words like "superior" and "supreme". This contraction is part of a pattern in Italian where prepositions combine with articles (preposizioni articolate).
Mnemonics
- Think of 'sui' as 'on the' where the 'i' reminds you it's for masculine plural nouns.
- Remember 'sui' sounds like 'sway' - you sway on top of things.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This is one of the essential preposition-article contractions in Italian that learners must master. Unlike English, which keeps prepositions and articles separate, Italian combines them in specific contexts.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'sui' is a preposition contraction (su + i), 'suo' is a possessive adjective meaning 'his' or 'her'.
This word:
Ho letto un articolo sui problemi ambientali.
I read an article about environmental problems.
Confused word:
Ho letto il suo libro.
I read his book.
Notes: The pronunciation is different: 'sui' is pronounced as one syllable [swi], while 'suo' is pronounced as two syllables [su-o].
Mnemonic: 'Sui' ends with 'i' like the plural article it contains; 'suo' ends with 'o' like many masculine singular words.
Explanation: This is the uncontracted form of 'sui'. In modern Italian, using 'su i' instead of 'sui' is grammatically incorrect in most contexts.
Confused word:
Su i tavoli ci sono molti libri. (incorrect/uncommon)
On the tables there are many books.
Notes: The contraction is mandatory in standard Italian.
Mnemonic: Remember that in Italian, when 'su' meets 'i', they must contract to 'sui'.