Italian Alcuni, Alcune: How to Say ‘Some’ or ‘A Few’ (A1)

🔍 In short. English has one little word for indefinite quantities: some. Italian has several, and the two you’ll meet first as an A1 learner are alcuni and alcune. Italian alcuni alcune means “some” or “a few”, always in the plural, always agreeing with the gender of the noun: alcuni amici (some male friends), alcune amiche (some female friends). The singular form (alcun, alcuno, alcuna) is rare and almost only shows up in negative sentences. By the end of this guide you’ll know when to reach for alcuni, when for qualche, and why the singular is the odd one out.

The one-line rule for italian alcuni alcune

Use alcuni with masculine plural nouns and alcune with feminine plural nouns. Both mean “some” or “a few”, and the noun (or the noun they refer back to) is always plural. There is no alcunoi, no alcunee: two forms, masculine and feminine, both plural. The singular forms (alcun, alcuno, alcuna) exist but appear almost only in negative sentences, where they translate as “any” or “no”: non ho alcun dubbio = “I have no doubt”.

If you remember nothing else from this page, remember this. Alcuni = masculine plural “some”. Alcune = feminine plural “some”. Singular is rare and lives in negatives. That’s the whole story in two short lines.

Alcuni and alcune: the everyday plural

In positive sentences, italian alcuni alcune is the natural way to say “some” or “a few” when you want to highlight a quantity. The form agrees with the gender of the noun, and the noun is always plural.

• Dobbiamo vedere alcuni amici di Lorenzo.
  We have to see some of Lorenzo’s friends. (alcuni + masc. pl.)
• Ci sono alcune cose di cui vorrei parlare con te.
  There are some things I’d like to talk to you about. (alcune + fem. pl.)
• Alcune rane non vivono nell’acqua.
  Some frogs don’t live in water. (alcune + fem. pl., zoological fact)
• Alcuni superano il limite di velocità su questo tratto di strada.
  Some people exceed the speed limit on this stretch of road. (alcuni alone, masc. plural pronoun = “some people”)
• Ad alcuni piace essere al centro dell’attenzione.
  Some people like being the centre of attention.

Notice the masculine plural alcuni used on its own without a noun: it works as a pronoun meaning “some people”. This is one of the most common patterns in spoken Italian. Alcuni si lamentano means “some people complain”, with the masculine plural standing in for an unspecified group.

Adjective or pronoun: alcuni does both jobs

Italian alcuni alcune works in two roles, and the form stays the same in both:

• Adjective (before a noun): Alcuni libri sono interessanti. Some books are interesting.
• Pronoun (alone, replacing a known group): Tra questi libri, alcuni sono interessanti. Among these books, some are interesting.

The distinction matters in practice because the pronoun version often pairs with a preceding context: a group is mentioned, then alcuni refers back to part of it. The eserciziario indefiniti spells this out: La maggior parte dei colleghi era soddisfatta, ma alcuni si lamentavano del nuovo orario (“Most of the colleagues were satisfied, but some complained about the new schedule”). The first clause introduces “the colleagues”; the second clause picks out part of that group with alcuni, no noun needed.

The pattern alcuni di noi, alcune di loro

One of the most useful constructions with italian alcuni alcune is the pronoun followed by di plus a plural noun or pronoun. The pattern is alcuni di + plural, and it singles out part of a known group.

• Alcuni di noi vanno al cinema stasera.
  Some of us are going to the cinema tonight.
• Alcune di voi conoscono già il professore.
  Some of you already know the professor.
• Avevo già conosciuto alcuni di loro.
  I had already met some of them.
• Alcune delle ragazze della redazione ti conoscono.
  Some of the girls at the editorial office know you.
• Alcuni degli studenti hanno finito presto.
  Some of the students finished early.

The plural after di can be a pronoun (noi, voi, loro), a noun with article (degli studenti, delle ragazze), or a phrase. The construction is identical to English “some of us”, “some of them”, but Italian uses di instead of “of”.

The rare singular: alcun, alcuno, alcuna

The singular of italian alcuni alcune exists, but it lives almost exclusively in negative sentences. In positive sentences Italians use qualche instead (see next section). The forms follow the same logic as the indefinite article un, uno, una, un’:

• alcun + masculine consonant: non ho alcun dubbio (“I have no doubt”)
• alcuno + masculine s+consonant, z, ps, gn: non ho alcuno scrupolo (“I have no scruple”)
• alcuna + feminine consonant: non ho alcuna idea (“I have no idea”)
• alcun’ + feminine vowel: non c’è alcun’altra possibilità (“there’s no other possibility”)

In all four cases the meaning is “any” (in a negative) or “no” (with the verb form supplying the negation). The construction is interchangeable with nessun, nessuno, nessuna, which is more common in everyday speech.

• Non ho alcuna idea.
  I have no idea.
• Non c’è alcuna possibilità di successo.
  There’s no chance of success.
• Non venne alcuno degli invitati.
  None of the guests came.
• Non ho alcun dubbio di aver preso la decisione giusta.
  I have no doubt I made the right decision.

Notice that Italian uses a double-negative structure: non + verb + alcun + noun. The non is mandatory; without it, the sentence would be ungrammatical. The same applies to nessun.

One more thing worth knowing about the singular forms of italian alcuni alcune: they belong to a slightly more formal register. A friend texting you about a problem will most likely write non c’è nessun problema rather than non c’è alcun problema. A contract, a legal document, or a polite email will more often use alcun, alcuna. Both are correct; the register changes. As an A1 learner you can default to nessun in speech and you’ll sound completely natural; recognising alcun when you read it is the goal.

Alcuni vs qualche: same idea, different form

The natural pair with italian alcuni alcune is qualche. Both translate as “some” or “a few” in positive sentences, but they take different shapes.

Both sentences mean the same thing: “some friends came”. Alcuni amici sono venuti emphasises the quantity (a certain number); qualche amico è venuto downplays the quantity (just a few, the odd one). In daily speech qualche is slightly more common; in writing and in slightly more careful registers alcuni appears more often. Italian-speaking colleagues use both interchangeably without thinking.

One exception worth noting: the phrase alcune volte (“sometimes”) is grammatically correct but most Italians prefer qualche volta or a volte in everyday talk. If you say alcune volte a native speaker will understand you, but it will sound slightly formal.

Alcuni vs certi: a small register shift

Italian also uses certi and certe (plural of certo, certa) with a meaning close to italian alcuni alcune. The difference is in tone.

• Alcuni esperti sostengono che la dieta mediterranea sia la migliore.
  Some experts maintain that the Mediterranean diet is the best.
• Certi esperti sostengono che la dieta mediterranea sia la migliore.
  Certain experts maintain that the Mediterranean diet is the best.

The two sentences are nearly equivalent. Certi often adds a slight implication of “those particular ones, you know the type” or hints at the speaker’s reservations about the group. Alcuni is neutral. At A1 level you can use alcuni in almost every situation; certi will come naturally later. Italian also has the rarer and more formal taluni and certuni, but these belong to written or academic language and you won’t need them in conversation. Stick with alcuni and alcune as your everyday tools, and add qualche for the singular alternative.

Common mistakes

• Saying alcuno libro in a positive sentence. The singular forms are only for negative sentences. The positive is qualche libro or un libro or, if plural is meant, alcuni libri.
• Writing alcuni amiche. The form must agree with the gender of the noun: alcuni amici (masc. pl.) or alcune amiche (fem. pl.).
• Translating “some of us” as alcuni noi. The preposition di is mandatory: alcuni di noi.
• Dropping the non in negative singular: ho alcun dubbio. The construction needs non: non ho alcun dubbio.
• Confusing alcuni with qualcuno. Alcuni is plural (“some, several”); qualcuno is singular (“someone, somebody”). Different jobs, different forms.

Cheat sheet for italian alcuni alcune

Dialogue at the editorial office in Padova

The following dialogue shows italian alcuni alcune in a workplace conversation. Federica edits articles at a magazine’s editorial office in Padova. Tommaso, a freelance writer, has dropped by to talk about an upcoming piece.

What to notice in the dialogue

• alcune cose, alcuni appunti, alcuni passaggi, alcune foto: adjective use, agreement with the noun’s gender.
• alcune delle ragazze, alcuni dei lettori, alcune di queste foto: pronoun + di pattern, picking out part of a group.
• ne ho scelte alcune: pronoun standing alone after a partitive ne, masculine plural agreement with the implicit feminine noun (foto).
• non ho alcun problema: singular alcun in a negative sentence, the only place the singular naturally lives.
• alcuni colleghi devono ancora rileggerla: plain plural adjective with masculine noun.

Test your understanding

Take the quiz below to test what you’ve learned about italian alcuni alcune.

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Frequently asked questions

These questions about italian alcuni alcune come from real threads where A1 learners get stuck on the difference with qualche, the rare singular forms, and the pronoun pattern. For the dictionary view, the Treccani entry on alcuno covers all the nuances in standard Italian.

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