Italian adjectives change their ending to match the noun they describe in gender and number. There are two main families: four-form adjectives (ending in -o) and two-form adjectives (ending in -e).
Four-form adjectives (-o family)
Ends in -o/-a/-i/-e depending on gender and number. Example: alto, alta, alti, alte.
- Il ragazzo altoThe tall boy
- La ragazza altaThe tall girl
- I ragazzi altiThe tall boys
- Le ragazze alteThe tall girls
Two-form adjectives (-e family)
Same form for both genders in singular; one plural form. Example: intelligente, intelligenti.
- Un ragazzo intelligenteA smart boy
- Una ragazza intelligenteA smart girl
- Ragazzi intelligentiSmart boys
Position
Most descriptive adjectives come AFTER the noun. A small group of common ones (bello, buono, grande, piccolo, nuovo, vecchio) usually come before.
- un vino buonoa good wine (descriptive)
- un buon libroa good book (expected)
- una casa grandea big house
- una grande amicaa great (dear) friend
Adjective endings
| Masc. sing. | Fem. sing. | Masc. pl. | Fem. pl. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -o family | -o (alto) | -a (alta) | -i (alti) | -e (alte) |
| -e family | -e (grande) | -e (grande) | -i (grandi) | -i (grandi) |