10K+ students - 4.8/5
Learn with a teacher Learning materials included Practise conversation

Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn key Italian adjectives like buono (good), grande (big), piccolo (small), dolce (sweet), facile (easy), and fresco (fresh) that agree with masculine and feminine nouns, describing qualities effectively.
  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.)

Understanding Qualitative Adjectives in Italian

This lesson focuses on aggettivi qualificativi, the adjectives used to describe qualities or characteristics of people, objects, or situations in Italian. These adjectives help you add detail and color to your sentences by describing attributes such as size, taste, difficulty, and freshness.

Key Features of Qualitative Adjectives

  • Agreement in gender and number: In Italian, adjectives must match the noun they describe in both gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural). For example, buono becomes buona when describing a feminine noun like torta.
  • Position of adjectives: Typically, adjectives follow the noun they describe (un pomodoro grande). However, some common adjectives can precede the noun for emphasis (il buon caffè).

Examples from the Lesson

AdjectiveMasculine ExampleFeminine Example
Buono (good)Un piatto buonoUna torta buona
Grande (big)Un pomodoro grandeUna cipolla grande
Piccolo (small)Un pezzo piccoloUna panna piccola
Dolce (sweet)Un burro dolceUna crema dolce
Facile (easy)Un esercizio facileUna ricetta facile
Fresco (fresh)Un ingrediente frescoUna spezia fresca

Important Notes on Usage

Remember, adjectives change according to the noun's gender and number: masculine singular ends often with -o, feminine singular with -a, while adjectives ending with -e remain the same in singular but change in plural. The position of adjectives can slightly change the meaning or emphasis of the phrase.

Differences Between English and Italian Adjectives

In English, adjectives do not change based on gender or number, and they almost always precede the noun (e.g., "a big tomato"). In Italian, agreement is essential, and adjectives are usually placed after the noun. Also, English adjectives remain the same whether the noun is singular or plural, whereas in Italian, both gender and number affect adjective endings.

Useful Italian Adjective Phrases

  • Il pomodoro grande è maturo. — The big tomato is ripe.
  • La torta buona ha un sapore dolce. — The good cake has a sweet flavor.
  • Un pezzo piccolo di burro nella padella. — A small piece of butter in the pan.
  • Un esercizio facile aiuta l'apprendimento. — An easy exercise helps learning.
  • Una spezia fresca rende il piatto aromatico. — A fresh spice makes the dish aromatic.

Written by

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

Profile Picture

Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

University_Logo

Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 10:26