Easy Learning Italian Grammar (2011)
NOUNS
2. How to recognize what gender a noun is
There are some simple rules that will enable you to work out the gender of a very large number of Italian nouns from their last letter in the singular:
nearly all words ending in –o are masculine.
nearly all words ending in –a are feminine.
nearly all words ending in –à, –sione and –zione are feminine.
nearly all words ending with a consonant are masculine.
Note that words ending in –e are masculine in some cases and feminine in others.
The following are typical masculine nouns ending in –o:
il treno |
the train |
il supermercato |
the supermarket |
l’aeroporto |
the airport |
il toro |
the bull |
un topo |
a mouse |
un gatto |
a (tom) cat |
un italiano |
an Italian (man) |
Note that a few very common nouns ending in –o are feminine.
la mano |
the hand |
una foto |
a photo |
la radio |
the radio |
una moto |
a motorbike |
The following are typical feminine nouns ending in –a:
la casa |
the house |
la macchina |
the car |
una donna |
a woman |
una regola |
a rule |
una gatta |
a (she) cat |
un’italiana |
an Italian (woman) |
Note that some very common words ending in –a are masculine.
il problema |
the problem |
il programma |
the programme |
il sistema |
the system |
il clima |
the climate |
Most words for professions and jobs ending in –ta are masculine or feminine, according to whether a male or female is meant.
un giornalista |
a (male) journalist |
una giornalista |
a (female) journalist |
un dentista |
a (male) dentist |
una dentista |
a (female) dentist |
The following are typical feminine nouns ending in –à, –sione, and –zione:
Ending |
Example |
Meaning |
-à |
una difficoltà |
a difficulty |
la realtà |
the reality |
|
-sione |
la versione |
the version |
un’occasione |
an opportunity |
|
-zione |
una lezione |
a lesson |
una conversazione |
a conversation |
Nouns ending in a consonant are nearly always masculine.
un film |
a film |
un bar |
a bar |
un computer |
a computer |
BUT |
|
una jeep |
a jeep |
Nouns ending in –e can be masculine in some cases and feminine in others.
un mese |
a month |
il mare |
the sea |
la gente |
the people |
la mente |
the mind |
il mese di giugno |
the month of June |
una mente logica |
a logical mind |
Note that the names of languages are always masculine, whether they end in –e or in –o.
Il giapponese è molto difficile. |
Japanese is very difficult. |
L’italiano è bellissimo. |
Italian is beautiful. |
Grammar Extra!
Some words have different meanings depending on whether they are masculine or feminine.
Masculine |
Meaning |
Feminine |
Meaning |
il fine |
the objective |
la fine |
the end |
un posto |
a place |
la posta |
the mail |
un modo |
a way |
la moda |
the fashion |
il capitale |
capital (money) |
una capitale |
a capital city |
un bel posto |
a nice place |
la posta elettronica |
|