1.4: Aggettivi
- Page ID
- 288971
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In Italian an adjective agrees in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) with the noun it modifies. Adjectives can be divided into three groups:
- The masculine singular ends in -o → 4 endings (-o, -a, -i, -e)
- The masculine singular ends in -e → 2 endings (-e, -i)
- The masculine singular ends in -a → 3 endings (-a, -i, -e)
| singolare | plurale | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| maschile | -o | -i | ragazzo alto (tall boy) --> ragazzi alti |
| femminile | -a | -e | ragazza alta (tall girl) --> ragazze alte |
| maschile/femminile | -e | -i | ragazzo gentile (kind) --> ragazzi gentili ragazza gentile --> ragazze gentili |
| maschile/femminile | -a* | m.: -i f.: -e | ragazzo egoista (selfish) --> ragazzi egoisti ragazza egoista --> ragazze egoiste |
*There are only a few adjectives in this group, but they are frequently used. The most common are: comunista, egoista, fascista, femminista, socialista, ottimista, pessimista.
- Certain adjectives change their spelling in the plural. These changes follow the same patterns that the names do. In some cases, spelling changes depend on where the stress falls in the word:
- Adjectives ending in –ca/ga/go
| singolare | plurale | |
|---|---|---|
| -ca | -che | bianca (white) --> bianche |
| -ga | -ghe | lunga (long) --> lunghe |
| -go | -ghi | lungo (long) --> lunghi |
- Adjectives ending in –co
| singolare | plurale | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| The stress is right before -co* | -co | -chi | ricco (rich) --> ricchi |
| The stress is two syllables before -co | -co | -ci | simpatico (nice) --> simpatici |
* exception: greco (Greek) → greci
- Adjectives ending in –io, –ia
| singolare | plurale | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| stressed -i- | -io -ia | -ii -ie | natio (native) --> natii natia (native) --> natie |
| unstressed -i- | -io -ia | -i -e | riccio (curly) --> ricci riccia (curly) --> ricce |
- Some adjectives have only one form. They are called invariable (abbreviated to inv. in the dictionary).
- A few adjectives such as ogni (every), qualsiasi (any), and qualche (some) have only one form and are used only with singular nouns:
ogni uomo e ogni donna every man and woman qualche bambino e qualche bambina some boys and girls
- Some adjectives of color that derive from nouns are invariable. They include: lilla (lilac), rosa (pink), viola (purple). The monosyllabic adjective blu (blue) is also invariable.
un vestito rosa e un vestito nero a pink dress and a black dress stivali viola e stivali rossi purple boots and red boots
- Grande can be shortened to gran before nouns (both singular and plural) beginning with a consonant other than s + consonant, z, or ps.
una gran/grande sorpresa un gran/grande pranzo a great/big surprise a great/big lunch gran/grandi signore great ladies
But: un grande zaino una grande scrittrice
a big backpack a great writer
grandi amiche
great friends
NOTE: the invariable form of gran is used as an adverb before an adjective to express the meaning of quite.
una gran brava persona un gran bell’uomo quite a good person quite a handsome man
- If an adjective modifies two or more nouns of different gender, the masculine plural form is used.
I vestiti e le scarpe di marca sono cari. Designer clothes and shoes are expensive.
Posizione dell’aggettivo (position of the adjective)
- Descriptive adjectives generally follow the noun. They always follow the noun when modified by molto (very), abbastanza (fairly) or another adverb.
un bambino biondo una bambina affettuosa a blond boy an affectionate girl un vino rosso una signora molto bella a red wine a very beautiful lady un uomo giovane e bello* bambini antipatici e maleducati* a young handsome man nasty rude children
- A few common descriptive adjectives usually precede the noun: bello, brutto, buono, cattivo, grande, piccolo, giovane, lungo, vecchio.
Vivevamo in una bella casa. Era un cattivo studente. We lived in a beautiful house. He was a bad student.
Era una vecchia amica. Amavo fare lunghe passeggiate. She was an old friend. I loved to take long walks.
- The meaning of some adjectives changes depending on whether they come before or after a noun.
una borsa cara un caro amico an expensive purse a dear friend un uomo povero povero Geppetto! a poor man poor (unfortunate) Geppetto!
una macchina grande una grande/gran* macchina a big car a great car una casa nuova la loro nuova casa a new house their new (latest) home
* see above for the rules on the adjective “grande.”
Conversazione
IRENE: Da bambina ero molto allegra e spensierata, ma a volte anche un po’ capricciosa e disubbidiente!
LUCIA: Io invece ero una bambina abbastanza educata, ubbidiente e studiosa.