Noun Gender and Number

Level: A1. Every Italian noun has a gender (masculine or feminine) and a number (singular or plural). You cannot avoid the choice: the article and most adjectives must agree with the noun, so the and new change shape to match it.

The rule

Gender is whether a noun is treated as masculine or feminine — it is a grammar label, not about real-world sex. Number is singular (one) or plural (more than one). The ending of the noun usually tells you both:

• Nouns ending in -o are usually masculine, and the plural ends in -i: libro → libri.
• Nouns ending in -a are usually feminine, and the plural ends in -e: casa → case.
• Nouns ending in -e can be either gender, and the plural ends in -i: cane (m) → cani, chiave (f) → chiavi.

Because an -e noun does not show its gender, you have to learn each one with its article: il cane (the dog, masculine), la chiave (the key, feminine).

Forms

Some common nouns break the -o/-a pattern and simply have to be memorised: la mano (the hand) is feminine though it ends in -o, with plural le mani; il problema, il tema, il programma and il sistema are masculine though they end in -a, with plurals i problemi, i temi, and so on.

Example sentences

1. Il libro è nuovo.
   The book is new.
   -o masculine singular
2. I libri sono nuovi.
   The books are new.
   -o → -i plural
3. La casa è grande.
   The house is big.
   -a feminine singular
4. Le case sono grandi.
   The houses are big.
   -a → -e plural
5. Il cane dorme.
   The dog is sleeping.
   -e noun, masculine
6. I cani dormono.
   The dogs are sleeping.
   -e → -i plural
7. La chiave è sul tavolo.
   The key is on the table.
   -e noun, feminine
8. Le chiavi sono qui.
   The keys are here.
   -e → -i plural
9. Lo studente studia molto.
   The student studies a lot.
10. Gli studenti studiano molto.
    The students study a lot.
11. La mano destra è fredda.
    The right hand is cold.
    exception: -o but feminine
12. Le mani sono fredde.
    The hands are cold.
13. Il problema è difficile.
    The problem is difficult.
    exception: -a but masculine
14. I problemi sono difficili.
    The problems are difficult.
15. La città è bella.
    The city is beautiful.
    accented -à: no change in plural
16. Le città italiane sono antiche.
    The Italian cities are ancient.
17. La foto è bella.
    The photo is nice.
    shortened word, invariable
18. Le foto sono belle.
    The photos are nice.

Common mistakes

• ❌ le casa → ✅ le case. The plural of a feminine -a noun is -e, not -a.
• ❌ le chiave → ✅ le chiavi. An -e noun takes -i in the plural, whatever its gender.
• ❌ la mani → ✅ le mani. La mano is feminine; its plural mani takes the feminine plural article le.
• ❌ i problema → ✅ i problemi. Problema is masculine and pluralises to problemi.
• ❌ le cittàe → ✅ le città. Nouns ending in an accented vowel never change in the plural.

A short conversation

— Scusa, dove sono le chiavi? (Excuse me, where are the keys?) — La chiave di casa è qui; le chiavi della macchina sono sul tavolo. (The house key is here; the car keys are on the table.) — E i libri? Sono ancora nello zaino? (And the books? Are they still in the backpack?) — Sì, ma ho solo due mani: ho portato troppe borse! (Yes, but I only have two hands: I carried too many bags!)

Notice how each noun drags its article and ending along: la chiave → le chiavi (an -e noun, feminine), il libro → i libri (-o → -i), la mano → le mani (the -o-but-feminine trap), la borsa → le borse (-a → -e).

Usage notes

• The ending is a guide, not a guarantee. Most -o nouns are masculine and most -a feminine, but learn every noun with its article, because the common exceptions (la mano, il problema, la radio, il cinema) never announce themselves.
• -e nouns hide their gender. Since -e can be either, store each one as a pair: il fiore (the flower, masculine), la notte (the night, feminine). Both pluralise to -i — i fiori, le notti — so only the article tells them apart.
• Some nouns never change in the plural. Words ending in a stressed vowel (la città → le città, il caffè → i caffè), shortened words (la foto → le foto, la moto, l’auto) and foreign borrowings (il bar → i bar, il film → i film) keep one form; only the article shows the number.
• Nouns for people often pair up. Many swap -o/-a to match the person: il ragazzo / la ragazza, il maestro / la maestra. Nouns in -ista keep one word for both and let the article do the work: il turista / la turista, i turisti / le turiste.

Compared with…

• Definite articles (il, lo, la, i, gli, le) change with the noun’s gender and number — read Italian Definite Articles to pick the right one.
• Indefinite articles (un, uno, una, un’) follow the same gender logic; see the Italian grammar section.

How to say it

Italian reads almost exactly as it is written. These are the sounds English speakers get wrong in this lesson’s words:

Quick recap before the quiz.

Practice

Practice

Gender and number practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 What is the plural of 'la casa'?

le casa le case i casi le casi

Check

Show answer

le case — Feminine -a nouns pluralise to -e: le case.

2 Plural of 'la chiave': le ____

Check

Hint: -e nouns take -i.

Show answer

chiavi — An -e noun takes -i in the plural, so le chiavi.

3 Build: 'The books are new.'

nuoviisonolibri

CheckReset

Show answer

i libri sono nuovi — i libri sono nuovi — article, noun, verb, adjective all masculine plural.

4 Match each singular with its plural.

• il libro Match for il libro — choose — i canii librile casele mani
• la casa Match for la casa — choose — i canii librile casele mani
• il cane Match for il cane — choose — i canii librile casele mani
• la mano Match for la mano — choose — i canii librile casele mani

Check

Show answer

• il libro → i libri
• la casa → le case
• il cane → i cani
• la mano → le mani

-o/-e → -i; -a → -e; la mano is an -o feminine exception.

5 Which noun is feminine despite ending in -o?

il libro la mano il problema lo zaino

Check

Show answer

la mano — La mano is feminine; its plural is le mani.

Quiz

Check yourself

Noun gender and number

13 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/13 0 answered

1. 1Nouns ending in -o are usually…

   A feminine B masculine C either D plural
   Show answer

   masculine — Most -o nouns are masculine: il libro.

2. 2The plural of 'la casa' is…

   A le casa B le case C i case D le casi
   Show answer

   le case — Feminine -a → -e: le case.

3. 3The plural of 'il libro' is…

   A i libre B i libri C le libri D i libro
   Show answer

   i libri — Masculine -o → -i: i libri.

4. 4An -e noun in the plural ends in…

   A -e B -a C -i D it does not change
   Show answer

   -i — -e nouns take -i: cane → cani, chiave → chiavi.

5. 5'La mano' is…

   A masculine B feminine C plural already D an adjective
   Show answer

   feminine — La mano is feminine despite the -o; plural le mani.

6. 6The plural of 'il problema' is…

   A le probleme B i problemi C i problema D le problemi
   Show answer

   i problemi — Problema is masculine: i problemi.

7. 7The plural of 'la città' is…

   A le cittàe B le città C le cittài D i città
   Show answer

   le città — Accented-vowel nouns do not change: le città.

8. 8Plural of 'la chiave': le ____
   Check
   Show answer

   chiavi — -e nouns take -i: le chiavi.

9. 9Why learn each -e noun with its article?

   A To know its gender B To know its meaning C To know its spelling D There is no reason
   Show answer

   To know its gender — The -e ending hides the gender, so il/la tells you.

10. 10The article and adjective must…

    A stay in the singular B agree with the noun's gender and number C always be masculine D be dropped in the plural
    Show answer

    agree with the noun's gender and number — Agreement: il libro nuovo → i libri nuovi.

11. 11Which plural is correct?

    A le chiave B le chiavi C i chiavi D le chiavo
    Show answer

    le chiavi — Chiave is feminine -e, plural le chiavi.

12. 12Plural of 'la foto': le ____
    Check
    Show answer

    foto — Shortened words like foto are invariable: le foto.

13. 13The plural of 'il fiore' is…

    A i fiore B le fiori C i fiori D i fieri
    Show answer

    i fiori — Fiore is an -e noun (masculine): i fiori.

Recap cheat-sheet

Next

• Back to the Italian grammar section
• Related: Italian Definite Articles
• New here? Start with Start Learning Italian Here