Using Adjectives
In Italian
S
What is agreement?
S Adjectives must agree with the noun they modify in number
(singular or plural ) and gender (masculine or feminine)
S Adjectives change their ending to agree with the noun
S NORMALLY, dictionaries give the masculine, singular form
of the adjective and it is UP TO YOU to change it, if
necessary.
Adjectives ending in “-o”
S These adjectives have four forms:
SINGULAR
 Masculine, ends in “–o”
 Mario è italiano.
PLURAL
 Masculine, ends in “–i”
Mario e Luigi sono italiani.
 Masculine, ends in “–a”
 Feminine, ends in “-e”
 Francesca è italiana.
Le ragazze sono italiane.
Adjectives ending in “-ca, -ga,
go”
S
*These adjectives usually take an “h” in the plural:
SINGULAR
PLURAL
 simpatica
 simpatiche
 lungo
 lunghi
 lunga
lunghe
 dinamica
 dinamiche
 But………
Ma……….
 Stanco
 stanchi
 Simpatico
 simpatici ( no “h”)
Adjectives ending in
“-ista”
S These adjectives have three forms:
S Singular
S Masculine and feminine,
ends in “-ista”
Mario è ottimista.
Francesca e ottimista.
Plural
 Masculine, ends in “isti”
Mario e Luigi sono ottimista.
 Feminine, ends in “iste”
Le ragazze sono ottimiste.
Adjectives ending in “-e”
S These adjectives have only tow forms, one for singular and one for
plural. Genders DO NOT matter with these adjectives.
S Singular
Plural
Masculine and feminine, Masculine and feminine, ends
Ends in “–e”
in “-i”
Mario è felice
Mario e Luigi sono felici.
Francesca è felice.
Le ragazze sono felici.
Tocca a te!
S Mrs. Renzi is elegant.  Signora Renzi è elegante
S Carolinas brothers are funny.  I fratelli di Carolina
sono buffi.
S Paolo and I are generous.  Paolo ed Io siamo
generosi.
S The book is boring.  Il libro è noiso.
S The books are boring.  I libri sono noisi.
What is adjective placement?
S In English, adjectives
 In italian adjectives, are
are placed BEFORE
uaually placed AFTER
the noun;
the noun;
Ex: An easy test
Ex: un esame facile
Some common Italian adjectives
are placed before the noun, as in
English.
S Una bella casa  A beautiful
S **You have to memorize the
adjectives that come before the
noun!**
Some adjectives which precede
nouns include…..
 altro (rather)
 questo (this)
 molto (very)
 stesso (the same)
 poco (little)
 vero (real)
 quanto (how many)
all numbers
More adjectives which normally
precede nouns….
S Adjectives of beauty:
S bello, brutto
S Adjectives of age:
S giovane, nuovo, vecchio
S Adjectives of goodness:
S bravo, buono, caro, cattivo, vero
S Adjectives of size:
S grande, piccolo
The Adjective “caro”
S “Caro” has different meanings, depending on its
placement
S Before the noun, it means “dear”
S Ex: Caro Francesco  Dear Francesco
una cara nonna  a caring grandmother
S After the noun, it means expensive:
S Ex: una macchina cara  an expensive car
Adjectives of Beauty, Age,
Goodness and Size can be
placed AFTER the noun for
EMPHASIS
S Compro una nuova macchine  I am buying a
new car. (needing a new car, time to change
cars)
S Compro una macchina nuova.  I am buying
a new car. (putting emphasis on the word
nuova, meaning buying something brand new.
FINE!!!!