ILGUR: Italian Language, Grammar and Usage Resource

In Italian, there are some nouns and adjectives which do not change form when in the plural or change to accommodate gender. These nouns and adjectives are called invariable. Remember that adverbs are invariable, too! Nouns are considered invariable when they have the same form in both the singular and the plural. Nouns that follow this convention are:

1. Foreign words (which typically end in a consonant) such as: gli yogurt, i jeans, i film (yogurts, jeans, films)
2. Nouns that end in an accent vowel:le città, le formalità, i virtù, i caffè (cities, formalities, virtues, coffees)
3. Feminine nouns ending in “i”:le crisi, le ipotesi
4. Feminine nouns ending in an “ie”:le serie, le specieException: la moglie = le mogli
5. Abbreviated feminine nouns:singular: la moto, l’auto, la metro, la foto, la bici, il cinema plural: le moto, le auto, le metro, le foto, le bici, i cinema
6. One syllable nouns:il re, lo sci i re, gli sci
7. Other nouns:il/la giramondo, la manforte, l’infradito (m. or f.), lo stuzzicadenti, il caccia le manforte, gli infradito/le infradito, gli stuzzicadenti, i caccia
8. Possessive pronoun, loro, is invariable.
9. The following noun(s) are also invariable:il boia: executioner il rom, la rom: Roma, gypsy

Adjectives are invariable when they keep the same form and do not change form to match the gender and number of the noun that they modify. The adjectives below are invariable:

1. The possessive adjective, loro, is invariable
2. Certain colors: blu, rosa, viola, lilla, beige
3. Colors that require two words: verde bottiglie (bottle green), nero notte (night black)
4. The adjectives: pari, dispari, impari
5. The adjective: arrosto
6. The adjective: antiproiettile: bullet-proof
7. The adjective: antiscivolo: non-slip
8. The adjective: rom: Roma, gypsy
9. The adjective: cuscinetto: buffer

NB: This post is updated as new invariable adjectives and nouns are learned and/or encountered. last updated: 1 October 2008

In Italian, adjectives, depending upon their function, can come before or after the noun.

As a general rule, you’ll find that adjective will follow the noun that they modify with some certain noted exceptions.

Below I’ve outlined some rules, which might appear complicated. It is probably not expected that you will know or understand them completely. I think that it is good to understand the mechanics of Italian grammar, but do not feel pressured or fixated on being always perfect, especially when speaking. When speaking Italian, the minutiae of Italian grammar be relaxed.

The following adjectives come before the noun:

• numbers (ordinal and cardinal)Ho comprato due magliette al negozio.
  I bought two shirts at the store.
• possessives
  Mio padre ha perso il suo portafogli.
  My dad lost his wallet.
• indefinite adjecitvesVuoi un’altra birra?
  Do you want another beer?
• demonstrative adjectives
  Quel programma è noioso.
  That program is boring.
  
• interrogative adjectivesQuali riviste leggete adesso?
  What magazines are you reading now?

The following adjectives come after the noun:

• adjectives of nationalityLa lettura italiana ha molti autori famosi.
  Italian literature has many famous authors.
• adjectives of color which are invariableNon mi piacciono le scarpe marrone.
  I don’t like brown shoes.
  
• past participles used as adjectivesLe macchine usate sono più economiche.
  Used cars are less expensive.

With adjectives that do not fit neatly into the categories above, these rules govern the placement of adjectives:

• Adjectives follow the noun if the quality expressed by the adjective(s) is an integral property of that noun which sets it apart from others. These are known as restrictive (or necessary) adjectives.  Restrictive adjectives add greater emphasis to the adjective and “restrict” the quality that is conveyed. Adjectives can be used in this way when you want to add emphasis or specificity to what you are trying to convey.  In the example below, say that Marco is reporting back to his boss, Rino, about the cars that were sold.  Rino looks out at the lot and is confused because all he sees are the used cars.  To restrict the meaning, Tony might say to his boss:Tutte le macchine nuove erano vendute.
  All of the new cars were sold. (while the used ones were not)

  This reinforces to Rino that only new cars were sold while the used ones remained on the lot.

• Adjectives precede the noun when the adjectives indicate a valuation, impression or a judgment of the speaker. These are known as descriptive (or accessory) adjectives:
  
  Tutte le nuove macchine erano vendute.
  All of the new cars were sold. (All of the new cars were sold as far as the speaker knows but some used ones, possibly, may have been sold, too)

• When the adjective is modified by an adverb or a prepositional phrase, the adjective follows the noun:Le lettere molto importanti sono arrivate oggi.
  The very important letters arrived today.
• When the adjective is altered with a suffix, the adjective follows the noun:
  La ragazza stupidina non sa niente.
  The stupid girl doesn’t know anything.
• If a series of adjectives modify modify a noun, the noun that is most restrictive should be closest to the noun:
  La musica pop inglese fa molto bene.
  English pop music is doing well.

The adjectives below* have different meanings (literal or metaphorical) depending upon their placement before or after the noun:

• bello
• brutto
• piccolo
• grande
• grosso
• buono
• cattivo
• bravo
• diverso
• vecchio
• santo
• semplice
• nuovo
• leggero
• unico
• numeroso
• certo

When the adjectives above follow the nouns that they modify, their meaning is literal. When they precede the nouns they modify, their meaning is metaphorical or figurative:

• Siamo vecchi amici.
  We are old friends.
  (that is, we have been friends for a long time)
• Siamo amici vecchi.
  We are old friends.
  (that is, we are both friends and old)
• Danilo è un uomo povero. Ha perso il suo lavoro, non ha soldi.
  Danilo is a poor man. He lost his job and doesn’t have money.
  (literally, he is poor – no more $)

• Danilo è un pover‘uomo. Ha vinto la lotteria pero ha perso il biglietto.
  Danilo is an unfortunate man. He won the lottery but lost the ticket.
  (metaphorically speaking, he is poor in an unfortunate sense)

Possessives in English can be either pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, yours, theirs) or adjectives (my, your, his, her, our, your, their).

In Italian, the possessive adjectives and pronouns are the same word. The way to differentiate whether an Italian possessive is an adjective or a pronoun is by its usage. If the possessive is modifying a noun, then it is a possessive adjective. If it is being used on its own or with a definite article, then it is a possessive pronoun.

In Italian, the possessives are typically coupled with a definite article (although there are exceptions – see below). Possessives must agree in gender and number with the noun they are modifying or referring to when used as pronouns.



Rules regarding possessives:

1. Possessives are generally preceded by a definite article – they agree with the object they modify and not the owner of the article:
   
   Dov’è la tua ghiacca?
   Where is your coat?
   
   Non posso trovare le mie chiavi.
   I can’t find my keys.
   
   
2. When a possessive pronoun directly follows essere and means mine, yours, etc, omit the article:
   
   Di chi è questa macchina? È mia.
   Whose car is this? It’s mine.
   
   
3. Omit the definite article when used with family members in the singular:
   
   Mio fratello non è a casa.
   My brother is not home.
   
   
4. With the possessive loro, family members in the plural, or family members in the singular modified by another adjective, the article is required:
   
   plural family member:
   Le mie sorelle sono occupate.
   My sisters are busy.
   
   use of the possessive, loro:
   I loro zii fanno gli avvocati?
   Their uncles are lawyers?
   
   family member modified by an adjective:
   La sua madre simpatica aiuta sempre i bambini con i loro compiti.
   Her nice mother always helps the children with their homework.
   
   
5. Suo, Sua, Suoi, Sue when capitalized refer to the formal Lei form of the possessive (can also be written in lower case too):
   
   Signor Rossi, dov’è il Suo biglietto?
   Mr. Rossi, where is your ticket?
   
   

Sample sentences using possessives:

• Non posso trovare la mia giacca.
  I cannot find my jacket.
  
  
• Ho perso le tue chiavi. Dove sono le mie?
  I lost your keys. Where are mine?
  
  
• Is your brother visiting this weekend?
  Tuo fratello viene a trovare questo weekend?
  
  
• Her grandparents live in Milano.
  I suoi nonni abitano a Milano.
  
  
• Il loro cane abbaia sempre quando si suona il campanello.
  Their dog always barks when you ring the bell.
  
  
• Il mio bambino energico ama scuotere il sonaglio che hai comprato.
  My energetic child loves to shake the rattle that you bought.

The following adjectives and nouns are followed by the preposition, in + noun/infinitive:

• abile / adept at

  Gli studenti sono abili nello sport.
  The students are adept at sport.

• abilita / ability to

  Mio cugino ha l’abilita nel cucinare bene.
  My cousin has the ability to cook well.

• bravo / good at

  Sei bravo in matematica?
  Are you good at math?

• coinvolto / implicated
• commerciante / trader
• debole / weak

  Tanti studenti sono deboli in matematica.
  Too many students are weak in math.

• diploma / diploma
• diplomato / graduate
• dottorato / doctorate
• dottore / doctor
• esperto / expert
• fiducioso / confident
• forte / strong
• genio / genious at
• impegnato / committed with, busy with
• laurea / bachelor’s degree
• laureato / with a bachelor’s degree
• lento / slow to
• preciso / precise

  Il ricercatore era preciso nel formulare l’eperimento.
  The researcher was precise in formulating the experiment.

• rapido / fast

  Il treno era rapido nel arrivare alla stazione.
  The train was fast to arrive at the station.
  

• specialita / specialty
• specialista / specialist
• trasandato / shabby

More examples to follow…

The absolute superlative (il superlativo assoluto) is used in Italian to express very + adjective and is used to express the maximum amount of a quality. There is no exact equivalent in English but can be translated as very + adjective or extremely + adjective.

The absolute superlative is created by adding -issimo/a/i/e as a suffix (ending) to an adjective by dropping the last letter of the adjective. Take note that that accent of the adjective is transferred to the first -i in the suffix:

piccolo = little
piccolissimo = very little, extremely little

nuovo = new
nuovissimo = very new, extremely new

facile = easy
facilissimo = very easy, extremely easy