A1 Italian GrammarNoun Gender and Number
Understand Italian noun genders (masculine/feminine) and form plurals with the correct endings.
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1Masculine Nouns
Most masculine nouns end in -o. Their plural ends in -i. Some masculine nouns end in -e.
Masculine Patterns
| Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| libro | libri | book(s) |
| ragazzo | ragazzi | boy(s) |
| padre | padri | father(s) |
| problema | problemi | problem(s) |
Examples
Il libro è interessante.
The book is interesting.
-o = masculine
I ragazzi sono alti.
The boys are tall.
-o → -i plural
Il padre lavora.
The father works.
-e masculine
I problemi sono difficili.
The problems are difficult.
-a → -i (m. exception)
2Feminine Nouns
Most feminine nouns end in -a. Their plural ends in -e. Some feminine nouns end in -e (plural -i).
Feminine Patterns
| Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| casa | case | house(s) |
| ragazza | ragazze | girl(s) |
| madre | madri | mother(s) |
| notte | notti | night(s) |
Examples
La casa è grande.
The house is big.
-a = feminine
Le ragazze sono simpatiche.
The girls are nice.
-a → -e plural
La madre cucina.
The mother is cooking.
-e feminine
Le notti sono fredde.
The nights are cold.
-e → -i plural
3Nouns Ending in -e
Nouns ending in -e can be masculine or feminine. Context and the article help identify gender.
-E Nouns
| Noun | Gender | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| il cane | masculine | i cani | dog(s) |
| il ristorante | masculine | i ristoranti | restaurant(s) |
| la chiave | feminine | le chiavi | key(s) |
| la canzone | feminine | le canzoni | song(s) |
Examples
Il cane abbaia.
The dog barks.
cane = masculine
Le chiavi sono qui.
The keys are here.
chiave = feminine
I ristoranti sono pieni.
The restaurants are full.
-e → -i plural
La canzone è bella.
The song is beautiful.
canzone = feminine
4Irregular Plurals
Some nouns have irregular plurals or don't change. Foreign words and abbreviated words often stay the same.
Special Cases
| Singular | Plural | Note |
|---|---|---|
| uomo | uomini | irregular |
| uovo | uova | m. → f. in plural |
| città | città | no change |
| film | film | foreign word |
Examples
L'uomo cammina.
The man walks.
uomo singular
Gli uomini lavorano.
The men work.
irregular plural
Le uova sono fresche.
The eggs are fresh.
uovo → uova (m. → f.)
Le città sono grandi.
The cities are big.
no change in plural
Practice Exercises
3 exercises
'Il libro' is masculine. How do you know?
What is the plural of 'ragazzo' (boy)?
'Il cameriere' ends in -e. Is it masculine or feminine?
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