ILGUR: Italian Language, Grammar and Usage Resource

Some nouns in Italian have two plurals. But often times, these two plurals can have different meanings, depending upon the word.

See the following examples below, note the figurative or alternate meaning and the actual one:

il braccio > i bracci, le braccia
il braccio = arm
*i bracci = arms on a scale, cross, etc
*le braccia = arms of the human body

il budello > i budelli, le budella
il budello = bowel, gut
*i budelli = tubes or alley
*le budella = intestines

il cervello > i cervelli, le cervella
il cervello = brain (as in, the organ)
*i cervelli = wits, brains (fig. meaning, as in smarts, intelligence)
*le cervella = brains, as in the cerebral material itself

il ciglio > i cigli, le ciglia
il ciglio = eyelash
*i cigli = boundaries, borders, edges
*le ciglia = eyelashes

il corno > i corni, le corna
il corno = horn (the instrument or on an animal)
*i corni = horns (the instruments)
*le corna = horns (on an animal)

il dito > i diti, le dita
il dito = finger
*i diti = fingers, when referring to a specific one. i diti pollici = thumbs, i diti indici = index fingers
*le dita = fingers – as in more than one of many different kinds; as in: He lost three fingers in a machining accident.

il filo > i fili, le fila
il filo = thread
*i fili = threads, blades, strands (blades of grass, threads in a stitch, etc.)
*le fila = threads, when the meaning is more figurative (as in: thread of a discussion or argument – as in, the “theme” of something)

il fondamento > i fondamenti, le fondamenta
il fondamento = foundation
*i fondamenti = foundations, bases of something abstract; as in: foundations of an argument, a science, civilization
*le fondamenta = foundations, of a building

il gesto > i gesti, le gesta
il gesto = gesture
*i gesti = gestures, as in physical movements; as in: He gestures too much when he speaks
*le gesta = gestures, acts, undertakings; as in: The firefighter’s heroic gestures helped to save dozens from the burning building.

il grido > i gridi, le grida
il grido = sream, shout, bark
*i gridi = shouts, barks, screams (from animals)
*le grida = shouts (from people, humans)

il labbro > i labbri, le labbra
il labbro = lip
*i labbri = rims, lips, edges (rims of a vase, a cup, etc.)
*le labbra = lips (of mouths)

il lenzuolo > i lenzuoli, le lenzuola
il lenzuolo = sheet
*i lenzuoli = sheets, but not on a bed; like shrouds, etc.
*le lenzuola = sheets, on a bed

il membro > i membri, le membra
il membro = member
*i membri = members of a family, of a group, club, etc.
*le membre = members of the human race

il muro > i muri, le mura
il muro = wall
*i muri = walls of a building
*le mura = city walls, walls of a castle or fortress

l’osso > gli ossi, le ossa
l’osso = bone
*gli ossi = bones, when they are not part of something; as in: The archaeologist found a set of bones in a grave.
*le ossa = bones, when they are part of a set; as in: bones of the arm, the cranium, etc.

l’urlo > gli urli, le urla
l’urlo = shout
*gli urli = screams, shouts, howls (of animals)
*le urla = screams, shouts, cries (of humans