Language/Italian/Grammar/Plural

Hi everyone!

In this lesson, we will teach you how to use the plural in Italian.

General rule

-i

Male names usually form the plural in -i:

• libro becomes libri,
• quaderno becomes quaderni,
• cane becomes cani

-e

Female names usually want the plural in -e:

• mamma becomes mamme,
• pizza becomes pizze,
• mela becomes mele

But there are some exceptions. For example, mano, that is a female name, becomes mani or problema, that is a male name, becomes problemi.

Exceptions

-ca,-ga

Names which end with -ca,-ga form the plural in -che,-ghe:

• banca becomes banche
• panca becomes panche

-cia, -gia become -ce,-ge

Names which end in -cia, -gia form the plural in -ce,-ge (if preceded by a consonant):

• spiaggia becomes spiagge,
• goccia becomes gocce

-cia, -gia become -cie, -gie

Names which end in -cia,-gia form the plural in -cie, -gie (if preceded by a vowel):

• ciliegia becomes ciliegie,
• camicia becomes camicie

-cìa,-gìa

Names which end in -cìa,-gìa form the plural in -cìe,-gìe:

• farmacia becomes farmacie,
• magia becomes magie

-co,-go

Names which end with -co,-go form the plural in -ci, -gi or in -chi,-ghi:

• amico becomes amici,
• medico becomes medici,
• caco becomes cachi,
• lago becomes laghi

No change

Some names are written in the same way in both forms:

• papà becomes papà,
• città becomes città,
• re becomes re,
• crisi becomes crisi

irregular forms

Some names have irregular plural forms as well:

• bue becomes buoi,
• uomo becomes uomini,
• dio becomes dei,
• tempio becomes templi