Uses of da
Da is primarily used for the following purposes:
- To indicate origin (from), with verbs like venire (to come), arrivare (to return), tornare (to return):
Anna torna da Napoli.
Anna is returning from Naples.
- To indicate movement "to someone's place" or location "at someone's place":
Parto per andare da Carlo.
I'm leaving to go to Carlo's (place).
Mangio da Giuseppe.
I'm eating at Giuseppe's (place).
- To indicate the purpose of an object (for):
Gli occhiali da sole.
Sunglasses ("glasses for sun").
La macchina da scrivere.
Typewriter ("machine for writing").
- To indicate the duration of something that began in the past and continues today (since, for):
Anna abita a Milano da dieci anni.
Anna has lived in Milan for ten years.
- To express what needs to be done or how to do it before a verb in its infinitive form (to):
Ho ancora alcune cose da comprare.
I still have some things to buy.
- After the expression non c’è niente (there is nothing) + da (to) + infinitive:
Non c’è niente da mangiare.
There is nothing to eat.
- In the structure avere (to have) + da (to) + infinitive, to indicate a duty or something that needs to be done:
Ho da fare molte faccende di casa.
I have lots of household chores to do.
- After a passive verb, to say who or what is doing the action (by).
La Gioconda è stata dipinta da Leonardo da Vinci.
The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
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