Punto di partenza
You have already learned some descriptive adjectives in
Lezione 1B, and in Lezione 3A you learned to use
possessive adjectives. Descriptive adjectives generally
follow the nouns they modify.
NOUN
DESCRIPTIVE
ADJECTIVE
Lo studente pigro non studia molto.
The lazy student doesn’t study a lot.
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3B.1-1
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Here are more adjectives that you can use to describe
people.
Roberto è muscoloso.
Roberto is muscular.
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I bambini sono furbi.
The children are sly.
3B.1-2
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To describe a person who is neither alto nor basso,
use the phrase di media statura (of average height).
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3B.1-3
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You have already learned that adjectives ending in -o
have four forms, and those ending in -e have only two
forms. Adjectives ending in -ista have three forms: one
for all singular nouns, and different forms for masculine
plural and feminine plural nouns.
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3B.1-4
Le donne ottimiste non escono mai con gli uomini pessimisti.
Optimistic women never go out with pessimistic men.
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3B.1-5
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To describe the color of a person’s eyes or hair, use
avere + gli occhi/i capelli + [adjective].
Non ho i capelli mossi.
I don’t have wavy hair.
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
I miei fi gli hanno gli occhi azzurri.
My children have blue eyes.
3B.1-6
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The Italian equivalent of the English expression with
(red, blonde, etc.) hair is dai capelli (rossi, biondi ecc.).
Vedi la ragazza dai capelli castani?
Do you see the girl with brown hair (the brown-haired girl)?
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
3B.1-7
Position of adjectives
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Certain adjectives, such as bello, brutto, buono,
cattivo, nuovo, vecchio, giovane, grande, and
piccolo, often precede the noun. In this position,
buono and bello have special forms.
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3B.1-8
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Note that the pattern of singular endings of buono
resembles the pattern of the indefinite article, and the
pattern of bello resembles that of the definite article.
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
3B.1-9
Provide all forms of each adjective.
1. muscoloso
muscoloso, muscolosa,
muscolosi, muscolose
___________
5. piccolo ___________
2. blu ___________
6. triste ___________
3. contento ___________
7. sportivo ___________
4. intelligente ___________
8. pessimista ___________
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
3B.1-10