Italian Demystified. A self-Teaching Guide
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3. Che cosa è?
. It is a partition.
4. Che cosa è?
. It is a name.
5. Che cosa è?
. It is an automobile.
6. Che cosa è?
. It is a couch.
7. Che cosa è?
. It is a key.
8. Che cosa è?
. It is a piece of furniture.
9. Che cosa è?
. It is a chair.
Plural Nouns
Most common nouns can be made plural. Here’s how: if the noun ends in -o, change
the -o to -i.
Singular Plural
ragazzo boy ragazzi boys
divano couch divani couches
italiano Italian italiani Italians
americano American americani Americans
If the noun ends in -a, change the -a to -e.
Singular Plural
ragazza girl ragazze girls
casa house case houses
porta door porte doors
fi nestra window fi nestre windows
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28 Italian Demystifi ed
If the noun ends in -e, change the -e to -i.
Singular Plural
padre father padri fathers
madre mother madri mothers
chiave key chiavi keys
automobile automobile automobili automobiles
The main exception to these rules pertains to nouns ending in an accented vowel
or a consonant, either of which do not make a change in the plural form.
Singular Plural
caffè coffee caffè coffees
città city città cities
computer computer computer computers
e-mail e-mail e-mail e-mails
Asking Chi sono? and Che cosa sono?
You already know how to ask Chi è? (Who is it?)and Che cosa è? or Che cos’è?
(What is it?) in the singular. To ask Who are they? and What are they? in Italian,
use the plural form of the verb essere, which is sono.
Chi sono? Who are they?
Che cosa sono? What are they?
Oral Practice
Practice saying the following sentences out loud.
Chi sono? Who are they?
Sono due americani. They are two Americans.
Chi sono? Who are they?
Sono due italiani. They are two Italians.
Chi sono?
Sono due zii. They are two uncles.
Chi sono?
Sono due zie. They are two aunts.
Che cosa sono? What are they?
Sono due tavole. They are two tables.
Che cosa sono? What are they?
Sono due chiavi. They are two keys.
Che cosa sono?
Sono due caffè. They are two coffees.
Che cosa sono?
Sono due computer. They are two computers.
Written Practice 3
Following the same pattern, change the noun provided into its plural form to match
the question and response.
1. Che cosa sono? What are they?
. They are two gardens.
2. Che cosa sono?
. They are two chairs.
3. Che cosa sono?
. They are two newspapers.
4. Che cosa sono?
. They are two partitions.
5. Che cosa sono?
. They are two taxis.
6. Che cosa sono?
. They are two chatrooms.
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30 Italian Demystifi ed
Italian Titles
You learned some personal and professional titles in Chapter 1. These are repeated
here. Notice that the fi nal -e of a masculine title is dropped before a name. This rule
does not apply to feminine titles. This is more a rule of style than of strict grammar.
As such, it is not technically wrong to keep the -e, but very few Italians do so.
Masculine Title Used Before a Name
il signore the gentleman il signor Marchi Mr. Marchi
il professore the professor il professor Binni Professor Binni
il dottore the doctor il dottor Franchi Dr. Franchi
Feminine Title Used Before a Name
la signora the lady la signora Marchi Mrs. Marchi
la signorina the (unmarried) lady la signorina Bruni Miss/Ms. Bruni
la professoressa the professor la professoressa Binni Professor Binni
la dottoressa the doctor la dottoressa Franchi Dr. Franchi
USE OF TITLES
Italians use titles much more than North Americans do. In addition to those you
have already learned, here are two more commonly used titles. The same title is
used for both males and females. The fi nal -o in masculine titles is not dropped.
Title Used Before a Name
l’avvocato the lawyer l’avvocato Dini
l’ingegnere the engineer l’ingegner Vecchiarelli
When addressing someone, such as saying Good morning to him or her, the arti-
cle is dropped.
Ecco il dottor Bruni. Here is Dr. Bruni.
Buongiorno, dottor Bruni. Good morning, Dr. Bruni.
The title of dottore/dottoressa is used not only with medical doctors but also
with any person who has a university degree. The title of professore/professoressa
is used not only with university professors but also with high school and middle
school teachers.
Oral Practice
Practice saying the following sentences out loud.
Ecco il dottor Marchi. Here is Dr. Marchi.
Buongiorno, dottor Marchi. Good morning, Dr. Marchi.
Ecco l’avvocato Bruni. Here is lawyer Bruni.
Buongiorno, avvocato Bruni. Good morning, lawyer Bruni.
Ecco la signora Binni. Here is Mrs. Binni.
Buongiorno, signora Binni. Good morning, Mrs. Binni.
Ecco la dottoressa Dini. Here is Dr. Dini.
Buongiorno, dottoressa Dini. Good morning, Dr. Dini.
Ecco il signor Vecchiarelli. Here is Mr. Vecchiarelli.
Buongiorno, signor Vecchiarelli. Good morning, Mr. Vecchiarelli.
Meeting and Greeting Expressions
Buongiorno! Good morning! or Good day! Here are the main formulas for greet-
ing and taking leave of people.
buongiorno (also written buon giorno) good morning/good day
buon pomeriggio good afternoon
buonasera (also written buona sera) good evening
buonanotte (also written buona notte) good night
These expressions are used mainly in polite or formal speech—when greeting peo-
ple with whom you are not on a fi rst-name basis (strangers, superiors, etc.). How-
ever, they can also be used to greet and take leave of those with whom you are on a
fi rst-name basis.
The following expressions are used in familiar speech—those with whom you
are on familiar terms.
ciao hi/bye A presto! See you soon!
arrivederci good-bye Ci vediamo! See you later!
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32 Italian Demystifi ed
NOTE:
NOTE: The polite form of good-bye is arrivederLa.
Here are a few common expressions used when meeting and greeting people:
Come stai? How are you? (familiar)
Come sta? How are you? (polite)
Come va? How is it going?
Bene, grazie. Well, thanks.
Prego. You’re welcome.
Non c’è male. Not bad.
Così, così. So-so.
per favore/per piacere please
Oral Practice
Practice saying the following sentences out loud.
Buongiorno! Good morning!
Buon pomeriggio! Good afternoon!
Buonasera! Good evening!
Buonanotte! Good night!
Ciao! Hi!/Bye!
A presto! See you soon!
Ci vediamo! See you later!
Bene, grazie. Well, thanks.
Prego. You’re welcome.
Non c’è male. Not bad.
Così, così. So-so.
Written Practice 4
Translate the following sentences into Italian, using the familiar or polite form as
necessary.
1. How are you, Mary?
?
2. How are you, Mrs. Bianchi?
?
3. How is it going, Claudia?
?
4. How is it going, Mr. Marchi?
?
5. Good-bye, Mark!
!
6. Good-bye, Mrs. Dini.
.
QUIZ
Fill in each blank with the missing male or female noun.
Masculine Feminine
1. il ragazzo
la madre
l’americano
l’amica
il fi glio
l’italiana
lo zio
la francese
l’inglese
la canadese
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34 Italian Demystifi ed
Fill in each blank with the singular or plural form as required.
Singular Plural
2. muro
case
giardino
sedie
tavola
pavimenti
caffè
città
sport
tassì
chat
computer
Answer each question with the phrases provided. For example:
Chi è? Who is it?
È la madre di Maria.
It is Mary’s mother.
3. Chi è?
Alexander’s son
.
Sarah’s daughter
.
Che cosa è?
Alexander’s house
.
Sarah’s key
.
Greet the following people in the morning. For example:
Tommaso Thomas
Buongiorno/Ciao, Tommaso.
Good morning, Thomas./Hi, Thomas.
il signor Torelli Mr. Torelli
Buongiorno, signor Torelli.
Good morning, Mr. Torelli.
4. Maria
.
la signorina Giusti
.
Marco
.
il professor Marchi
.
Greet the following people in the evening, asking each one how he or she is. Then,
give the person’s response as indicated. For example:
Marco/Well, thanks.
Buonasera/Ciao, Marco. Come stai?
Good evening/Hi, Mark. How are
you?
Bene, grazie.
Well, thanks.
Il signor Dini/So-so.
Buonasera, signor Dini. Come sta?
Good evening. Mr. Dini. How are
you?
Così, così. So-so.
5. Claudia/Well thanks.
.
la professoressa Giusti/Not bad.
.
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36 Italian Demystifi ed
Giovanni/So-so.
.
il dottor Bruni/Well, thanks.
.
Circle the letter of the word or phrase that best completes each sentence.
6. How would you greet Ms. Marchi in the afternoon, asking her how she is?
(a) Ciao, signorina Marchi. Come stai?
(b) Buon pomeriggio, signorina Marchi. Come sta?
7. How would you introduce Mr. Bruni to Mrs. Vecchiarelli?
(a) Signora Vecchiarelli, ti presento il signor Bruni.
(b) Signora Vecchiarelli, Le presento il signor Bruni.
8. How would you ask a stranger what his or her name is?
(a) Come si chiama?
(b) Come ti chiami?
Personal Matters! Fill in each blank with your name, using a complete sentence.
9. Nome
.
10. Cognome
.