A1 Collocation तटस्थ

in ufficio

At the office

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'in ufficio' to say you are physically at your workplace or heading to your desk.

  • Means: Being physically present at a place of business or administration.
  • Used in: Daily status updates, scheduling meetings, and explaining your location.
  • Don't confuse: Avoid using 'a ufficio'; Italian uses 'in' for most buildings.
🏢 (Building) + 💼 (Work) = 👨‍💻 (In ufficio)

Explanation at your level:

In Italian, 'in ufficio' means 'at the office'. We use the word 'in' and the word 'ufficio'. We do not say 'the' (il/lo). It is very simple. You use it to say where you are or where you are going. For example: 'I am in the office' is 'Sono in ufficio'.
At the A2 level, you should know that 'in ufficio' is a fixed expression. You use it with verbs of movement like 'andare' (to go) and verbs of state like 'essere' (to be). Remember that if you describe the office with an adjective, like 'the big office', you must use the article: 'nell'ufficio grande'.
Intermediate learners should distinguish between 'in ufficio' and 'al lavoro'. While 'in ufficio' specifies the type of building, 'al lavoro' focuses on the activity of working. You will also encounter this phrase in professional correspondence, such as 'Ci vediamo in ufficio per discutere il progetto', where it sets a formal yet standard tone for collaboration.
At this level, you should appreciate the nuances of prepositional usage. 'In ufficio' follows the rule for many public or semi-public buildings in Italian that drop the article in the singular. However, in the plural, the article returns: 'negli uffici'. You should also be comfortable using the phrase in complex hypothetical sentences, such as 'Se fossi rimasto in ufficio, avrei finito il report'.
Advanced learners should analyze 'in ufficio' within the broader context of Italian locative expressions. The omission of the article reflects a high degree of 'lexicalization', where the preposition and noun function almost as a single adverbial unit of place. This contrasts with more specific locatives where the article provides a 'definite' or 'referential' anchor to a specific, known office space.
Mastery involves understanding the sociolinguistic implications of 'in ufficio' versus its alternatives like 'in sede' or 'in studio'. A C2 speaker recognizes that 'in ufficio' can carry a connotation of traditional bureaucracy, whereas 'in sede' might be preferred in corporate logistics. One must also master the prosody and stress patterns when this phrase is embedded in rapid, idiomatic discourse or used metonymically to represent the entire administrative arm of an organization.

मतलब

At work.

🌍

सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि

The 'Pausa Caffè' is a fundamental part of being 'in ufficio'. It's not just about caffeine; it's where networking and informal decisions happen. In Milan, 'in ufficio' often implies a faster pace. The phrase 'andare a fatturare' (going to invoice/make money) is a common humorous way to describe going to the office. The 'pausa pranzo' (lunch break) might be longer, and being 'in ufficio' might involve a more relaxed social atmosphere compared to the North. The 'posto fisso' (permanent job) in a government 'ufficio' is a classic Italian dream, famously satirized in the movie 'Quo Vado?'.

💡

Drop the Article

Always remember: it's 'in ufficio', not 'in l'ufficio'. This is the most common beginner mistake!

💬

The Coffee Rule

If someone says they are 'in ufficio' but can't talk, they are likely in a meeting or at the coffee machine.

मतलब

At work.

💡

Drop the Article

Always remember: it's 'in ufficio', not 'in l'ufficio'. This is the most common beginner mistake!

💬

The Coffee Rule

If someone says they are 'in ufficio' but can't talk, they are likely in a meeting or at the coffee machine.

⚠️

False Friend

Don't say 'in officina' unless you are fixing a car!

खुद को परखो

Fill in the missing preposition.

Oggi non vado ___ ufficio.

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: in

The standard preposition for 'ufficio' is 'in'.

Choose the most natural sentence.

How do you say 'I am at the office'?

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: Sono in ufficio.

Italian drops the article in this common locative expression.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Dove sei? B: ________. Sto lavorando.

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: Sono in ufficio

The question asks 'Where are you?', so you need the verb 'essere' (to be).

Match the sentence to the situation.

You are leaving your house to go to work. What do you say?

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: Vado in ufficio.

'Vado' means 'I go' or 'I am going'.

🎉 स्कोर: /4

विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स

Common 'In' Locations

🚫

No Article

  • • in ufficio
  • • in banca
  • • in centro
  • • in chiesa

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल

10 सवाल

In Italian, common destinations like 'ufficio', 'banca', and 'chiesa' drop the article when used generally. You only use 'nell'ufficio' if you are talking about a specific one (e.g., 'the office of the director').

No, 'in ufficio' strictly refers to the physical building. Use 'lavoro da casa' or 'sono in smart working' for remote work.

'Al lavoro' is more general. You can be 'al lavoro' at a construction site, but you are only 'in ufficio' if you are in an office building.

Use the verb 'andare': 'Vado in ufficio'.

If you are talking about multiple offices, you say 'negli uffici'. Note that the article returns in the plural!

It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or with your best friend.

It means 'out of office'. You often see this in automated email replies ('Risposta automatica: fuori ufficio').

Yes, but it's very literal, meaning 'inside the room'. 'In ufficio' is the standard way to say you are at work.

Always 'in' for ufficio. 'A' is for 'a casa', 'a scuola', 'a teatro'.

Then you should say 'sono in studio'. This is common for lawyers and doctors.

संबंधित मुहावरे

🔗

al lavoro

similar

at work

🔗

in sede

specialized form

on-site / at headquarters

🔗

fuori ufficio

contrast

out of the office

🔗

smart working

contrast

remote work

🔗

capo ufficio

builds on

office manager / boss

कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें

📞

Answering a phone call from home

Mamma: Ciao caro, dove sei?

Figlio: Ciao mamma, sono in ufficio. Ti chiamo dopo!

informal
🗓️

Talking to a colleague about the schedule

Luca: Domani lavori da casa?

Sara: No, domani vado in ufficio.

neutral
🍝

Meeting a friend for lunch

Giulia: Passi a prendermi?

Marco: Sì, sono già in ufficio, arrivo tra poco.

informal
🤨

A boss checking on an employee

Direttore: Signor Rossi, è già in ufficio?

Rossi: Sì, Direttore, sono arrivato alle otto.

formal
📵

Explaining why you missed a call

Amico: Ti ho chiamato tre volte!

Tu: Scusa, ero in ufficio e il telefono era silenzioso.

neutral
🍕

Ordering food delivery to work

Rider: Dove devo consegnare la pizza?

Cliente: Sono in ufficio, al secondo piano.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of being 'IN' the 'U-shaped' desk of your 'OFFICE'. IN + UFFICIO.

Visual Association

Imagine a giant Italian espresso machine sitting right in the middle of a modern office desk. The steam from the coffee forms the word 'IN'.

Rhyme

In ufficio, senza pigrizia, faccio il mio lavoro con perizia! (In the office, without laziness, I do my work with skill!)

Story

Marco wakes up and realizes he is late. He skips breakfast and runs to the city center. He enters a tall glass building. He tells the security guard, 'Sono in ufficio!' and heads to his desk to start his day.

Word Web

lavoroscrivaniacolleghicapocomputerpausa caffèriunioneimpiegato

चैलेंज

Try to use 'in ufficio' in three different text messages today: one to say you've arrived, one to say you're busy, and one to say when you're leaving.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

en la oficina

Italian omits the article 'la'.

French moderate

au bureau

French uses 'à' while Italian uses 'in'.

German moderate

im Büro

German contracts the article into the preposition.

Japanese low

事務所に (jimusho ni)

Word order is reversed (Noun + Particle).

Arabic moderate

في المكتب (fi al-maktab)

Arabic requires the definite article.

Chinese high

在办公室 (zài bàngōngshì)

Grammatically very similar due to lack of articles.

Korean low

사무실에 (samusire)

Postpositional structure.

Portuguese moderate

no escritório

Different noun root and mandatory article.

Easily Confused

in ufficio बनाम in officina

Sounds very similar to 'ufficio'.

Remember: 'Ufficio' is for desks/computers; 'Officina' is for cars/tools.

in ufficio बनाम nello studio

Both mean a place of work.

Use 'studio' for professionals like lawyers or doctors; 'ufficio' for general business.

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (10)

In Italian, common destinations like 'ufficio', 'banca', and 'chiesa' drop the article when used generally. You only use 'nell'ufficio' if you are talking about a specific one (e.g., 'the office of the director').

No, 'in ufficio' strictly refers to the physical building. Use 'lavoro da casa' or 'sono in smart working' for remote work.

'Al lavoro' is more general. You can be 'al lavoro' at a construction site, but you are only 'in ufficio' if you are in an office building.

Use the verb 'andare': 'Vado in ufficio'.

If you are talking about multiple offices, you say 'negli uffici'. Note that the article returns in the plural!

It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or with your best friend.

It means 'out of office'. You often see this in automated email replies ('Risposta automatica: fuori ufficio').

Yes, but it's very literal, meaning 'inside the room'. 'In ufficio' is the standard way to say you are at work.

Always 'in' for ufficio. 'A' is for 'a casa', 'a scuola', 'a teatro'.

Then you should say 'sono in studio'. This is common for lawyers and doctors.

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