negli

Negli is a contracted form of the Italian preposition in plus the definite article gli, used before masculine plural nouns to mean “in the” or “in those.” It is part of the system of contracted prepositions known as preposizioni articolate, which fuse a preposition with a definite article.

Usage and context: Negli is used with masculine plural nouns that take the article gli. It appears in expressions of place and time, including proper nouns and generic terms. Examples include negli Stati Uniti (in the United States), negli ospedali (in the hospitals), and negli ultimi giorni (in the last days). It is not used with feminine nouns (where nelle is used) or with singular forms of the article (where nel, nello, nell’ are used instead).

Distinguishing forms: The Italian language has several contracted combinations for in + articles: nel (in + il), nello (in + lo), nell’ (in + l’), nei (in + i), nelle (in + le), and negli (in + gli). Each form controls agreement with the gender and number of the noun that follows, ensuring grammatical coherence in sentences.

Common usage notes: Negli is particularly frequent in written and spoken Italian when referring to plural nouns that require the article gli. It helps create fluid, concise phrases, especially in time expressions ("negli anni '80") and regional or national references ("negli Stati membri"). Its use is standard across formal and informal registers.

See also: Preposizioni articolate; Italian grammar on contracted prepositions.