Articolo determinativo
The articolo determinativo (definite article) corresponds to the English word the. In Italian the articolo determinativo has different forms depending on the gender (masculine or feminine), number (singular or plural), and initial sound of the following word.
| singolare | plurale | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| maschile | il | i | before most consonants (il ragazzo – i ragazzi) |
| lo | gli | before “s+consonant” or “z” (lo studente – gli studenti) | |
| l' | gli | before a vowel (l’amico – gli amici) | |
| femminile | la | le | before a consonant (la studentessa – le studentesse) |
| l' | le | before a vowel (l’amica – le amiche) |
Uso dell’articolo determinativo
Italian uses the definite article much more than English does. Here are some important points to remember.
- Italian sentences rarely start with a noun that has no article. The article is used to indicate generalities and an entire category.
I prezzi sono bassi durante i saldi. Prices are low during the sales. L’amore vince tutto. Love conquers all.
- When you’re talking about parts of the body, personal effects, and clothing, use the definite article instead of the possessive (my, your, his and so on are not translated).
Hanno alzato la mano (sing.). They raised their hands(pl.). Mi sono messa le scarpe. I put on my shoes.
- After avere with nouns that describe a person physically.
Pinocchio ha gli occhi vivaci e il naso lungo. Pinocchio has lively eyes and a long nose. La fata ha i capelli turchini. The fairy has blue hair.
- With days of the week (in the singular) to talk about a regular occurrence. No article is used to talk about a specific day.
Faccio la spesa il sabato. I go grocery shopping on Saturdays. Non ho fatto la spesa sabato. I didn’t go grocery shopping on Saturday.
- With geographical names (countries, states, rivers, lakes etc.)
L’Italia è una penisola. Italy is a peninsula. Il lago di Como è in Lombardia.* Lake Como is in Lombardy.
*Note: the article is not used after in if the geographical noun is feminine, singular and unmodified:
La mia città è in Toscana, una regione in Italia, nell’Italia centrale. My hometown is in Tuscany, a region in Italy, in central Italy.
- With names of languages (l’italiano, il francese, l’inglese…) except when they are preceded by di or in.
il professore d’italiano
the Italian professor
(= the professor who teaches Italian)
una composizione in italiano
an Italian composition
(= a composition written in Italian)
- When you are referring to people by using their titles, but NOT when you are speaking to them directly.
Il signor Geppetto è povero. Mr. Geppetto is poor. Buon giorno, Dottor Grillo! Good Morning, Dr. Grillo!
- Combined with a to translate every or per, when talking about rates or speed, how much something costs per pound/ kilo etc., and how often something happens.
80 chilometri all’ora 80 kilometers an/per an hour 2 euro al chilo 2 euro a Kilo molte ore al giorno many hours a day
Aggettivo “bello” e dimostrativo “quello”
When the adjectives bello and quello come before a noun, they follow the same pattern as the definite article.
| singolare | plurale | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| maschile | bel | bei | before most consonants (bel ragazzo – bei ragazzi) |
| bello | begli | before “s+consonant” or “z” (bello studente – begli studenti) | |
| bell' | begli | before a vowel (bell’amico – begli amici) | |
| femminile | bella | belle | before a consonant (bella studentessa – belle studentesse) |
| bell' | belle | before a vowel (bell’amica – belle amiche) |
| singolare | plurale | ||
| maschile | quel | quei | before most consonants (quel ragazzo – quei ragazzi) |
| quello | quegli | before “s+consonant” or “z” (quello studente – quegli studenti) | |
| quell' | quegli | before a vowel (quell’amico – quegli amici) | |
| femminile | quella | quelle | before a consonant (quella studentessa – quelle studentesse) |
| quell' | quelle | before a vowel (quell’amica – quelle amiche) |
Note: the choice depends on the word immediately following bello/quello
il bello studente quello studente quel bello studente i begli occhi quegli occhi quei begli occhi
- When BELLO comes after the noun, it takes the regular endings: bello, bella, belli, belle
Quel ragazzo è bello ma egoista. That is a handsome but selfish guy. L’amica di Sara è bella. Sara’s friend is beautiful.
- When QUELLO is used as a pronoun, it takes the regular endings: quello, quella, quelli, quelle
- Vuoi quel vestito rosso? - No, voglio quello nero. Do you want that red dress? No, I want the black one.
Conversazione
COMMESSO (shop assistant): Buon giorno, signorina. Posso essere d’aiuto?
LAURA: Sì. Posso provare (try on) quegli stivali neri in vetrina (in the window)?
COMMESSO: Quelli col tacco alto (high-heeled)?
LAURA: No, quelli col tacco basso.
COMMESSO: Ecco (here are) gli stivali neri col tacco basso.
LAURA: Che begli stivali!
