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Everyday places that skip the article

In English you go to the bank, sit in the kitchen and wait at the station. Italian usually leaves the article out for these everyday destinations and rooms. It says in banca, in cucina and in stazione, not nella banca or nella cucina. A few very common places use a instead: a casa, a scuola, a letto.

English speakers trip over this because English is inconsistent. We say at home and at school with no article, but at the bank and in the kitchen with one. Italian treats a much bigger group of places like English treats home and school.

Word list
aeroportomA1 airport in aeroporto = at/to the airport; or all'aeroporto albergomA1 hotel in albergo = in the hotel; dormire in albergo aulafA1 classroom in aula = in the classroom bagnomA1 bathroom in bagno = in the bathroom bancafA1 bank in banca = in the bank; a specific one: nella banca accanto bibliotecafA1 library in biblioteca = in the library; studiare in biblioteca caffetteriafA1 coffee shop in caffetteria = at the café camerafA1 bedroom in camera = in the bedroom camera da lettofA1 bedroom in camera da letto = in the bedroom casafA1 house a casa = at home / home chiesafA1 church in chiesa = to/at church cittàfA1 city in città = in/into town; vado in città classefA1 classroom in classe = in class cucinafA1 kitchen in cucina = in the kitchen fattoriafA1 farm in fattoria = on a farm; vivere in fattoria = live on a farm giardinomA1 garden in giardino = in the garden hotelmA1 hotel in hotel = in the hotel; alloggiare in hotel lettomA1 bed a letto = in/to bed; sul letto = on the bed montagnafA1 mountain in montagna = in/to the mountains; vado in montagna negoziomA1 store in negozio = in the store; essere in negozio when the shop is understood ospedalemA1 hospital in ospedale = to/in hospital salafA1 room in sala = in the living room / main room salottomA1 living room in salotto = in the living room scuolafA1 school a scuola = to/at school soggiornomA1 living room in soggiorno = in the living room spiaggiafA1 beach in spiaggia = at/to the beach stazionefA1 station in stazione = in the station; or alla stazione stradafA1 street in strada = in the street tavolafA1 table a tavola = at the table; a tavola! = dinner's ready a casaA2 at home a casa = at home; sono a casa = I'm at home andare a casaA2 to go home andare a casa = to go home; vado a casa = I'm going home andare a lettoA2 to go to bed andare a letto = to go to bed; vado a letto presto ascensoremA2 elevator in ascensore = in the lift; salire in ascensore casafA2 home a casa, in casa = at home; not alla casa for your own home cattedralefA2 cathedral in cattedrale = at/to the cathedral; messa in cattedrale cortilemA2 courtyard in cortile = in the courtyard duomomA2 cathedral in duomo = in/to the cathedral fabbricafA2 factory in fabbrica = in the factory; lavorare in fabbrica farmaciafA2 pharmacy in farmacia = in the pharmacy; andare in farmacia garagemA2 garage in garage = in the garage gelateriafA2 ice cream shop in gelateria = in the ice cream shop; andiamo in gelateria in casaA2 at home in casa = at home; stresses being indoors libreriafA2 bookstore in libreria = in the bookstore; comprare un libro in libreria moscheafA2 mosque in moschea = at/to the mosque paesemA2 village in paese = in the village; torno in paese piazzafA2 square in piazza = in the square piscinafA2 swimming pool in piscina = in the swimming pool; andare in piscina postafA2 post office in posta = in the post office; andare in posta = go to the post office restare a casaA2 to stay at home restare a casa = to stay home; resto a casa stasera rimanere a casaA2 to stay at home rimanere a casa = to stay home; rimango a casa sala da pranzofA2 dining room in sala da pranzo = in the dining room stare a casaA2 to stay at home stare a casa = to stay home; sto a casa oggi teatromA2 theater a teatro = to/at the theatre; andiamo a teatro tornare a casaA2 to go home tornare a casa = to go home; torno a casa alle sei ufficiomA2 office in ufficio = to/at the office agenzia di viaggifB1 travel agency in agenzia di viaggi = to the travel agency; andare in agenzia = go to travel agent's andare in campeggioB1 to camp andare in campeggio = to go camping bottegafB1 store in bottega = in the store; lavorare in bottega = work in the shop/workshop carceremB1 prison in carcere = in prison; essere in carcere centromB1 downtown in centro = downtown / into town; vado in centro clinicafB1 clinic in clinica = in the clinic; essere in clinica discotecafB1 nightclub in discoteca = in the nightclub; andare in discoteca fatto in casamB1 homemade fatto in casa = homemade; agrees: torta fatta in casa galleriafB1 tunnel in galleria = in the tunnel; il treno è in galleria = the train is in the tunnel laboratoriomB1 laboratory in laboratorio = in the laboratory; lavorare in laboratorio minierafB1 mine in miniera = in the mine; lavorare in miniera = work down the mine monasteromB1 monastery in monastero = in the monastery; entrare in monastero = enter a monastery municipiomB1 city hall in municipio = in the city hall; andare in municipio = go to the town hall officinafB1 workshop in officina = in the workshop; la macchina è in officina palestrafB1 gym in palestra = in the gym; allenarsi in palestra panetteriafB1 bakery in panetteria = in the bakery; comprare il pane in panetteria parlamentomB1 parliament in parlamento = in parliament; entrare in parlamento portomB1 port in porto = in port; la nave è in porto = the ship is in port prigionefB1 prison in prigione = in prison; essere in prigione tendafB1 tent in tenda = in a tent; dormire in tenda = sleep in a tent terrazzafB1 terrace in terrazza = on the terrace; mangiare in terrazza = eat on the terrace terrazzomB1 terrace in terrazzo = on the terrace/balcony cantinafB2 basement in cantina = in the cellar / basement commissariatomB2 police station in commissariato = to the police station; andare in commissariato = go to police station corridoiomB2 corridor in corridoio = in the corridor; aspetta in corridoio = wait in the corridor mansardafB2 attic in mansarda = in the attic; dormire in mansarda = sleep in the attic room pinacotecafB2 art gallery in pinacoteca = to the art gallery; andare in pinacoteca = go to the art gallery sala d'aspettofB2 waiting room in sala d'aspetto = in the waiting room sala d'attesafB2 waiting room in sala d'attesa = in the waiting room; aspettare in sala d'attesa sinagogafB2 synagogue in sinagoga = at/to synagogue soffittafB2 attic in soffitta = in the attic solaiomB2 attic in solaio = in the attic tribunalemB2 courthouse in tribunale = in/to court borsafC1 stock exchange in Borsa = on the stock exchange; investire in Borsa = invest on the stock exchange cantieremC1 building site in cantiere = on the building site; lavorare in cantiere = work on the building site magazzinomC1 warehouse in magazzino = in the warehouse / in stock pistafC1 runway in pista = on the runway; l'aereo è in pista = the plane is on the runway scuderiafC1 stable in scuderia = in the stable; i cavalli sono in scuderia = the horses are in the stable stallafC1 stable in stalla = in the barn; le mucche sono in stalla = the cows are in the barn manicomiomC2 asylum in manicomio = in the asylum; finire in manicomio = end up in an asylum sala operatoriafC2 operating room in sala operatoria = in the operating theatre senatomC2 senate in Senato = in the Senate serrafC2 greenhouse in serra = in a greenhouse; coltivato in serra = grown in a greenhouse
How it works

The pattern is simply a or in followed by the noun without an article. It works for going somewhere and for being somewhere, so in ufficio means both to the office and at the office.

Only three common places take a: casa, scuola and letto. The others take in. The rule of thumb: when you mean the usual, generic place (your kitchen, your bank, the pharmacy you normally go to), drop the article.

Stasera resto a casa e vado a letto presto.
(Tonight I'm staying home and going to bed early.)
Vado a scuola in autobus.
(I go to school by bus.)
The words
Home and bed

Casa gives many fixed chunks: a casa and in casa (at home), andare a casa and tornare a casa (to go home), restare a casa, rimanere a casa and stare a casa (to stay home), and fatto in casa (homemade). With letto you get a letto and andare a letto.

Questa torta è fatta in casa.
(This cake is homemade.)
Rooms and spaces at home

In cucina, in bagno, in soggiorno, in salotto, in sala, in sala da pranzo, in camera, in camera da letto, in cantina, in soffitta, in garage, in giardino and in cortile.

La mamma è in cucina e il papà è in garage.
(Mum is in the kitchen and Dad is in the garage.)
I bambini giocano in giardino.
(The children are playing in the garden.)
School and work

A scuola, but in classe and in aula for the classroom. For work you say in ufficio, in fabbrica, in laboratorio and in officina.

Lavoro in ufficio dal lunedì al venerdì.
(I work at the office from Monday to Friday.)
Services and shops

In banca, in posta, in farmacia, in biblioteca, in libreria, in panetteria, in gelateria, and in negozio when it's clear which shop you mean.

Domani vado in banca e poi in farmacia.
(Tomorrow I'm going to the bank and then to the pharmacy.)
Institutions, travel and free time

In ospedale, in clinica, in chiesa, in carcere, in prigione, in albergo, in hotel, in stazione, in palestra, in piscina, in discoteca, and andare in campeggio (to go camping). Out in town you also say in piazza and in strada.

Mio padre è in ospedale e mia madre è in banca.
(My father is in hospital and my mother is at the bank.)
Il sabato vado in palestra e la domenica in chiesa.
(On Saturdays I go to the gym and on Sundays to church.)
Ti aspetto in stazione alle otto.
(I'll wait for you at the station at eight.)
Quest'estate andiamo in campeggio.
(This summer we're going camping.)
Watch out
A specific place brings the article back

As soon as you add a detail that picks out one particular place, you need the article combined with the preposition: nella banca accanto, nella cucina di mia nonna, alla stazione di Milano, all'ospedale San Carlo.

Vado nella banca accanto al supermercato.
(I'm going to the bank next to the supermarket.)
Not every place follows the pattern

Many common places always take a plus the article: al bar, al cinema, al ristorante, al supermercato, al museo, al mare. Learn these as chunks, and don't guess from the English.

Stasera andiamo al cinema.
(Tonight we're going to the cinema.)
Small variations

For the station, both in stazione and alla stazione are common. A letto means in bed or to bed, but lying on top of it is sul letto. For home, a casa is the everyday choice, while in casa stresses being indoors.

Summary

For everyday places and rooms used in their usual, generic sense, Italian puts no article after the preposition: a casa, a scuola, a letto, and in plus the noun without an article for most others (in banca, in cucina, in ufficio). Add the article only when you point to one particular place (nella banca accanto), and memorise the exceptions like al bar and al cinema as fixed chunks.