Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn about Italian qualitative adjectives (aggettivi qualificativi) including their agreement in gender and number, placement after the noun, common examples like buono, grande, piccolo, and differences from English adjective usage.
  1. The adjective agrees with the subject in gender and number.
  2. The usual position of the adjective is after the noun.
Aggettivo (Adjective)Maschile (Masculine)Femminile (Feminine)
BuonoUn piatto buono (A good dish)Una torta buona (A good cake)
GrandeUn pomodoro grande (A big tomato)Una cipolla grande (An large onion)
PiccoloUn pezzo piccolo (A small piece)Una panna piccola (A small cream)
DolceUn burro dolce (A sweet butter)Una crema dolce (A sweet cream)
FacileUn esercizio facile (An easy exercise)Una ricetta facile (A easy recipe)
FrescoUn ingrediente fresco (An fresh ingredient)Una spezia fresca (A fresh spice)

Exceptions!

  1. Some common adjectives can also precede the subject: il buon caffè.

Exercise 1: Aggettivi qualificativi

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

buon, grande, facile, fresco, buono

1.
Abbiamo un ingrediente ... da usare.
(We have a fresh ingredient to use.)
2.
Questo è un olio ... e leggero.
(This is a fresh and light oil.)
3.
Ho preparato un ... caffè per tutti.
(I have prepared a good coffee for everyone.)
4.
Abbiamo cucinato un piatto molto ... oggi.
(We cooked a very good dish today.)
5.
Ho preparato un ... caffè per tutti.
(I have prepared a good coffee for everyone.)
6.
Il burro è troppo ... per questa ricetta.
(The butter is too large for this recipe.)
7.
Quella è una ... quantità di farina.
(That is a large amount of flour.)
8.
È una ricetta molto ... per iniziare.
(It is a very easy recipe to start with.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Il pomodoro ____ è maturo e perfetto per l'insalata.

(The ____ tomato is ripe and perfect for the salad.)

2. La torta ____ ha un sapore dolce e piacevole.

(The ____ cake has a sweet and pleasant taste.)

3. Metti un pezzo ____ di burro nella padella.

(Put a ____ piece of butter in the pan.)

4. L'esercizio ____ aiuta a imparare la ricetta rapidamente.

(The ____ exercise helps learn the recipe quickly.)

5. Una spezia ____ rende il piatto più aromatico.

(A ____ spice makes the dish more aromatic.)

6. Il ____ caffè è essenziale dopo il pasto.

(The ____ coffee is essential after the meal.)

Qualitative Adjectives in Italian (Aggettivi Qualificativi)

This lesson introduces qualitative adjectives in Italian, which describe the qualities or characteristics of a noun. Understanding how these adjectives work is essential for forming correct and expressive sentences.

Agreement in Gender and Number

Italian adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in both gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural). For example, the adjective buono changes to buona when describing a feminine noun: un piatto buono (a good dish) vs. una torta buona (a good cake).

Typical Placement of Adjectives

Usually, qualitative adjectives are placed after the noun: un pomodoro grande (a big tomato). However, some adjectives can also come before the noun for emphasis or stylistic reasons, such as il buon caffè (the good coffee).

Common Examples

  • Buono / Buona — good
  • Grande — big
  • Piccolo / Piccola — small
  • Dolce — sweet
  • Facile — easy
  • Fresco / Fresca — fresh

Note on Usage

Remember that adjective endings change to match the noun. For masculine singular nouns, adjectives often end in -o, while for feminine singular nouns, they often end in -a. Some adjectives, like dolce and facile, end in -e and have the same form for masculine and feminine singular, changing only in the plural.

Differences Compared to English

In English, adjectives usually come before the noun and do not change based on gender or number: "a big tomato," "a small cake." In Italian, adjective endings vary and usually follow the noun. Useful phrases to remember include "un piatto buono" (a good dish) and "una torta buona" (a good cake). Understanding these patterns helps learners form natural Italian sentences.

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Tuesday, 15/07/2025 00:07