Adjective Agreement
L'accordo degli aggettivi
In Italian, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. If a noun changes, the adjective must change too.
The Four-Way Agreement
Most Italian adjectives end in -o. These adjectives have four distinct forms to match the four types of nouns.
| Noun Type | Ending | Example (Ross-o / Red) |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine Singular | -o | il libro rosso |
| Feminine Singular | -a | la penna rossa |
| Masculine Plural | -i | i libri rossi |
| Feminine Plural | -e | le penne rosse |
The Two-Way Agreement (-e adjectives)
Adjectives that end in -e in their base form (like 'verde' or 'intelligente') are simpler. They only change for number, not gender.
- Singular (Masc or Fem): Ends in -e (il ragazzo grande / la ragazza grande).
- Plural (Masc or Fem): Ends in -i (i ragazzi grandi / le ragazze grandi).
Positioning: Where does the adjective go?
Most Italian adjectives come AFTER the noun.
| Type | Position | Example |
|---|---|---|
| General Rule | After the noun | una mela rossa (a red apple) |
| Common/Short | Before the noun | un bel giorno (a beautiful day) |
| Emphasis | Changes meaning | un vecchio amico (long-time) vs amico vecchio (elderly) |
Special Adjectives: Buono and Bello
The adjectives 'Buono' (good) and 'Bello' (beautiful) change their endings like articles when they come BEFORE a noun.
| Noun starts with... | Bello (Singular) | Bello (Plural) |
|---|---|---|
| Consonant | bel ragazzo | bei ragazzi |
| Vowel | bell'uomo | begli uomini |
| S + Consonant / Z | bello zaino | begli zaini |
Agreement Checklist
Before writing an adjective, verify these points:
- 1. What is the gender of the noun?
- 2. Is the noun singular or plural?
- 3. Does the adjective end in -o (4 forms) or -e (2 forms)?
Invariable Adjectives
Some adjectives never change their form, regardless of the noun's gender or number.
| Adjective | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rosa | Pink | il libro rosa / le penne rosa |
| Viola | Purple | la camicia viola / i fiori viola |
| Blu | Blue | lo zaino blu / le scarpe blu |
| Antifurto | Anti-theft | il sistema antifurto / le chiavi antifurto |
Practice Sentences
Mixed Groups
When an adjective describes a group containing both masculine and feminine nouns, the masculine plural form always takes priority.