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Italian Phrase

Ho preso un A al quiz.

/o ˈpre.zo un a al ˈkwits/
Meaning"I got an A on the quiz."
💡

Meaning

Literally, 'I have taken an A on the quiz.' It is the way Italians (especially in university or English‑language courses) announce that they earned the top grade on a recent test.

🎯

When to use

Use this sentence right after you receive the result of a quiz, test, or short exam and want to share your success with friends, classmates, or teachers.

✦Grammar Breakdown

HopresounAalquiz

1

Present Perfect (Passato Prossimo)

Use the auxiliary verb 'avere' (ho) + past participle (preso) to talk about a completed action in the recent past.

2

Past Participle Agreement

With 'avere' the past participle does NOT agree with the subject; it stays in its base form (preso).

3

Indefinite Article with Letters

Letters are treated as masculine nouns, so you say 'un A' (not 'una A').

4

Contraction 'al'

The preposition 'a' + definite article 'il' contracts to 'al' before masculine singular nouns.

5

Borrowed Noun 'quiz'

The English word 'quiz' is used in Italian unchanged and takes the masculine article 'il'.

🗨In Conversation

A

Ho preso un A al quiz.

I got an A on the quiz.

Complimenti! Sei stato molto preparato.

Congratulations! You were very well prepared.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Sono preso un A al quiz.

    The verb 'prendere' uses 'avere' as its auxiliary, not 'essere'.

  • Ho preso una A al quiz.

    Letter names are masculine in Italian, so the correct article is 'un'.

  • Ho preso un A a il quiz.

    If you want to stress the subject of the quiz, you can also say 'nel quiz', but 'al quiz' is the most natural.

↔Alternatives

  • Ho ottenuto un A al quiz.

    I obtained an A on the quiz.

  • Ho ricevuto un A nel quiz.

    I received an A in the quiz.

  • Mi è stato dato un A al quiz.

    I was given an A on the quiz.

it

Cultural Tip

In most Italian public schools grades are given on a 0‑10 scale, but in many private schools, universities, and especially in English‑language courses, the Anglo‑American letter system (A, B, C…) is common. Saying 'un A' signals an excellent performance and is often followed by a modest 'grazie' or a quick 'complimenti' from the listener.