5.5. Adjectives

This section will describe how qualifying adjectives are used in Italian. Qualifying adjectives usually follow the noun they modify, and they agree with that noun’s gender and number, e.g.,

un ragazzo attivo

an active boy

una signora simpatica

a kind lady

There are two major types of qualifying adjectives: One type has four possible endings (you can think of them as “four-change” adjectives), based on whether the triggering noun is singular or plural, and whether the triggering noun is feminine or masculine. Following is an example with russo:

una ragazza russa = a Russian girl

quattro signori russi = four Russian men

The other major type of qualifying adjectives only has two possible endings (you can think of them as “two-change adjectives,”)  based on whether the triggering noun is singular or plural. These adjectives end in –e in the singular, regardless of the noun’s gender and –i in the plural, regardless of the noun’s gender. Following is an example with gentile (“kind”) and intelligente:

un uomo intelligente

an intelligent man

una donna intelligente

an intelligent woman

due uomini intelligenti

two intelligent men

due donne intelligenti

two intelligent ladies

Regardless of whether you are using a “four-change” or a “two-change” adjective, if your noun is plural and it refers to both masculine and feminine subjects, it will assume the masculine plural adjective ending, e.g.,

Le ragazze e i ragazzi americani.

The american girls and guys.

I libri e le penne sono rossi.

The books and the pens are red.