Aggettivi

In Italian an adjective agrees in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) with the noun it modifies. Adjectives can be divided into three groups:

• The masculine singular ends in -o → 4 endings (-o, -a, -i, -e)
• The masculine singular ends in -e → 2 endings (-e, -i)
• The masculine singular ends in -a → 3 endings (-a, -i, -e)

*There are only a few adjectives in this group, but they are frequently used. The most common are: comunista, egoista, fascista, femminista, socialista, ottimista, pessimista.

• Certain adjectives change their spelling in the plural. These changes follow the same patterns that the names do. In some cases, spelling changes depend on where the stress falls in the word:
  • Adjectives ending in –ca/ga/go

• • Adjectives ending in –co

              * exception: greco (Greek) → greci

• • Adjectives ending in –io, –ia

• Some adjectives have only one form. They are called invariable (abbreviated to inv. in the dictionary).
  • A few adjectives such as ogni (every), qualsiasi (any), and qualche (some) have only one form and are used only with singular nouns:

ogni uomo e ogni donna
every man and woman

qualche bambino e qualche bambina
some boys and girls

• • Some adjectives of color that derive from nouns are invariable. They include: lilla (lilac), rosa (pink), viola (purple). The monosyllabic adjective blu (blue) is also invariable.

un vestito rosa e un vestito nero    
a pink dress and a black dress

stivali viola e stivali rossi
purple boots and red boots

• Grande can be shortened to gran before nouns (both singular and plural) beginning with a consonant other than s + consonant, z, or ps.

una gran/grande sorpresa   un gran/grande pranzo   
a great/big surprise       a great/big lunch 

gran/grandi signore
great ladies

But:    un grande zaino    una grande scrittrice    
        a big backpack     a great writer

        grandi amiche
        great friends

una gran brava persona      un gran bell’uomo
quite a good person         quite a handsome man

• If an adjective modifies two or more nouns of different gender, the masculine plural form is used.

I vestiti e le scarpe di marca sono cari.
Designer clothes and shoes are expensive.

Posizione dell’aggettivo (position of the adjective)

• Descriptive adjectives generally follow the noun. They always follow the noun when modified by molto (very), abbastanza (fairly) or another adverb.

un bambino biondo         una bambina affettuosa
a blond boy               an affectionate girl

un vino rosso             una signora molto bella
a red wine                a very beautiful lady        

un uomo giovane e bello*  bambini antipatici e maleducati*
a young handsome man      nasty rude children

• A few common descriptive adjectives usually precede the noun: bello, brutto, buono, cattivo, grande, piccolo, giovane, lungo, vecchio.

Vivevamo in una bella casa.     Era un cattivo studente.
We lived in a beautiful house.  He was a bad student.

Era una vecchia amica.        Amavo fare lunghe passeggiate.
She was an old friend.        I loved to take long walks.

• The meaning of some adjectives changes depending on whether they come before or after a noun.

una borsa cara                  un caro amico
an expensive purse              a dear friend

un uomo povero                  povero Geppetto!
a poor man                      poor (unfortunate) Geppetto!

una macchina grande             una grande/gran* macchina
a big car                       a great car

una casa nuova                  la loro nuova casa
a new house                     their new (latest) home

* see above for the rules on the adjective “grande.”