Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to form the plural of Italian nouns with this beginner-friendly lesson. Discover the common endings for masculine and feminine nouns, understand when the gender changes in plurals, and memorize important irregular forms. This guide explains the role of articles in showing number and gender, and highlights differences compared to English, providing useful vocabulary and examples to build your foundational Italian skills.
  1. The article tells us whether the noun is singular or plural.
Singolare (Singular) Plurale (Plural)
-oIl naso (The nose)->"i"  I nasi (the noses)
-aLa gamba (The leg)->"e"  Le gambe (The legs)
-eIl piede (The foot)->"i"  I piedi (The feet)

Exceptions!

  1. Some nouns change gender from singular to plural: il dito → le dita; la mano → le mani; il braccio → le braccia.
  2. Some irregular plurals: l'uomo → gli uomini; la faccia → le facce; la pancia → le pance

Exercise 1: Il plurale dei sostantivi

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

nasi, piedi, bocche, mani, facce, braccia, occhi, gambe

1. Il braccio:
Le ...
(The arms)
2. L'occhio:
Gli ...
(The eyes)
3. Il naso:
I ...
(The noses)
4. Il piede:
I ...
(The feet)
5. La mano:
Le ...
(The hands)
6. La bocca:
Le ...
(The mouths)
7. La faccia:
Le ...
(The faces)
8. La gamba:
Le ...
(The legs)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Il mio naso è grande, ma i ____ dei bambini sono piccoli.

(My nose is big, but the ____ of children are small.)

2. La gamba dolorante diventa più facile da muovere quando le ____ sono forti.

(The sore leg becomes easier to move when the ____ are strong.)

3. Ho un piede dolorante, ma i ____ funzionano bene durante la camminata.

(I have a sore foot, but the ____ work well while walking.)

4. Il dito si è rotto, ma le ____ ora guariscono lentamente.

(The finger is broken, but the ____ now heal slowly.)

5. La mano destra è ferma, mentre le ____ lavorano insieme per scrivere.

(The right hand is still, while the ____ work together to write.)

6. L'uomo è stanco, ma gli ____ sono pronti per la riunione.

(The man is tired, but the ____ are ready for the meeting.)

The Plural of Italian Nouns

This lesson focuses on forming the plural of Italian nouns, a fundamental skill for beginners (A1 level). Understanding how nouns change from singular to plural in Italian helps you build correct sentences and speak naturally.

Basic Plural Endings

In Italian, the article («il», «la», «l'») tells you whether a noun is singular or plural («i», «le», «gli»). Most masculine nouns ending in -o become plural by changing to -i; for example, il naso becomes i nasi. Feminine nouns ending in -a change to -e in the plural: la gamba becomes le gambe. Masculine or feminine nouns ending in -e typically change to -i, e.g., il piede becomes i piedi.

Gender Changes in Plural

Some nouns change gender when pluralized. For example, il dito (masculine singular) becomes le dita (feminine plural), and la mano (feminine singular) becomes le mani.

Irregular Plurals

Italian also has irregular plural forms: l’uomo becomes gli uomini, la faccia becomes le facce, and la pancia becomes le pance. These exceptions are important to memorize as they do not follow standard endings.

Comparing with English

Unlike English, where plurals usually simply add -s or -es, Italian pluralization depends heavily on noun endings and gender. Also, the article changes accordingly, which is key to identifying number and gender. For learners, the use of articles contrasts with English, where articles do not reflect plural forms.

Useful Words and Phrases

  • Il naso / i nasi – the nose / the noses
  • La gamba / le gambe – the leg / the legs
  • Il piede / i piedi – the foot / the feet
  • Il dito / le dita – the finger / the fingers
  • La mano / le mani – the hand / the hands
  • L’uomo / gli uomini – the man / the men

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Tuesday, 15/07/2025 05:43