3.11: Indefiniti
- Page ID
- 289002
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Aggettivi e pronomi indefiniti
Indefinite adjectives and pronouns describe quantity or quality without referring to any particular person or thing. Some are only adjectives or pronouns; others can be both. The following are the most common indefinite adjectives and pronouns.
Aggettivi indefiniti
Italian adjectives that express each, every, and all:
| ogni and tutto/a/i/e | |
| ogni (invariable) + singular noun | Faccio i compiti ogni giorno. I do my homework every day. Vado al supermercato ogni settimana. I go to the supermarket every week. |
| tutto/a/i/e + definite article (il, lo, l’, la, i, gli, le) + noun tutto/a/i/e agrees with the noun.
| Studio tutto il giorno. I study all day. Studio tutti i giorni. I study every day. Lavoro tutta la settimana. I work all week. Vado al supermercato tutte le settimane. I go to the supermarket every week. Tutti gli studenti hanno letto il libro. All the students have read the book. |
Italian adjectives that express some, any and any sort of:
| qualche and qualsiasi/qualunque | |
| qualche (invariable) + singular noun | Qualche negozio è chiuso il lunedì. Some stores are closed on Mondays. Mi ha dato qualche buona ricetta. He/she gave me some good recipes. |
| qualsiasi (invariable) + singular noun qualunque (invariable) + singular noun | Qualsiasi giorno va bene per me. Any day works for me. Possiamo trovarci in qualunque ristorante. We can meet in any restaurant. |
Pronomi indefiniti
chiunque, niente (nulla), ognuno/a, qualcuno, qualcosa | ||
| anyone / whoever | chiunque (masculine) | Chiunque può farlo. Anyone can do it. Si fida di chiunque. He/she trusts anyone. |
| nothing / not anything | *niente / nulla (masculine) | Non vuole mangiare niente. He/she doesn’t want to eat anything. Nulla è andato bene. Nothing went right. |
| everybody / everyone | ognuno/a + singular verb (lui/lei form) (masculine/feminine) | Ognuno ha bisogno di aiuto. Everyone needs help. Ci sono molte ragazze alla festa. Ognuna ha il ragazzo. There are many girls at the party. Everyone has a boyfriend. |
| somebody / someone | qualcuno (masculine) | C’è qualcuno alla porta. There is somebody at the door. Qualcuno è andato ad aprire. Someone went to open. |
| something / anything | *qualcosa (masculine) | È successo qualcosa. Something happened. Qualcosa gli ha fatto male. Something made him sick. |
*NOTE these common expressions:
qualcosa/niente di… & qualcosa/niente da… | |
| Qualcosa/niente di + masculine singular adjective
| Voglio qualcosa di buono. I want something good. Non c’è niente/nulla di buono. There is nothing good. |
| qualcosa da + verb | Voglio qualcosa da mangiare. I want something to eat. Hai qualcosa da bere? Do you have anything to drink? |
Aggettivi/pronomi
Common indefinites that can be used as both adjectives and pronouns | |
| alcuni/e (plural only) (some, a few)
| Alcuni amici giocano a calcio. Some friends play soccer. Alcuni giocano a calcio. Some play soccer. Ha invitato alcune ragazze. He/she invited some girls. Alcune non sono andate. Some didn’t go. |
| altro (something/anything else) altri/e (others) altro/a/i/e (other) | Hai bisogno di altro? Do you need anything else? Gli altri sono partiti. The others left. Ho comprato altre scarpe. I bought other shoes. |
| ciascuno/a (singular only) (each, each one) | Parlo con ciascuno studente. I talk to each student. Parlo con ciascuno. I talk to each one. |
| *molto/a/i/e (much, many, a lot of) *tanto/a/i/e (so much, so many) | Mangio molta pasta. I eat a lot of pasta. Tanti amano il gelato. So many love icecream. |
| *poco/a, pochi/e (little, few) | Bevo poche bibite. I drink few soft drinks. Poche ballavano. Few [girls] were dancing. |
| *quanto/a/i/e (how much, how many) | Quanti ospiti c’erano? How many guests were there? Quanti c’erano? How many were there? |
| *troppo/a/i/e (too much, too many) | Ci sono troppe persone. There are too many people. Sono in troppi. There are too many of them. |
| tutto (everything) tutti/e (everyone) **tutto/a/i/e + definite article (every, all, whole) | Tutto è buono. Everything is good. Tutti sono contenti. Everyone is happy. Tutta la cena è un successo. The whole dinner is a success. |
*molto, poco, quanto, tanto, troppo are invariable when they are used as adverbs:
La cena è molto buona. The dinner is very good.
**tutto takes a definite article when used as an adjective; the expression tutt’e due (both), tutt’e tre (all three), etc., also take an article when followed by a noun:
Amo tutto il gelato. I love all icecream. Tutt’e due i gusti sono buoni. Both flavors are good.