Italian Phrase
Sì, il prof ci ha dato i compiti.
Meaning
The speaker confirms that the teacher gave the homework to the group. The indirect pronoun 'ci' makes clear that the homework was assigned to 'us'.
When to use
Use this sentence when answering a question like 'Il prof ha dato i compiti?' (Did the teacher give the homework?) or when you want to confirm that the class received an assignment.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Sìil profciha datoi compiti
Sì (affirmation)
Used to answer positively to a yes/no question; it is the Italian equivalent of 'yes'.
il prof (abbreviation)
Colloquial short form of 'il professore' (the teacher). In formal contexts use 'il professore'.
ci (indirect object pronoun)
Indicates the indirect object 'to us' (dative). It replaces 'a noi' before the verb.
ha dato (passato prossimo of dare)
Compound past formed with auxiliary 'avere' + past participle 'dato', meaning 'gave'.
i compiti (plural noun)
Means 'the homework' or 'the assignments'; plural because homework usually consists of several tasks.
🗨In Conversation
Il prof ha dato i compiti?
Did the teacher give the homework?
Sì, il prof ci ha dato i compiti.
Yes, the teacher gave us the homework.
✕Common Mistakes
Sì, il prof lo ha dato i compiti.
‘Lo’ is a direct object pronoun; the sentence needs an indirect pronoun because the homework is given ‘to us’, not ‘it’.
Sì, il prof noi ha dato i compiti.
Placing the full pronoun ‘noi’ before the verb sounds unnatural; Italian prefers the clitic ‘ci’.
Sì, il prof ha dato noi i compiti.
The indirect object pronoun must precede the auxiliary verb, not follow the past participle.
↔Alternatives
Sì, il professore ci ha assegnato i compiti.
Yes, the professor assigned us the homework.
Sì, ci hanno dato i compiti.
Yes, they gave us the homework.
Sì, i compiti ci sono stati dati dal prof.
Yes, the homework was given to us by the teacher.
Cultural Tip
In Italian schools the word 'compiti' usually refers to 'compiti a casa' (homework to be done at home). Using the informal 'prof' is common among students, but in a formal setting you should say 'il professore'. The indirect pronoun 'ci' is often kept even when the context is clear, because it adds a natural rhythm to the sentence.