📝 In Action
Italia es un país muy hermoso con mucha historia.
A1Italy is a very beautiful country with a lot of history.
Mi abuela nació en Italia y habla italiano perfectamente.
A1My grandmother was born in Italy and speaks Italian perfectly.
¿Conoces la capital de Italia?
A2Do you know the capital of Italy?
💡 Grammar Points
A Proper Noun
This word is the name of a country, so it is always capitalized in Spanish, just like in English.
It's Feminine!
Even though you usually don't need 'the' (el/la) before country names, 'Italia' is considered feminine. If you ever use an adjective with it, make sure the adjective ends in 'a' (e.g., 'la bella Italia').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Article (Usually)
Mistake: "Voy a la Italia."
Correction: Voy a Italia. (I go to Italy). Most country names don't need 'el' or 'la' unless you are describing them or using them with certain prepositions.
⭐ Usage Tips
Related Words
To talk about the language or nationality, you use 'italiano' (Italian, masculine) or 'italiana' (Italian, feminine). The country itself is always 'Italia'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: italia
Question 1 of 2
Which word is used to describe a person from Italia?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to use 'la' before 'Italia'?
Generally, no. When talking about traveling to or being in the country, you simply say 'Voy a Italia' (I go to Italy). You only need 'la' if you are using an adjective to describe it, like 'la Italia antigua' (the ancient Italy).
Is 'Italia' spelled with a capital 'I'?
Yes. Since it is the name of a specific place (a proper noun), it must always be capitalized, just like in English.