Punto di partenza
Adjectives are words that describe people, places, and
things. In Italian, adjectives are often used with the verb
essere to point out the qualities of the subject.
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Many adjectives in Italian are cognates. Their spellings
and meanings are similar in both Italian and English.
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Although both buono and bravo mean good, use
bravo to describe someone who is skilled or talented.
La mensa è buona.
The cafeteria is good.
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L’insegnante d’italiano è brava.
The Italian teacher is good.
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Unlike in English, most adjectives in Italian follow
the noun.
È un libro noioso.
It is a boring book.
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Sono ragazzi studiosi.
They are studious boys.
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Agreement
Italian adjectives agree in gender and number with the
nouns they modify. In Strutture 1A.1 you learned how to
make nouns plural; adjectives change their final vowel in a
similar way.
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Adjectives whose masculine singular form ends in -o
have four possible endings: -o (masc.) and -a (fem.) in
the singular, and –i (masc.) and -e (fem.) in the plural.
To refer to groups of mixed gender, use the masculine
plural ending -i.
Giorgio è contento.
Giorgio is happy.
Giorgio e Laura sono contenti.
Giorgio and Laura are happy.
Silvia è contenta.
Silvia is happy.
Silvia e Laura sono contente.
Silvia and Laura are happy.
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Adjectives that end in -e in the singular change to -i in
the plural.
Lucia è intelligente.
Lucia is intelligent.
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Lucia e Roberto sono intelligenti.
Lucia and Roberto are intelligent.
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Most adjectives ending in -co, -ca, -go, and -ga require
an h in the plural to maintain the hard sound of the c or
g. Exceptions include the masculine plural adjectives
simpatici and antipatici.
È simpatica.
She is nice.
Le ragazze sono simpatiche.
The girls are nice.
È un amico tedesco.
He is a German friend.
Sono amici tedeschi.
They are German friends.
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Adjectives of nationality also follow the rules of
agreement described above. Unlike in English,
they are not capitalized.
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Use Di dove + essere to ask about someone’s
nationality or origin. To name a city in the reply, use di.
Di dove sei?
Where are you from?
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Sono italiana. Sono di Roma.
I am Italian. I am from Rome.
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Write the correct forms of the adjectives.
generosi/e
1. Loro sono _________.
(generoso)
4. lo non sono ________.
(pigro)
2. Lisa è ________.
(simpatico)
5. Gli esami sono________.
(facile)
3. Hiroshi è _________.
(giapponese)
6. Silvia è __________.
(tedesco)
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