Easy Learning Italian Grammar (2011)
ADJECTIVES
5. Where do you put the adjective?
You put most adjectives AFTER the noun.
un gesto spontaneo |
a spontaneous gesture |
una partita importante |
an important match |
capelli biondi |
blonde hair |
Note that if you have two adjectives you link them with e (meaning and).
ragazze antipatiche e |
nasty rude girls |
maleducate |
|
The meaning of some adjectives changes depending on whether they come after or before the noun.
gente povera |
poor people BUT |
Povera Anna! |
Poor (meaning unfortunate) Anna! |
un uomo grande |
a big man BUT |
una grande sorpresa |
a great surprise |
una macchina nuova |
a new car BUT |
la sua nuova ragazza |
his new (meaning latest) girlfriend |
una casa vecchia |
an old house BUT |
un mio vecchio amico |
an old (meaning long-standing) friend of mine |
una borsa cara |
an expensive handbag BUT |
un caro amico |
a dear friend |
Note that if you add molto (meaning very) to an adjective, the adjective always goes after the noun.
una bella casa |
a nice house |
una casa molto bella |
a very nice house |
Some types of adjectives always go in front of the noun:
adjectives that are used to point things out, such as questo (meaning this) and quello (meaning that)
Questo cellulare è di mio fratello. |
This mobile phone is my brother’s. |
Quello studente è un mio amico. |
That student is a friend of mine. |
For more information on Demonstrative adjectives, see page 30.
possessive adjectives such as mio (meaning my), tuo (meaning your) and suo (meaning his or her)
mio padre |
my father |
tuo fratello |
Your brother |
suo marito |
her husband |
ogni (meaning each, every), qualche (meaning some) and nessuno (meaning no)
ogni giorno |
every day |
qualche volta |
sometimes |
Non c’è nessun bisogno di andare. |
There’s no need to go. |
For more information on Indefinite adjectives, see page 37.
question words
Quali programmi hai? |
What plans have you got? |
Quanto pane hai comprato? |
How much bread did you buy? |
For more information on Questions, see page 152.
Key points
Most Italian adjectives go after the noun.
The meaning of some adjectives changes depending on whether they come before or after the noun.