Italian adjectives


Adjectives are words used to describe or modify a noun. In Italian adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to. So if a noun is masculine, the adjective must be masculine as well.

The gender of an adjective, like that of a noun, is determined by its ending.
An adjective ending with -is masculine (buono = good), while an adjective ending with -is feminine (buona = good). But there are also a number of adjectives that end with
-(intelligente = intelligent). These have the same form for masculine and feminine.

  • un ragazzo alto (a tall boy)
  • una ragazza alta (a tall girl)
  • un tavolo grande (a big table)
  • una stanza grande (a big room)

Adjectives agree also in number. This means that a plural noun require a plural adjective.

To make the plural of an adjective you need to change the ending.
Masculine adjectives ending with -in the plural form change this vowel with -IFeminine adjectives, instead, change the final vowel -with -E.
Adjectives ending with -form the plural with –I either if they are masculine or feminine.

  • un cantante famoso (a famous singer)
  • dei cantanti famosi (famous singers)

  • una ragazza carina (a pretty girl)
  • delle ragazze carine (pretty girls)

  • un signore elegante (an elegant man)
  • dei signori eleganti (elegant men)

  • una signora elegante (an elegant woman)
  • delle signore eleganti (elegant women)