105+ Italian Adjectives to Elevate Your Descriptions and Conversations
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Do you know that, earlier than being the title of a beloved dessert, the phrase gelato means “frozen” or “freezing” in Italian? It’s used as a noun however began as an adjective! Italian vocabulary has unfold worldwide, from artwork and structure to meals and style—a lot so, that Italian nouns and adjectives at the moment are utilized in many different languages, generally even with completely different meanings.
Italian adjectives are a really attention-grabbing a part of speech: They are often fashioned from verbs or by combining two or extra phrases and also can change into nouns. On this article, you will see that over 100 Italian adjectives to raise your dialog and descriptions, along with the foundations you’ll want to know to communicate Italian with confidence.
Tips on how to use Italian adjectives appropriately
In contrast with different languages, primary Italian grammar is fairly simple for newbies to choose up. Contemplating it additionally options one of many best writing methods (you principally write what you hear, and vice versa), the Italian language permits learners to focus solely on the foundations that matter.
For instance, keep in mind that, in Italian, each single phrase has a grammatical gender, each within the singular and plural varieties and requires using completely different endings. Mastering adjectives in Italian is simpler in case you divide them into three classes: adjectives ending in “-o,” “-e,” and invariable adjectives.
Adjectives ending in “-o”
Most Italian adjectives finish with an “-o” of their infinitive kind, which is the masculine singular kind. For instance, let’s take a look at how the adjective alto (tall) modifies a masculine noun:
- L’albero è alto = The tree is tall
- Gli alberi sono alti = The timber are tall
Now, let’s see the way it modifications when paired with a female noun:
- Una ragazza alta = A tall lady
- Due ragazze alte = Two tall ladies
As you’ll be able to see, adjectives ending in “-o” comply with the noun they discuss with and match its gender and quantity.
Adjectives ending in “-e”
Italian adjectives ending in “-e” comply with a special sample as their endings change solely relying on quantity not gender.
- Un suono forte = A loud sound
- Una casa grande = An enormous home
However:
- Dei libri interessanti = Some attention-grabbing books
- Due mele verdi = Two inexperienced apples
Invariable adjectives
There’s additionally a restricted variety of invariable adjectives that don’t change irrespective of the quantity or gender of the noun they modify. Luckily, there aren’t quite a bit, so it’s straightforward to recollect when you’ll want to skip adjective settlement in Italian.
Most invariable adjectives are colours, comparable to blu (blue), rosa (pink), viola (violet or purple), lilla (lilac), amaranto (amaranth), and indaco (indigo).
Additionally, adjectives coming from different languages don’t match the gender and the variety of the noun they modify:
- Un ristorante stylish = A stylish restaurant
- Una signora snob = A snobbish lady
The final class of invariable adjectives in Italian is that of the so-called “compound adjectives,” that are fashioned by mixing verbs, adjectives, nouns, prefixes and even Italian prepositions:
- Una vista mozzafiato = A panoramic view
- I fari antinebbia = Fog lights
- Delle persone ammodo = Respectable individuals
Tips on how to use adjectives in a sentence
Generally in English, adjectives within the attributive place are positioned proper earlier than the noun they modify. Then again, if you wish to communicate fluent Italian, the precise reverse is true—adjectives usually comply with the noun they discuss with:
- Un movie divertente = A humorous film
- Un appartamento spazioso = A spacious house
- Due cani neri = Two black canines
Nevertheless, some instances exist when Italian adjectives will be discovered earlier than the noun they modify.
Quick adjectives which are typically positioned earlier than the noun
Some adjectives in Italian can come each earlier than and after the noun. Right here is the record of the most typical ones:
- Buono = good, tasty
- Cattivo = unhealthy
- Bello = handsome
- Brutto = not enticing
- Nuovo = new
- Vecchio = outdated
- Grande = massive, giant
When used earlier than the title, these adjectives have a descriptive operate, that means they merely add details about a noun. Then again, once they seem earlier than the noun, they fulfill a restrictive or figuring out operate:
- I nonni vivono nella vecchia casa nel bosco. = The grandparents stay within the outdated home within the woods (that means, the home is or appears outdated).
- I nonni vivono nella casa vecchia nel bosco. = The grandparents stay within the older home within the woods (that means, they or their household even have one other, newer home they may stay in).
As well as, generally Italians place adjectives earlier than nouns to trace at their secondary that means as a substitute of their major one:
- Antonio è un uomo grande = Antonio is a massive man
- Antonio è un grande uomo = Antonio is a nice man
Please word that when used earlier than a noun, the masculine singular and plural types of a few of these irregular adjectives change:
| Earlier than the Adjective | After the Adjective | English That means | |
| Masculine singular adjective | belbell’ | bello | good-looking, stunning, handsome |
| Masculine singular adjective | buon | buono | good |
| Masculine singular adjective | gran (facultative, additionally for female) | grande | massive, giant |
| Earlier than the Adjective | After the Adjective | English That means | |
| Masculine plural adjective | beibegli | belli | good-looking, stunning, handsome |
| Masculine plural adjective | buoni | buoni | good |
| Masculine plural adjective | grandi | grandi | massive, giant |
Demonstrative adjectives
Demonstrative adjectives point out the place in area and time of somebody or one thing. In Italian, there are three demonstrative adjectives that additionally double as Italian pronouns: questo (this), quello (that) and codesto (that). The primary two are quite common, however you’ll hardly ever hear the final one, which these days can solely be present in outdated books, movies or Italian grammar books.
Like in English, questo refers to one thing subsequent to the speaker, whereas quello hints at an individual or object subsequent to the listener or removed from all of the individuals participating within the conversion.
| Masculine Singular | Masculine Plural | Female Singular | Female Plural |
| questo/quest’ | questi | questa/quest’ | queste |
| quello/quell’/quel | quelli/quegli/quei | quella/quell’ | quelle |
These are each Italian adjectives ending in “-o” and, as such, ought to agree with the noun they modify in gender and quantity:
- Io lavoro in questo ufficio = I work on this workplace
- Questi frutti sono ottimi = These fruits style wonderful
- Quella finestra è sporca = That window is soiled
- Mi piacciono quelle camicie = I like these shirts
In fact, there might be some exceptions that learners ought to concentrate on, for instance, the phenomenon of elision. When used earlier than a singular noun starting with a vowel, the adjective questo (and its female kind questa) change into quest’.
- Quest’amicizia = This friendship
- Quest’albero = This tree
Do not forget that it doesn’t apply to the plural kind.
The adjective quello is even trickier. Quello (masculine singular) and quegli (masculine plural) are one thing you write and say solely when a masculine noun begins with a particular or complicated sound like “gn” or “s+consonant.” In any other case, it’s best to use the quick varieties quel and quei. But once more, when the noun begins with a vowel, quello and quella lose their ending and are written quell’.
- Quel cane = That canine
- Quello scoiattolo = That squirrel
- Quell’aereo = That airplane
- Quei gatti = These cats
- Quegli specchi = These mirrors
- Quell’concept = That concept
