Lesson 3: Sicilian aticles and prepositions

Articles

The Sicilian articles divide into two types, definite: lu, la, li, (the) and indefinite nu, na (a, an).

These articles, as the nouns they describe, have a gender, they can be feminine: la (singular), li (plural), and masculine: lu (singular), li (plural). The indefinite nu, masculine, na, feminine, are always singular.

Lu cavàddu                the horse

La casa                      the house

Li cavàddi                  the horses

Li casi                        the houses

Un  cavàddu               a horse

Na fìmmina                a woman

 

For nouns that start with a z or with an s followed by a consonant the form nu of the indefinite article should be used:

Avi nu ziu bonu                          He has a good uncle

C’era nu scalùni autu                 There was a tall step

Avìa nu stipu vasciu                   He had a low cabinet

Si nni purto nu zàinu chinu He took a full knapsack with him

These articles in the spoken language can contract to â for la, î  for li. and û  for lu:

û cavàddu                  the horse  

â casa                         the house

î cavàddi                    the horses

î casi                           the houses

 

                                        Prepositions

Prepositions are simple and compound.  The simple prepositions are:

a (at), di (of), cu (with), nni (to, by, in), nna (to, by, in), nno (to, by, in) pi (for), nta (in), supra (over), davanti (in front), sutta (under), doppu (after) and more.

These prepositions can also be used with a definite article: a la (to the), di lu (of the), cu la (with the), nni la, etc.:

Vàiu a la casa            Igo            I go to the house

La casa è di lu frati                     The house is of the brother

Sugnu cu lu ziu                            I am with the uncle

            Èranu nta la cresia                      They were in the church

These prepositions, in the spoken language, are often contracted to: â, dû and cû:

 

Vàiu â casa                                   I go to the house  

La casa è dû frati         The house is (belongs)of the brother

Sugnu cû ziu                                 I am with the uncle

            Èranu ntâ cresia                          They were in the church

The plural of these preposition changes somewhat in the contracted mode.

Regular:

Iàmu a li casi                                     We go to the houses

Li casi sunnu di li frati        The houses are to the brothers

Èramu cu li zii                              They were with the uncles

            Ieru  nni li cresii                         They went in the churches

Contracted                        

Iàmu ê casi                                        We go to the houses

Li casi sunnu dî frati   The hoses are (belong)of the brothers

Èramu chî zii                                 We were with the uncles

            Ièru ntê cresii                               They went in the churches

Same thing happens with the indefinite article.

Regular:

Ci lu dugnu a un cani            I give it to a dog

La curpa era di un frati             The fault was of one brother

Lu pulizìa c’un palìcu                He cleans it with a tooth-pick

Va sempri nni un cucìnu        He goes always to one cousin

Contracted:

Ci lu dugnu ôn cani                           I give it to a dog

La curpa era dûn frati             The fault was of one brother

Lu pulizìa cûn palìcu             He cleans it with a tooth-pick

Va sempri nnôn cucìnu          He goes always to one cousin

If a preposition is followed by an indefinite article and refers to a feminine noun, it does not make any contractions:

Appartinèva tuttu a na soru   Everything belonged to a sister

Tutti li vesti èranu di na fìgghia  All the dresses belonged to one daughter               

Si sciarriàvanu sulu cu na zia They argued only with an aunt

Chi si pô fari pi na matri?       What can one do for a mother?