Language/Italian/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Italian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be discussing plurals in Italian. It’s worth remembering that although the Italian language may seem difficult, it is relatively easy to learn and a great way to further your love of linguistics.
Introduction
Italian plurals present a major challenge due to the vast number of cases and the many different forms a word can take. However, once you learn the rules, it is relatively straightforward. In this lesson, we will explore those rules and exceptions in detail, with the help of a few examples.
The Basics
In Italian, plurals are most commonly formed by adding -i to masculine nouns ending in -o, and -e to feminine nouns ending in -a. For example:
| Italian | Pronunciation | English | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| libro (masculine) | /ˈli.bro/ | book | libri (masculine plural) | /ˈli.bri/ | books |
| casa (feminine) | /ˈka.sa/ | house | case (feminine plural) | /ˈka.se/ | houses |
There are many ways to form plurals in Italian, and while there are rules, there are also many exceptions.
Irregular plurals
Italian is like any other language in that it has many irregularities. Here are a few examples:
| Italian | Pronunciation | English | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| albero (masculine) | /alˈbe.ro/ | tree | alberi (masculine plural) | /alˈbe.ri/ | trees |
| uomo (masculine) | /ˈwo.mo/ | man | uomini (masculine plural) | /ˈwo.men.i/ | men |
| moglie (feminine) | /ˈmɔʎʎe/ | wife | mogli (feminine plural) | /ˈmɔʎʎi/ | wives |
It is important to memorize these exceptions, as they do not follow the same rules as regular plurals.
Plural of compound nouns
In Italian, compound nouns (i.e., nouns made up of two or more words) are generally made plural by adding the plural ending to the last word of the compound noun. For example:
| Italian | Pronunciation | English | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lavapiedi (masculine) | /la.va.ˈpje.di/ | foot-washers | lavapiedi (masculine plural) | /la.va.ˈpje.di/ | foot-washers |
| passaporto (masculine) | /pas.saˈpor.to/ | passport | passaporti (masculine plural) | /pas.saˈpor.ti/ | passports |
As you can see, the same form is used for both the singular and plural forms of the noun.
Plural of proper nouns
Plural proper nouns in Italian follow the same grammatical rules as regular nouns. For example:
| Italian | Pronunciation | English | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marco (masculine name) | /ˈmar.ko/ | Marco | Marco e Paolo (masculine plural) | /ˈmar.ko e ˈpa.o.lo/ | Marco and Paolo |
| Lucia (feminine name) | /lu.ˈtʃi.a/ | Lucia | Lucia e Andrea (feminine plural) | /lu.ˈtʃi.a e an.ˈdre.a/ | Lucia and Andrea |
Dialogue
Here is a short dialogue to help you better understand plurals in context:
- Person 1: Scusi, quanto costa questo libro? (Excuse me, how much does this book cost?)
- Person 2: Questi libri costano €20. (These books cost €20.)
Conclusion
Learning plurals in Italian is essential for anyone who wants to speak this beautiful language with accuracy and fluency. Make sure you practice and pay attention to the rules, and don't be afraid to ask for help.
To improve your Italian Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources
- Italian Grammar Rules: How to Form Singular and Plural in Italian
- Italian Grammar Lessons: Plurals
- Plural of nouns in Italian - Italian grammar | Italiano Bello
Related Lessons
- Definite Articles in Italian
- Past Tense
- Adjectives
- How to Use Have
- How to Use be
- Present Tense
- Definite Articles
- Indefinite Articles in Italian
- Accent mark to distinguish a word