A1 Collocation 中性

a terra

On the ground

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'a terra' to describe being physically on the floor, emotionally exhausted, or when your phone battery is completely dead.

Means: On the ground, exhausted, or out of power.
Used in: Describing tiredness, dead batteries, or dropped objects.
Don't confuse: 'A terra' (state) with 'Per terra' (location of an action).

Person/Object + ⬇️ + Floor = A terra

Explanation at your level:

In A1, 'a terra' is a simple way to say where something is. It means 'on the floor'. You use it with 'essere' (to be). For example, 'Il libro è a terra'. You can also use it to say you are very, very tired. It is a fixed phrase, so it never changes.

At the A2 level, you learn that 'a terra' isn't just for books on the floor. It's the standard way to talk about a dead battery. If your car won't start, you say 'La batteria è a terra'. You also start using it for feelings, like when you are sad or exhausted after a long day of travel.

By B1, you should distinguish between 'a terra' and 'per terra'. Use 'a terra' for a state of being (the battery is dead, I am exhausted) and 'per terra' for the location of an action (I fell on the floor). You also understand it in more varied contexts, like sports or simple news stories about grounded flights.

At B2, you recognize 'a terra' as an idiomatic expression that conveys a total lack of resources—be it energy, power, or morale. You can use it in professional contexts to describe a project that has stalled or a market that has hit rock bottom. You understand the nuance that it implies a 'zero' state rather than just a 'low' state.

C1 learners analyze 'a terra' as part of a wider system of spatial metaphors in Italian. You can compare it to 'sotto terra' (underground/buried) or 'terra terra' (very basic/unrefined). You use it with sophisticated verbs like 'rimanere' or 'ritrovarsi', and you understand its use in literature to signify existential despair or total defeat.

At the C2 level, you master the cognitive linguistics behind 'a terra'. You understand how the preposition 'a' (indicating a point or state) differs from 'in' or 'su' in this context. You can use the phrase ironically or in complex metaphors involving socio-economic 'grounding' and technical 'earthing'. You have a near-native grasp of when the phrase adds the necessary 'color' to a sentence versus when it might be too cliché.

意思

Floor level.

🌍

文化背景

In Italy, the 'piano terra' (ground floor) is the level of the street. Being 'a terra' is physically being at this entry level, which is central to social life in Italian 'piazze'. Italians have a deep connection to cars and scooters. 'La batteria è a terra' is a phrase every Italian learns early, reflecting the practical reality of maintaining vehicles. It is culturally acceptable in Italy to admit you are 'a terra' (down). It is seen as an honest expression of 'stanchezza' (tiredness) rather than a sign of weakness. The word 'terra' (land/soil) is sacred in many Italian regions. While 'a terra' can mean exhausted, 'lavorare la terra' (working the land) is a source of pride.

🎯

The Battery Rule

Always use 'a terra' for car batteries. It makes you sound like a local who knows their way around a garage.

⚠️

No Plurals!

Never say 'a terre'. Even if you are talking about a hundred dead batteries, it stays 'a terra'.

意思

Floor level.

🎯

The Battery Rule

Always use 'a terra' for car batteries. It makes you sound like a local who knows their way around a garage.

⚠️

No Plurals!

Never say 'a terre'. Even if you are talking about a hundred dead batteries, it stays 'a terra'.

💬

Empathy

If a friend says 'sono a terra', don't just say 'ok'. It's a signal they need a coffee or a chat.

自我测试

Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'a terra'.

Dopo la maratona, i corridori sono tutti ___.

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。正确答案： a terra

The phrase 'a terra' is fixed and does not change for plural subjects.

Which sentence correctly describes a dead phone battery?

Il mio telefono non si accende...

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。正确答案： a terra

'A terra' is the idiomatic way to say a battery is completely dead.

Match the meaning of 'a terra' to the situation.

Situation: 'Ho lasciato il libro a terra.'

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。正确答案： Physical Location

In this context, it simply means the book is on the floor.

Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.

A: 'Vuoi venire in discoteca?' B: 'No, scusa, oggi lavoro da 10 ore e ___.'

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。正确答案： sono a terra

We use the verb 'essere' (sono) with 'a terra' to describe our state of exhaustion.

🎉 得分： /4

视觉学习工具

The Three Faces of 'A Terra'

📦

Physical

• Objects on floor
• Sitting down
• Fallen items

🔋

Technical

• Dead phone
• Car battery
• Grounded plane

😫

Emotional

• Exhaustion
• Sadness
• Burnout

常见问题

10 个问题

Yes, it works for any battery-operated device, though 'scarico' is also common for laptops.

'Giù' is more general (down), while 'a terra' is more extreme (at the very bottom).

Yes, it is neutral and can be used with anyone, though it's informal when talking about feelings.

It means both. Italian doesn't distinguish between 'ground' and 'floor' as strictly as English does.

Usually no. You would say 'mi siedo a terra' (I sit on the floor) or 'cado a terra' (I fall on the floor).

Yes, if a player is injured and lying on the field, the commentator will say 'Il giocatore è a terra'.

No, for that you use 'terra' or 'paese', but not the phrase 'a terra'.

Use 'Sono in punizione'. 'Sono a terra' would mean you are exhausted.

Yes, to describe a market that has crashed or a project that isn't moving.

There isn't one direct opposite, but 'al settimo cielo' (on cloud nine) or 'carico' (full of energy) work well.

在哪里用

🏋️

At the Gym

Trainer: Ancora dieci flessioni!

Student: Non ce la faccio, sono a terra!

informal

🚗

Car Trouble

Driver: La macchina non parte.

Mechanic: Forse la batteria è a terra.

neutral

🛍️

In a Shop

Customer: Scusi, questo vestito è a terra.

Clerk: Oh, grazie! Lo raccolgo subito.

neutral

💔

After a Breakup

Friend A: Come sta Luca?

Friend B: È a terra, non esce di casa da giorni.

informal

✈️

At the Airport

Passenger: Perché non partiamo?

Staff: L'aereo deve restare a terra per un controllo.

neutral

📱

Smartphone Problems

Person A: Ti ho chiamato tre volte!

Person B: Scusa, avevo il telefono a terra.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of the letter 'A' as an arrow pointing down to the 'Terra' (Earth).

Visual Association

Imagine a smartphone lying on a dusty Italian floor with 0% battery. Both the phone and the battery are 'a terra'.

Rhyme

Se la batteria è a terra, la tua giornata si ferma.

Story

Marco was hiking in Tuscany. He walked for 10 hours until he was 'a terra' (exhausted). He sat 'a terra' (on the ground) to rest, but then realized his phone was 'a terra' (dead battery).

Word Web

pavimentosuolostancoscaricogiùbatteriacadere

挑战

Try to use 'a terra' in three different ways today: once for an object, once for your energy level, and once for a device.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Por los suelos

Spanish uses the plural 'suelos' while Italian uses singular 'terra'.

French high

À terre / À plat

French prefers 'à plat' for the battery/exhaustion sense.

German moderate

Am Boden zerstört

German requires the word 'zerstört' (destroyed) to convey the emotional depth.

Japanese partial

どん底 (Donzoko)

Japanese focuses on the 'bottom' of a container/well rather than the 'earth'.

Arabic high

على الأرض (Ala al-ard)

Very similar literal and figurative overlap.

Chinese low

筋疲力尽 (Jīnpílìjìn)

Focuses on internal physical state rather than external spatial location.

Korean moderate

바닥이 나다 (Badak-i nada)

Implies running out of something rather than just being located on the floor.

Portuguese high

No chão / De rastos

Portuguese uses 'rastos' to emphasize the inability to stand up.

Easily Confused

a terra 对比 per terra

Learners use them interchangeably, but 'per terra' is more about the surface.

Use 'a terra' for a state (dead battery, tired) and 'per terra' for an action (I fell).

a terra 对比 in terra

Direct translation from 'in the ground'.

In Italian, 'in terra' means inside the soil. Unless you are a worm, use 'a terra'.

常见问题 (10)