He’s like parsley! That’s what Italians say of someone or something you see everywhere, like parsley on Italian dishes. Intercalari and interiezioni are elements of the Italian spoken language that people sprinkle all over, to emphasize what they want to say.
Just like parsley, intercalari and interiezioni are really everywhere in the Italian spoken language. But, again, just like parsley, when there are too many, they can spoil the taste of our beautiful language.
Intercalari are fragments, specific words used outside the canonical structure of a sentence. They can give an elegant pace to a speech but they also could be be very annoying, a sort of linguistic nervous tic.
Allora, appunto, insomma, diciamo, dai, vabè (a Milano), vabbè (a Roma), vabbuò (a Napoli), così, ecco, cioè, è vero, non so, come dire, voglio dire, ti dico, per così dire, diciamo, vedi, guarda, senti, praticamente, tipo, un attimino and many others, are classic intercalari.
Some of them are used as ice-breakers to start a sentence (allora, dunque, senti, guarda, vedi, praticamente …) others as a sort of request, a confirmation that you are listening to what I’m saying… (cioè, allora, no?, niente, proprio, capito) to which you are supposed to nod, like when someone in English says ” you know” every 10 words.
Here below, a fragment of an Italian cult comedy movie called “Un sacco bello”: a debate between a desperate father, a hippie son with his girlfriend living in a community in Tuscany, and a priest. They have a strong Roman accent and speak quite fast. Don’t worry, just listen.
Try to count the cioè, allora, proprio, no? niente, and others you may catch.
That was quite extreme, but some people use intercalari a bit too much.
Finally the interiezioni are a sort of intercalari, but usually shorter expressions of different emotions. Depending on the intonation and intensity, the same sound can have different meanings, followed by a question mark or an exclamation. I can’t include all the feelings here but I will write some emotions in Italian. Google them and find their meaning.
Articoli partitivi are used to indicate a part, a number out of a total. Some…
This is a very short and simple article for beginners. I’m going to introduce a simple way for you to indicate a quantity, pretty much equivalent the English “some”.
The Italian articoli partitivi are obtained by adding the preposition di (of) to the articoli determinativi:
di + …
il —> del
lo —> dello
la —> della
i —> dei
gli —> degli
le —> delle
l’ —> dell’
Il vino: vorrei del vino
Lo zucchero: ho comprato dello zucchero
La carne: mangerei della carne
I fiori: le ho regalato dei fiori
Gliamici: ho invitato degli amici
Le uova: Vai a comprare delle uova
L’aglio: Aggiungi dell’aglio al sugo
Singular Articoli Partitivi are used in combination with uncountable nouns, in Italian nomi di massa), words such as: foods – acqua, vino, formaggio, verdura, carne – etc ; materials: legno, carta etc.
In spoken Italian, instead of using the articoli partitivi, often times we can use “un po’ di”, literally “a little of” (quantity).
So for example, instead of saying, “ho mangiato dei cioccolatini” I can simply say “ho mangiato un po’ di cioccolatini”.
Here’s a simple quiz for you. Please answer anche check your score against the average.
Alla prossima
Time limit: 0
Quiz-summary
0 of 1 questions completed
Questions:
1
Information
LOADING QUIZ...
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.
Quiz is loading...
You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.
You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:
Results
Time has elapsed
Your score is 0 out of 0 points, (0)
Average score
Your score
Categories
Not categorized0%
1
Answered
Review
Question 1 of 1
1. Question
Articoli Partitivi
del, dello, della, dell', dei, degli, delle ---> SOME
Ho visto (degli) animali bellissimi in Africa.
Andiamo al cinema con (degli) amici.
Aggiungi (del) sale all'acqua.
Ci vuole (della) pazienza per scrivere (delle) frasi sensate.
Ci sono (delle) opportunità di lavoro a Roma.
Hanno dimostrato (dell')entusiasmo per lo studio.
Mancano (delle) posate sul tavolo.
Ti servono (dei) Soldi per fare la spesa?
In classe ci sono (degli) studenti molto capaci.
Devo ammettere che hai (dello) stile.
Correct
Controlla le risposte giuste e finisci il quiz.
↓↓↓
Incorrect
Controlla le risposte giuste e finisci il quiz.
The avverbio, derived from the Latin “ad verbum”, next to the verb, is an invariable part of speech that is positioned alongside the verb to provide specific meaning. Similar to how adjectives modify nouns, the traditional function of adverbs is to add information to the verb and specify the meaning. This analogy becomes evident here:
La macchina di Mario è veloce. (aggettivo)
Mario guida velocemente. (avverbio)
We use Italian adverbs to add meaning to verbs, adjectives or other parts of a sentence.
According to their structure, we can talk about:
Avverbi semplici: we can call the “primitive”, as they don’t derive from other words. Mai, forse, bene, male. etc.
Avverbi composti: resulting from combination of words. Da+per+tutto = dappertutto (every + where = everywhere).
Avverbi derivati: coming form other words, usually adjectives, with the addition of the suffix – mente (in English -ly). Chiaro (clear) -> chiaramente (clearly).
The avverbi derivati are commonly formed by adding the suffix -mente to the feminine singular form of the adjective.
For example: lento —> lenta + mente (slowly), rapidamente (quickly), certamente (certainly) etcetera.
If the adjective ends in -le or -re, the -e is dropped before attaching -mente, as observed in the adverbs:
This is a very basic post about the Italian Gerund. If your level is intermediate to advanced, you may want to have a look at this post in Italian.
Also, today we are NOT going through the progressive use of the gerundio (to be doing something or stare + gerundio) which is a particular structure of the Italian gerund.
Ok, we can start.
The gerundio has two tenses: semplice (simple) and composto (compound).
Gerundio Semplice (Presente)
—-ARE
—-ERE
—-IRE
ANDANDO
BEVENDO
DORMENDO
The Gerundio semplice is a simple tense, without conjugations, it does not change and can be applied to all the personal pronouns expressed by the main clause. There is a relevant difference between the English gerund and the Italian gerundio, so be careful.
Gerundio, together with Infinito and Participio, is a mood, a form of a verb that we use for building a so called “frase subordinata implicita”:
Subordinata: the gerundio is always in a dependent clause, near to a main clause. It can’t live by itself, it does not make complete sense when used alone;
Implicita: the Italian gerundio has no conjugations, no subject. It just refers to the situation and subject described in the main clause.
The most common use of the gerundio is defined as temporale, describing simultaneous or consecutive events.
Mangio guardando la televisione.
Mangerete guardando la televisione.
Mangiavamo guardando la televisione.
The gerundio acts together with the main clause. It can be set in the present, in the future or in the past and it takes the subject of the main clause. The GerundioSemplice is often called Gerundio Presente, but this label can be misleading, since the gerundio just refers to the main clause. It’s not a present tense.
The gerundio semplice helps to extend the meaning of a stronger independent sentence (main clause) following four distinct functions (five including the above mentioned gerundio temporale):
1. Gerundio modale: it desctibes HOW something is achieved in the main clause. For example:
Luigi studia l’inglese guardando i film in tivù.
Stefano legge un libro mettendo gli occhiali.
Carla ha percorso dieci chilometri camminando.
2. Gerundio causale describes WHY, the cause of an action happening in the main clause. For example:
Avendo pochi soldi non ho comprato casa.
Essendo allergico ai funghi Sergio non ha mangiato il risotto.
Non amando il teatro, ho regalato i miei biglietti a Giovanna.
3. Gerundio ipotetico: it represents something that couldhappen and satisfy the result expressed by the main clause. For example:
Rinunciando alle vacanze potrei risparmiare dei soldi.
Arriveresti in ritardo perdendo questo treno.
Mangiando meno pane perderai peso.
4. Gerundio concessivo: it says despite what circumstances we have obtain the opposite result expressed in themain clause. For example:
Pur mangiando poco, Clara non dimagrisce.
Pur lavorando molto non riesco a risparmiare.
Pur essendo brutta, Giada piace a tanti uomini.
Please note that pur or pure in this case means “despite, although, even though…”.
Gerundio Composto (Passato)
—-ARE
—-ERE
—-IRE
ESSENDO ANDATO
AVENDO BEVUTO
AVENDO DORMITO
The Gerundio composto is a compound tense, with the gerundio of essere or avere = essendo or avendo and the participio passato (…ato, …uto, …ito) of a verb.
The gerundio composto describes pre-existing conditions when the main clause takes place. For example:
Avendo finito di mangiare, ho già cominciato a lavare i piatti.
Essendo tornato prima dal lavoro, andrò al supermercato.
This is the main use of the gerundio composto, defined asd Temporale. In both cases, the gerundio exists before the event described in the main clause.
As it happens with the gerundio semplice, we can define other four functions of gerundio composto. It’s worth having a second look.
1. Gerundio Modale
Luigi ha imparato l’inglese avendo guardato dei film in tivù.
Stefano ha finito di leggere il libro avendo indossato sempre gli occhiali.
Carla è arrivata fin qui avendo camminato.
In the modale type, the same concept can often be achieved using the gerundio semplice.
2. Gerundio Causale
Avendo avuto pochi soldi non ho comprato casa.
Essendo stato malato non ho potuto studiare.
Non avendo capitole tue istruzioni, non ho lavorato bene.
In this case, the cause is clearly set before the consequence.
3. Gerundio Ipotetico
Avendo letto i giornaliavrei conosciuto le notizie di ieri.
Avendo incontrato Luigi avrei potuto parlargli.
Avendo ascoltatoquella canzone ti avrei detto se mi piace o no.
This is a good substitute of the congiuntivo. Very handy.
4. Gerundio Concessivo
Pur avendo mangiato poco, Clara non è dimagrita.
Pur avendo lavorato molto non riesco a risparmiare.
Pur essendo stato povero, Mario ora è molto ricco.
Although, despite… = pur + gerundio
Lastly, but very important, the gerundio can merge with pronouns (direct, indirect, reflexive, ci & ne) in a single word:
Mangiando molto pane, sono ingrassato —> mangiandone molto…
Conoscendo Mario, non arriverà in orario —> conoscendolo…
More examples in the quiz!
So, why is the gerundio so important? Look at the sentences:
Arrivando in orario, avresti visto l’inizio del film.
Se fossi arrivata in orario, avresti visto l’inizio del film.
The first sentence with the Gerundio expresses the same concept of the second but it’s much easier. We avoid conjugations, the use of the same subject, the use of the congiuntivo. In the first one, the subject is implicit (implicito), in the second it is explicit (esplicito) and we need to change the verb and genders where needed.
The Gerund is a very useful tool that Italians use to simplify sentences. You should learn it and use it to achieve the same goal.
Thanks for reading. Please solve the quiz.
This is a “freemium” quiz. Log in or Subscribe at no cost.
Get new free Italian language quizzes and your results in your inbox.
If you are on a mobile device, flip it horizontally.
The Italian Gerundio
Basic Quiz
📚
This is a “freemium” Italian language blog and quiz
There are some few basic rules for pronouncing correctly Italian sounds. Italian is less complicated than other common European languages. That’s because Italian is a literary language, heavily influenced by classic Latin and syllables have just one sound.
The Italian alphabet has just 21 letters, since j, k, w, x, and y are used only in foreign words recently adopted in the Italian vocabulary, like jeans, wifi, baby sitter, marketing, etc. Italian vowels are A E I O U. Listen to their sound:
The letter H is quite unique, since generally it’s not pronounced in the spoken language, but it is fundamental for creating some sounds. For example, “I have” in Italian is “io ho”, where “ho” is not pronounced like “holiday”, but like “Oregon”. GElato and spaGHEtti are simple and effective examples of how the letter H changes the sounds of syllables. Listen how a native speaker says these words correctly.
Another example where H creates sounds is CHI, like CHItarra, guitar, where we also have a double R. Double consonants give a stronger tone to the sound. Please listen and repeat.
Let’s find out some tricky words and Italian sounds you wouldn’t guess just reading them.
We are sure you would like to have some fantastic food in Italy. If you want to order some fish, you should call it pesce. SCE in italian is pronounced like shame. Two or more fish are pesci and SCI is pronounced like she in English. Listen and repeat.
The last tip of today about tricky Italian sounds is the hybrid sound GLI, where G and L are smoothly blended together. For example, the Italian word for family is famiglia. Listen carefully and catch the sound GLI.
Let’s wrap up today’s learnings. Please try to read and pronounce correctly the following syllables and then listen to the correct sound to adjust. Finally, solve the simple quiz below.
Articles in Italian are foundational to grammar and communication. They agree in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) with the nouns they accompany. Divided into two primary categories—definite articles (determinativi) and indefinite articles (indeterminativi)—articles are used to provide specificity or generality to the nouns they modify. Additionally, articles in Italian interact with prepositions, foreign words, and various grammatical structures in unique ways. This comprehensive guide covers all you need to know about Italian articles.
Definite Articles (Articoli Determinativi)
Definite articles correspond to “the” in English and are used to refer to specific nouns. The form of the article changes based on the gender, number, and initial sound of the word that follows. These forms include:
Forms of Definite Articles
Masculine singular:
il (e.g., il libro, “the book”)
lo (e.g., lo studente, “the student”)
l’ before vowels (e.g., l’amico, “the friend”)
Masculine plural:
i (e.g., i libri, “the books”)
gli (e.g., gli studenti, “the students”)
gli before vowels (e.g., gli amici, “the friends”)
Feminine singular:
la (e.g., la casa, “the house”)
l’ before vowels (e.g., l’isola, “the island”)
Feminine plural:
le (e.g., le case, “the houses”)
le before vowels (e.g., le idee, “the ideas”)
When to Use “Lo” and “Gli”
The forms lo (singular) and gli (plural) are used for masculine nouns starting with certain sounds:
s + consonant (e.g., lo studente, “the student”; gli studenti, “the students”)
z (e.g., lo zaino, “the backpack”; gli zaini, “the backpacks”)
ps, pn, gn, x (e.g., lo pneumatico, “the tire”; gli pneumatici, “the tires”)
i + vowel (e.g., gli uomini, “the men”)
Set expressions, such as per lo più (mostly) or gli dei (the gods), preserve older forms of the article.
Indefinite Articles (Articoli Indeterminativi)
Indefinite articles in Italian correspond to “a” or “an” in English and are used to refer to nonspecific or general nouns. These articles are used only in the singular and vary depending on the gender and initial sound of the noun they accompany. Below is a detailed explanation with practical examples:
Forms of Indefinite Articles
Masculine:
un: used with masculine nouns beginning with a vowel or consonant.
Examples: un albero (a tree), un libro (a book), un amico (a friend).
uno: used with masculine nouns beginning with:
s + consonant (e.g., uno studente, “a student”)
z (e.g., uno zaino, “a backpack”)
ps, pn, gn, x (e.g., uno pneumatico, “a tire”; uno psicologo, “a psychologist”)
i + vowel (e.g., uno iugoslavo, “a Yugoslav”).
Feminine:
una: used with feminine nouns beginning with a consonant.
Examples: una casa (a house), una studentessa (a female student).
un’: used with feminine nouns beginning with a vowel, where the apostrophe replaces the a for phonetic reasons.
Examples: un’amica (a friend), un’idea (an idea).
Note that the rules for masculine indefinite articles uno and un exactly mirror those for the corresponding definite articles lo and gli. This consistency makes mastering the correct use of articles easier.
Combining Prepositions with Articles
In Italian, some prepositions combine with definite articles to form contractions known as preposizioni articolate. These combinations simplify grammar and make sentences more fluid. Below are examples of how each preposition combines with articles. Note that not all prepositions can be combined with articles; for instance, per, tra, fra, and con do not merge with articles.
Listen to the correct pronunciation.
(continues …)
This is a “freemium” quiz. Log in or subscribe at no cost.
Get new free Italian language quizzes and your results in your inbox.
Italian articles – Basic Rules
Quiz
👩🏻🏫
Please log in or subscribe for free to read the blog and try the quiz
The Italian Trapassato Prossimo describes “the past of other past actions”
If we have two or more actions in the past, the Trapassato Prossimo describes the oldest. We usually need the Trapassato Prossimo when there’s a change, a discontinuity in the past. We’ll see all the details with some examples and a quiz.
This is a very basic post for beginners. If your level is intermediate to advanced, please read this other lesson in Italian.
In most cases, the Trapassato Prossimo is used in combination with another past tense with or without a given time frame (e.g. ieri, la settimama scorsa, un’ora fa) with or without adverbs (mentre etc…). For example:
Passato Prossimo Avevo studiato ma non ho superato gli esami universitari
Imperfetto, Avevo studiato ma non superavo gli esami universitari
Passato Remoto. Avevo studiato (ebbi studiato) ma non superai gli esami universitari
First I (had) studied, then I didn’t pass the test. The Trapassato Prossimo works fine with other past tenses, including the Passato Prossimo, Imperfetto, Passato Remoto or even another Trapassato Prossimo if the actions are clearly in the right sequence. If time references are absent, the Trapassato helps to give us an idea of what happened (or did not happen) in the first place.
With the Passato Remoto, third example, we can use the Trapassato Remoto (ebbi studiato), but it’s very rare in spoken Italian.
Look at the following sentences.
Non sono mai stato a Sorrento.
Non ero mai stato a Sorrento.
The meaning of these two sentences is totally different. In the first sentence I’ve never been to Sorrento. In the second I am saying that it was the first time for me in Sorrento, I “had never been” there before. So I was there eventually.
In other words, the other past event or circumstance is implied in the sentence.
Non avevo mai incontrato Marco (but eventually I did).
Have a look at those examples. We clearly need the Trapassato Prossimo to emphasise the change.
Ho chiesto al professore di ripetere perché non avevo capito.
Ti avevo detto di non guidare la mia macchina.
Era rimasto a casa per più di un mese.
Luigi aveva paura perché non aveva mai preso l’aereo.
Non avevamo mai visto un tramonto così intenso.
So, for example, Luigi was scared because he “had never taken” a plane before. It means that eventually he did.
Sometimes however, the Trapassato Prossimo is just a way to give more depth to a past event. In theory, we could omit it and use the Passato Prossimo or Remoto instead. For example:
Ci eravamo divertiti tanto l’anno scorso in vacanza.
Mi ricordo di Laura. L’avevo conosciuta ai tempi dell’università.
Avevamo preso un taxi per tornare perché non c’erano più treni.
Ti ricordi dove avevi comprato il tuo telefono?
Ha preso una multa perché era passato con il rosso.
For example, in the last sentence the use of the trapassato prossimo is correct because he first ignored the red lights and then he got a ticket. However, the sequence of the events is so clear that a simple Passato Prossimo would be enough clear.
Ha preso una multa perché è passato con il rosso.
Please try the quiz.
Time limit: 0
Quiz-summary
0 of 1 questions completed
Questions:
1
Information
LOADING QUIZ...
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.
Quiz is loading...
You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.
You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:
Results
Time has elapsed
Your score is 0 out of 0 points, (0)
Average score
Your score
Categories
Not categorized0%
1
Answered
Review
Question 1 of 1
1. Question
Scrivi le risposte corrette usando
il trapassato prossimo.
e.g. Ero affamato perché non (fare) colazione -->> avevo fatto.
Sono caduto perché non (vedere) (avevo visto) l'ostacolo.
Federico si era preoccupato perché tu non (rispondere) (avevi risposto) al telefono.
Michela è ingrassata dieci chili anche se (fare) (aveva fatto) una dieta.
I miei vicini non rispondevano al citofono perché (andare) (erano andati) in vacanza.
Prima di comprare la casa al mare, noi (vendere) (avevamo venduto) quella a Milano.
Stefania cercava il suo gatto in giardino, ma lui (tornare) (era tornato) già a casa.
Non siamo potuti andare al concerto anche se (comprare) (avevamo comprato) i biglietti.
Oggi Fabio non c'è anche se (dire) (aveva detto) che sarebbe venuto.
Ho portato l'ombrello perché (vedere) (avevo visto) che tutti fuori ce l'avevano.
I suoi amici non ci (invitare) (avevano invitato) alla festa, quindi non ci siamo andati.
Correct
✅ Check your answers
↓↓↓
Incorrect
✅ Check your answers
↓↓↓
Giovanni Boldini – L’americana – 1900 – Milano, GAM
The Italian Aggettivi Possessivi, are also pronouns –> Pronomi Possessivi
Aggettivi Possessivi indicate the ownership, or close relationship, between the owner and the object they possess. For example, my brother is mio fratello, and my sister is mia sorella. Their termination reflects exactly the gender and number of the object.
Singolare Maschile
il mio amico
il tuo amico
il suo amico
il nostro amico
il vostro amico
il loro amico
Singolare Femminile
la mia amica
la tua amica
la sua amica
la nostra amica
la vostra amica
la loro amica
Plurale Maschile
i miei amici
i tuoi amici
i suoi amici
i nostri amici
i vostri amici
i loro amici
Plurale Femminile
le mie amiche
le tue amiche
le sue amiche
le nostre amiche
le vostre amiche
le loro amiche
Let’s take a better look at Aggettivi and Pronomi Possessivi with the sentence below:
La mia casa è più grande della tua – My house is bigger than yours.
The first thing we have to notice is the object casa, singular feminine noun.
The aggettivo possessivo mia agrees with gender and number with the noun casa.
As opposed to English, aggettivi possessivi retain the article, in this case La, which also agrees with casa. In English we can say The house or My house, not “the my house”. In Italian, with some important exceptions, there’s always an article.
La mia casa and la tua (casa): the object casa in this comparison is the same, it is not necessary to say it again, hence … della tua (casa), where tua becomes a pronoun as yours in English.
In Italian mio aggettivo possessivo is the same mio pronome possessivo. It does not change. In English you have my and mine and so on. In Italian we don’t.
All the aggettivi possessivi agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to, except loro, which never changes.
In Italian there are no his or her based on he or she. For example:
Ho incontrato Giorgio e sua mamma
Ho incontrato Stefania e sua mamma
Sua refers to the mother, not to Giorgio (male) or Stefania (female).
We mentioned that in pretty much all the sentences there is a pattern
la + mia + casa
article + aggettivo possessivo + noun
The rule is overridden when the noun is of a family relative, only singular:
mio fratello, tua sorella, suo nonno, mia nonna, sua mamma, tuo papà, mia cugina
but…
i miei fratelli, i suoi nonni, i tuoi genitori, i loro cugini.
In case of Loro (their / theirs) we keep the article: —> La loro madre.
I hope this explanation of the Italian aggettivi possessivi helped you.
Please take some time to solve the quiz below about aggettivi possessivi. Feel free to book a Zoom trial class. Ciao.
Time limit: 0
Quiz-summary
0 of 1 questions completed
Questions:
1
Information
LOADING QUIZ...
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.
Quiz is loading...
You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.
You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:
Results
Time has elapsed
Your score is 0 out of 0 points, (0)
Average score
Your score
Categories
Not categorized0%
1
Answered
Review
Question 1 of 1
1. Question
Trasforma la frase
La fidanzata di Giorgio ---> La suafidanzata
Please include the object in your answer, in this case "fidanzata".
I cani di Federica --> (i suoi cani)
Le mani di Andrea e Claudia --> (le loro mani)
Il numero di telefono di me e mia moglie --> (il nostro numero di telefono, il nostro numero)
I soldi del Presidente --> (i suoi soldi)
La pelle dell'elefante --> (la sua pelle)
I diamanti della Regina --> (i suoi diamanti)
L'appartamento dei miei genitori --> (il loro appartamento)
Preposizioni semplici, Italian prepositions, are fundamental elements of the Italian language
Preposizioni semplici are invariable elements of a sentence. The name “pre-posizione” comes from Latin and it quite obviously means they are “positioned before” nouns, verbs and pronouns, defining their meaning inside a sentence. There are several types of Italian prepositions.
Today we will have a look a the so called “preposizioni semplici” literally, simple prepositions. They are 9.
DI – A – DA – IN – CON – SU – PER – TRA – FRA
The first thing we can notice is that these Italian prepositions have just one syllable and do not change according to the noun they link to. They have something in common with their English counterparts. The descriptions below compare English and Italian prepositions but of course in many cases they are used differently, so please try to use the comparison just as a reference and not as a rule.
“Preposizioni semplici” can be combined with “articoli determinativi” (il, lo, la, i gli, le) and create “preposizioni articolate (e.g. the classic “il libro è sul tavolo” where sul=su+il). We will explain the use of preposizioni articolate in another post.Please look at the examples explaining the main use of all preposizioni semplici and solve the quiz.
Di
The preposition di is used to indicate:
possession La macchina di Andrea.
material Un bichiere di vetro.
quality Luigi è un uomo di cuore.
topic Parliamo di arte
time Vado al cinema di lunedì.
mode Sono sempre di fretta.
comparison Lucia è più bella di Giorgia
It is often compared to the English prepositions of, than.
A
The preposition a is used to indicate:
position Sono a casa.
motionVado a Roma.
age Vado in pensione a 65 anni
time Ci vediamo a mezzogiorno
It is often compared to the English preposition, to, at.
Da
The preposition da is used to indicate:
origin Vengo da Roma.
agent È un dolce fatto da Lucia
motion Vado da Mario
time Studio italiano da un anno
purpose Una tazza da tè
It is often compared to the English prepositions from, by, since
In
The preposition in is used to indicate:
position Vivo in Francia.
motion Vado in Francia
means Viaggio in treno
mode Stiamo insieme in amicizia
It is often compared to the English preposition in.
Con
The preposition con is used to indicate:
company Studio con un amica
union La pizza con i funghi.
means Viaggio con il treno.
mode Ho letto con attenzione
quality La donna con i capelli lunghi.
It is often compared to the English preposition with.
Su
The preposition su is used to indicate:
position Il gatto è su una sedia.
motion Saliamo su una collina.
topic Un film su Michelangelo
estimation Una donna sui 30 anni.
It is often compared to the English preposition on.
Per
The preposition per is used to indicate:
motion Questo è il treno per Roma.
motion through Siamo passati per Milano
time length Ho aspettato per un anno
reason Ho telefonato per prenotare
cause Sudiamo per il caldo
It is often compared to the English prepositions for, to.
Tra / Fra
The prepositions tra and fra are used to indicate:
position between Verona è tra Milano e Venezia
position among Vivo fra la gente.
point in time from now Ci vediamo fra un’ora
relation Tra Maria e Antonio c’è tanto amore
They are often compared to the English prepositions between, through, among.
Thanks for reading. Please try the quiz.
Time limit: 0
Quiz-summary
0 of 4 questions completed
Questions:
1
2
3
4
Information
LOADING QUIZ...
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.
Quiz is loading...
You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.
You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:
Results
Time has elapsed
Your score is 0 out of 0 points, (0)
Average score
Your score
Categories
Not categorized0%
1
2
3
4
Answered
Review
Question 1 of 4
1. Question
PARTE 1
Scegli la preposizione semplice corretta
Preferisco studiare l'italiano (di - a - su) (di) mattina.
Ho comprato una nuova bicicletta (da - di - per) (da) corsa.
Ho molta fretta adesso, non ho tempo (di - per - da) (da) perdere.
In Italia, si può fumare (con - a - su) (a) diciotto anni.
Ho rotto un bicchiere (da - di - con) (di) cristallo.
Studio il tedesco (da - per - su) (da) quindici anni.
Non ho tempo adesso, sto uscendo (di - a - tra) (di) casa.
C'è un bel film in tivù; inizia (in - tra - da) (tra) cinque minuti.
Avevo comprato sei uova ma sono scadute (tra - da - in) (da) una settimana.
Ho letto un bellissimo libro (per - su - con) (su) Nelson Mandela.
Correct
✅ Check your answers
↓↓↓
Incorrect
✅ Check your answers
↓↓↓
Question 2 of 4
2. Question
Parte 2
Scrivi la preposizione semplice o articolata corretta
Non amo molto la montagna, preferisco andare in vacanza (al) mare.
Voglio molto bene a Davide perché si comporta sempre (da) amico.
Mentre giocavamo a calcio, il pallone è finito (sull') albero.
Questa sera andiamo (a) teatro per la prima della "Aida".
Hanno parlato (dei, con i, coi) loro figli per tutta la sera. Che noia!
La madre di Federico è una signora molto elegante (sui) cinquant'anni.
(Fra, Tra) me e mia sorella c'è un bellissimo rapporto si amicizia.
Ho una paura incredibile di andare (dal) dentista.
Il mio vicino di casa viene (dalla) Colombia, si chiama Miguel.
Il presidente è scappato con i soldi, l'ho letto (sul) giornale!
Correct
✅ Check your answers
↓↓↓
Incorrect
✅ Check your answers
↓↓↓
Question 3 of 4
3. Question
Parte 3
Verbi e preposizioni
DI - A - PER
Marianna studia (per) diventare medico.
Io e mia moglie pensiamo (di) andare in vacanza in Puglia, nel Salento.
I miei figli iniziano (a) cenare molto presto, verso le sei di sera.
I clienti della nostra banca si impegnano (a) restituire i prestiti in tempi molto brevi.
Sto risparmiando (per) comprare una casa nuova insieme alla mia ragazza.
Mio marito ha smesso (di) fumare una decina di anni fa.
Tutte le mie amiche sognano (di) sposare degli uomini ricchi, ma io no.
Ho provato (a) mangiare il sashimi molte volte ma non mi piace il pesce crudo.
Fabio si diverte (a) prendere in giro Davide perché si veste male.
I giovani italiani vanno (per, a) imparare l'inglese a Londra, ma molti non ci riescono.
Correct
✅ Check your answers
↓↓↓
Incorrect
✅ Check your answers
↓↓↓
Question 4 of 4
4. Question
Parte 4
Seleziona le frasi GIUSTE
Correct
In rosso gli errori, in verde le risposte corrette
Non vedo Luigi da molti anni.
Oggi un bambino è caduto dalla bicicletta e si è fatto male.
In treno e in aereo è vietato di fumare.
Una famiglia inglese che conosco ha comprato una casa in Toscana a Siena.
Mi piace fare colazione a letto quando vado in un albergo.
In Africa ci sono tanti animali feroci che vivono nella foresta.
✅ Check your answers and your final score
↓↓↓
Incorrect
In rosso gli errori, in verde le risposte corrette
Non vedo Luigi da molti anni.
Oggi un bambino è caduto dalla bicicletta e si è fatto male.
In treno e in aereo è vietato di fumare.
Una famiglia inglese che conosco ha comprato una casa in Toscana a Siena.
Mi piace fare colazione a letto quando vado in un albergo.
In Africa ci sono tanti animali feroci che vivono nella foresta.
Descriptive Adjectives in Italian: A Complete Guide for beginners
Descriptive adjectives are one of the most important and versatile grammatical categories in the Italian language. These adjectives describe and qualify the characteristics, qualities, and properties of a noun, which can refer to a person, object, place, action, or situation. Their main function is to enrich the meaning of the noun they modify, adding details that distinguish it from other similar nouns. For example:
Un “gatto” (a “cat”) is simply a generic animal, but un “gatto bianco” (a “white cat”) is a cat that has a particular quality that makes it stand out from other cats.
Un “albero alto” (a “tall tree”) refers to a tree with a specific characteristic (height), while un “albero verde” (a “green tree”) tells us something about its color.
Descriptive adjectives, therefore, not only modify the noun but also affect how the message is perceived, adding more detailed and precise nuances of meaning.
Gender and Number of Descriptive Adjectives
In Italian, the agreement between the adjective and the noun it refers to is essential. Descriptive adjectives must agree with the noun in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural). This means that the adjective changes its form depending on the noun it modifies.
Examples of agreement:
Un vestito vecchio (an old dress) (singular, masculine)
Una casa vecchia (an old house) (singular, feminine)
Dei vestiti vecchii (old dresses) (plural, masculine)
Delle case vecchie (old houses) (plural, feminine)
Classes of Descriptive Adjectives
Descriptive adjectives are divided into three different classes depending on their endings. Each class follows specific grammatical rules that determine the form of the adjective based on the noun it modifies.
First Class: Adjectives with Four Endings
Adjectives in the first class have four forms: one for the singular masculine, one for the singular feminine, one for the plural masculine, and one for the plural feminine.
Examples:
Un abito nuovo (a new dress) (singular, masculine)
Una casa nuova (a new house) (singular, feminine)
Dei libri nuovi (new books) (plural, masculine)
Delle case nuove (new houses) (plural, feminine)
Second Class: Adjectives with Two Endings
Adjectives in the second class have only two endings: -e for both masculine and feminine singular, and -i for both masculine and feminine plural.
Examples:
Un uomo forte (a strong man) (singular, masculine)
Una donna forte (a strong woman) (singular, feminine)
Degli uomini forti (strong men) (plural, masculine)
Delle donne forti (strong women) (plural, feminine)
Third Class: Adjectives with the Ending -a
Adjectives in the third class end in -a for both masculine and feminine singular forms, but change in the plural, where the ending becomes -i for the masculine and -e for the feminine.
Examples:
Un uomo egoista (a selfish man) (singular, masculine)
Una donna egoista (a selfish woman) (singular, feminine)
Degli uomini egoisti (selfish men) (plural, masculine)
Delle donne egoiste (selfish women) (plural, feminine)
Invariable Adjectives
Some adjectives do not change, regardless of the gender or number of the noun they modify. These adjectives are said to be “invariable,” which means that they retain the same form no matter whether they refer to a masculine or feminine noun, or whether the noun is singular or plural. For example, some colours are invariable.
Examples of invariable adjectives:Rosa (pink), blu (blue), marrone (brown)
Due vestiti rosa (two pink dresses)
Un cielo blu (a blue sky)
Una giacca marrone (a brown jacket)
Pari (even), dispari (odd)
Un numero pari (an even number)
Due numeri dispari (two odd numbers)
Degli uomini perbene (well-behaved men)
Delle donne perbene (well-behaved women)
Agreement of the Adjective with Multiple Nouns
When an adjective refers to more than one noun, the agreement follows the gender and number of the nouns:
If all the nouns are masculine, the adjective will be in the plural masculine form:
Paolo e Gianni sono stanchi (Paolo and Gianni are tired).
If all the nouns are feminine, the adjective will be in the plural feminine form:
Laura e Bruna sono stanche (Laura and Bruna are tired).
If the nouns are of different genders, the adjective will be in the plural masculine form:
Laura e i suoi amici sono stanchi (Laura and her friends are tired).
In some cases, if the agreement with the closest noun could create confusion, the adjective can be repeated:
Ho comperato un cappotto e una giacca neri (I bought a coat and a jacket in black).
Ho comperato scarpe e guanti neri (I bought shoes and gloves in black).
Position of the Descriptive Adjective
The position of the adjective in a sentence is never random and significantly affects the meaning of the sentence itself.
Adjective after the noun: When the adjective is placed after the noun, it tends to indicate a distinctive, specific, or restrictive quality. For example: un libro interessante (an interesting book) – a book with a specific quality.
Adjective before the noun: When the adjective is placed before the noun, it generally has a more general or ornamental value. For example: un interessante libro (an interesting book) – a book that is interesting but not necessarily distinguished from other books.
Some adjectives can completely change their meaning depending on their position:
Un buon uomo (a good man – simple)
Un pover’uomo (a poor man – pitiable, unfortunate)
Una vecchia amica (an old friend – a long-time friend)
Un’amica vecchia (an old friend – elderly)
Altered Adjectives
Altered adjectives express different shades of meaning through the use of diminutive, augmentative, or pejorative suffixes. Although this topic deserves a separate lesson, we’ll just briefly acknowledge it here.
Examples:
Furbo (smart) can become furbetto (sly) (a minor type of smartness) or furbacchione (sly dog) (a negative connotation).
Grande (big) can become grandissimo (very big) or grande (a big statue vs. a large statue).
Conclusion
Descriptive adjectives are essential in the Italian language and greatly contribute to the expression of complex concepts, enriching the language with nuances of meaning. Understanding the grammatical rules and their applications allows for precise and articulate use of adjectives, improving the ability to communicate effectively in Italian.
The following quiz is reserved for subscribers of our blog. If you would like to receive updates and free lessons like this one, you can subscribe for free below. The quiz is a great way to progress and improve your Italian. Subscribe for free and start studying with us!
(continues …)
This is a “freemium” quiz. Log in or subscribe at no cost.
Get new free Italian language quizzes and your results in your inbox.
Descriptive Adjectives in Italian
Quiz
Please log in or subscribe to read the blog and try the quiz
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Accept and keep browsing if you're ok with this. Acceptour policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
