Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Discover how to use Italian interrogatives like "Quando?" (When?), and the variable forms of "Quanto?" (How much?/How many?), including "Quanta," "Quanti," and "Quante," to ask clear questions about time and quantity in everyday conversations.
  1. Some question words vary according to the gender and/or number of the noun.
  2. Use quanto, quanta, quanti, quante with countable nouns.
Interrogativi (Interrogatives)Esempi (Examples)
Quanto? / Quanta?Quanta acqua bevi ogni giorno? (How much water do you drink every day?)
Quanti? / Quante?Quanti amici hai? (How many friends do you have?)
Quando?Quando è il tuo compleanno? (When is your birthday?)

Exercise 1: Gli interrogativi: "Quando?", "Quanto?",

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Quando, Quanti, quanti, Quanta, Quante

1.
... acqua bevi ogni giorno?
(How much water do you drink every day?)
2.
... volte hai detto la tua età oggi?
(How many times have you said your age today?)
3.
... amici hai?
(How many friends do you have?)
4.
... anni hai detto di avere?
(How old did you say you are?)
5.
... torta vuoi?
(How much cake do you want?)
6.
... compi gli anni?
(When is your birthday?)
7.
Con ... anni si compie la maggiore età?
(At what age do you reach the age of majority?)
8.
... sei nato?
(When were you born?)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. _____ è il tuo compleanno?

(_____ is your birthday?)

2. _____ amici hai?

(_____ friends do you have?)

3. _____ acqua bevi ogni giorno?

(_____ water do you drink every day?)

4. _____ sorelle ha Lucia?

(_____ sisters does Lucia have?)

5. _____ costa questo libro?

(_____ does this book cost?)

6. _____ compi gli anni?

(_____ is your birthday?)

Understanding Italian Interrogative Words: "Quando?", "Quanto?"

This lesson introduces essential Italian interrogative adjectives and pronouns used to formulate common questions. It focuses on the words Quando? (When?) and the various forms of Quanto?, which change based on gender and number to agree with the noun they modify.

Key Interrogative Words

  • Quando? — used to ask about time. Example: Quando è il tuo compleanno? (When is your birthday?)
  • Quanto? / Quanta? — used to ask about quantity with singular nouns, agreeing in gender. Example: Quanta acqua bevi ogni giorno? (How much water do you drink every day?)
  • Quanti? / Quante? — used for plural countable nouns, also agreeing in gender. Example: Quanti amici hai? (How many friends do you have?)

Agreement in Gender and Number

Unlike English, where "how much" or "how many" stays the same regardless of the noun, Italian interrogatives change form based on the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the noun they refer to. For example:

  • Quanto (masculine singular): Quanto costa questo libro? (How much does this book cost?)
  • Quanta (feminine singular): Quanta acqua bevi?
  • Quanti (masculine plural): Quanti amici hai?
  • Quante (feminine plural): Quante sorelle ha Lucia?

Usage Tips

Use Quanto? and its variations with nouns to inquire about quantity or amount. Ensure the interrogative agrees with the noun in gender and number.

Important Differences with English

English does not change interrogative pronouns based on gender or number; it uses "how much" for uncountable quantities and "how many" for countable plural nouns only. Italian requires agreement with the noun’s gender and number even when asking about quantity, making it important to learn these variations early on.

Common useful phrases include:

  • Quando è la festa? (When is the party?)
  • Quanta pizza vuoi? (How much pizza do you want?)
  • Quanti libri leggi? (How many books do you read?)

Mastering these interrogatives will help you form natural questions about time and quantity in Italian.

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 02:12