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Punto di partenza

Adjectives are words that describe people, places, and things. In Italian, adjectives are often used with the verb essere to point out the qualities of the subject.

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• Many adjectives in Italian are cognates. Their spellings and meanings are similar in both Italian and English.

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• Although both buono and bravo mean good, use bravo to describe someone who is skilled or talented.

La mensa è buona. The cafeteria is good.

L’insegnante d’italiano è brava.The Italian teacher is good.

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• Unlike in English, most adjectives in Italian follow the noun.

È un libro noioso.It is a boring book.

Sono ragazzi studiosi.They are studious boys.

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Agreement

Italian adjectives agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify. In Strutture 1A.1 you learned how to make nouns plural; adjectives change their final vowel in a similar way.

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• Adjectives whose masculine singular form ends in -o have four possible endings: -o (masc.) and -a (fem.) in the singular, and –i (masc.) and -e (fem.) in the plural. To refer to groups of mixed gender, use the masculine plural ending -i.

Giorgio è contento.Giorgio is happy.

Giorgio e Laura sono contenti.Giorgio and Laura are happy.

Silvia è contenta.Silvia is happy.

Silvia e Laura sono contente.Silvia and Laura are happy.

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• Adjectives that end in -e in the singular change to -i in the plural.

Lucia è intelligente.Lucia is intelligent.

Lucia e Roberto sono intelligenti.Lucia and Roberto are intelligent.

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• Most adjectives ending in -co, -ca, -go, and -ga require an h in the plural to maintain the hard sound of the c or g. Exceptions include the masculine plural adjectives simpatici and antipatici.

È simpatica.She is nice.

Le ragazze sono simpatiche.The girls are nice.

È un amico tedesco.He is a German friend.

Sono amici tedeschi.They are German friends.

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• Adjectives of nationality also follow the rules of agreement described above. Unlike in English, they are not capitalized.

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• Use Di dove + essere to ask about someone’s nationality or origin. To name a city in the reply, use di.

Di dove sei?Where are you from?

Sono italiana. Sono di Roma.I am Italian. I am from Rome.

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1. Loro sono _________. (generoso)

2. Lisa è ________. (simpatico)

3. Hiroshi è _________. (giapponese)

4. lo non sono ________. (pigro)

5. Gli esami sono________. (facile)

6. Silvia è __________. (tedesco)

Write the correct forms of the adjectives.

generosi/e