How to use PROPRIO in Italian

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The word "proprio" in Italian is a versatile term that can be used in various contexts to convey different meanings. 

Here are some common ways to use "proprio" in Italian

1. With the meaning of really / just . It is used to intensify what you are saying.

• È proprio bello!" (It's really beautiful!)
• Quello studente è proprio bravo! (That student is really good!)
• Sei proprio tu? (Is it really you?)
• Questo film è proprio brutto! (This movie is really bad!)

The translation to the English word just is especially true when it is paired with adverbs of time like adesso, ora or a numeral adjective that indicates time.

For example:

• Ho finito di parlare con Nadia proprio adesso – (I just now finished talking to Nadia) 
• Giacomo è uscito di casa proprio 5 minuti fa – (Giacomo left the house just 5 minutes ago)
  
  

2. To indicate possession or ownership, (it can be used as a possessive adjective) 

In this case you have to be careful because when it becomes a possessive adjective proprio will change its endings! They will need to match gender and number so you can have proprio, propria, proprie, propri, depending on the noun that it is referring to.

When proprio used in the third person it is considered just like suo/sua/suoi/sue and loro. The meaning doesn’t change so you can decide what to use:

• Paola lava la propria tazza nel lavandino 
• Paola lava la sua tazza nel lavandino 

 (Paola washes her own cup in the sink)

• Erica porta i propri figli a scuola 
• Erica porta i suoi figli a scuola her kids

 (Erica brings her own children to school)

You will also use it with impersonal sentences (those sentences where the subject is not specified)

• Ognuno deve pensare al proprio lavoro! (Everyone needs to think at their own job)
• Ogni studente deve fare il proprio compito! (Every students has to do his own homework)

Another example of ownership or possession and in this case I would say that proprio can also intensify the ideas of possession when with it in a sentence with a possessive adjective.

• Vive nella sua propria casa – in his own house

The word "propria" in this case is used to give extra emphasis that the house belongs directly to the speaker, highlighting the concept of ownership.

3. To say that something is exact, precise or to confirm in terms of accuracy a content.

• Hai proprio capito bene." (You've understood it correctly.)
• È successo proprio come dici tu! It happened exactly how you said!
• You can also use proprio to translate actually or indeed
• Ha proprio ragione." (He/she is absolutely right.)
  
  

4. You can also use the word proprio in negative sentences. In this case the word is a negative intensifier meaning which can translate to “at all”

• Oggi non mi sento proprio bene! (I don’t feel well at all!)
• Non voglio proprio andare! (I don’t want to go at all!)
• Non mi piace proprio! (I don’t like it at all!)

BONUS INFO:

You can also use proprio with the preposition IN

IN PROPRIO.

• Paola lavora in proprio (Paola is self-employed)
• Noemi si è messa in proprio (Noemi started her own business)