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In this lesson, you will learn Italian indefinite adjectives like molto (a lot), tanto (so much), poco (little), and tutto (all), including their singular and plural forms and usage with nouns such as pane (bread), soldi (money), and mattina (morning). Master these to express quantity clearly in everyday conversations.
  1. Molto, tanto, poco agree with the noun.
  2. We use tutto with the article: tutto il, tutti i.
Singolare (Singular)PluraleEsempi (Examples)
Molto / MoltaMolti / Molte

Ho molto pane. (I have much bread.)

Tu hai molte carte (You have many cards).

Tanto / TantaTanti / Tante

Compro tanto cibo. (I buy so much food.)

Fabio ha tante giacche. (Fabio has many jackets.)

Poco / PocaPochi / Poche

Compro poca pasta. (I buy little pasta.)

Laura ha pochi soldi. (Laura has few money.)

Tutto / TuttaTutti / Tutte

Controllo tutti i prezzi. (I check all the prices.)

Lavoro tutta la mattina. (I work all morning.)

Exercise 1: Gli indefiniti: 'molto', 'tanto', 'poco', etc...

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

molte, tutta, pochi, tante, poco, molto, tanto

1.
Questo tè è ... buono, lo ricomprerò.
(This tea is very good, I will buy it again.)
2.
Costa ..., ma è davvero buono.
(It costs a lot, but it is really good.)
3.
Abbiamo ... soldi, dobbiamo fare attenzione.
(We have little money, we must be careful.)
4.
Hai ... pane per la colazione di domani.
(You have little bread for tomorrow's breakfast.)
5.
Paghi ... con la carta?
(Do you pay a lot by card?)
6.
Sto ... la mattina al mercato.
(I spend the whole morning at the market.)
7.
Lei ha ... carte.
(She has many cards.)
8.
Abbiamo ... carte nel portafoglio oggi.
(We have many cards in the wallet today.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ho comprato _____ mele al mercato oggi.

(I bought _____ apples at the market today.)

2. C'è _____ acqua nella bottiglia, dobbiamo comprarne ancora.

(There is _____ water in the bottle, we need to buy more.)

3. Voglio _____ pane per la cena.

(I want _____ bread for dinner.)

4. Ho pagato _____ i prezzi che ho visto nel negozio.

(I paid _____ the prices that I saw in the store.)

5. Abbiamo _____ soldi per fare la spesa oggi.

(We have _____ money to do the shopping today.)

6. Lavoro _____ la mattina prima di andare a comprare il caffè.

(I work _____ the morning before going to buy coffee.)

Indefinite Quantifiers in Italian: "molto", "tanto", "poco", and More

This lesson focuses on a set of important indefinite adjectives in Italian that express an undefined quantity. These words are key for everyday conversations and help you indicate how much or how many of something is involved.

Key Indefinite Adjectives and Their Forms

In Italian, the quantity adjectives molto, tanto, poco, and tutto change form to match the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the nouns they describe.

  • Molto / Molta (singular), Molti / Molte (plural)
  • Tanto / Tanta (singular), Tanti / Tante (plural)
  • Poco / Poca (singular), Pochi / Poche (plural)
  • Tutto / Tutta (singular), Tutti / Tutte (plural)

Examples to Illustrate Usage

Here are some example sentences showing how these words are used with different nouns:

  • Ho molto pane. (I have a lot of bread.)
  • Tu hai molte carte. (You have many cards.)
  • Compro tanto cibo. (I buy a lot of food.)
  • Fabio ha tante giacche. (Fabio has many jackets.)
  • Compro poca pasta. (I buy little pasta.)
  • Laura ha pochi soldi. (Laura has few coins/money.)
  • Controllo tutti i prezzi. (I check all the prices.)
  • Lavoro tutta la mattina. (I work all morning.)

Notes on Usage

These adjectives express an indefinite quantity and must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. For example, molto pane (bread is masculine singular), but molte carte (cards are feminine plural). The adjective tutto is often used with articles, as in tutto il or tutti i.

Comparison with English

Unlike English, where words like "much," "many," or "all" stay the same regardless of the noun, Italian requires that indefinite adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. For example, in English we say "much bread" and "many cards" but in Italian the adjective changes form: "molto pane" (masculine singular) versus "molte carte" (feminine plural). Understanding these agreements enhances your accuracy and fluency in Italian.

Useful Italian Phrases

  • Ho molto lavoro da fare. (I have a lot of work to do.)
  • Ci sono tante persone alla festa. (There are many people at the party.)
  • Ho poco tempo oggi. (I have little time today.)
  • Abbiamo mangiato tutta la pizza. (We ate all the pizza.)

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 20:03