Definite and indefinite articles in Italian grammar are both essential and complex. Read this article to learn how to use them correctly.
Although they are small words with no intrinsic meaning, definite articles in Italian can be tricky for foreign learners. The Italian language has a rich system of articles, each following its own set of rules—and exceptions.
If you’re studying Italian, you’ve undoubtedly come across these articles already. And if you’re reading this, chances are they’ve given you some trouble. Maybe your native language doesn’t use them at all, or perhaps it has articles but far fewer than Italian does.
Whatever the case, mastering Italian articles, both definite and indefinite, is essential to understanding and speaking Italian correctly. That’s exactly what we aim to help you with in this guide.
What are articles in Italian?
Before diving into the different types of definite articles in Italian and indefinite articles in Italian, let’s start with an important clarification.
In Italian, the word “articoli” can have different meanings depending on the context in which it is used.
You may have heard of “articoli di giornale” (newspaper articles) or “articoli” in the sense of products, such as “articoli per la casa” (household items) or “articoli di abbigliamento” (clothing articles). It can also refer to “articoli di legge” (legal articles), like “articoli del codice penale” (articles of the penal code).
However, in this article, we are, of course, referring to the ones used in grammar: Italian articles, both definite and indefinite.
These are essential components of a sentence, always preceding a noun and never standing alone. As we mentioned earlier, they have no inherent meaning of their own. Instead, their role is to accompany nouns and indicate their gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural).
As you can see, the word “articoli” in Italian can express a wide range of meanings, making it a great example of a polysemous word—one with multiple meanings.
What are definite articles in Italian?
As the name suggests, definite articles in Italian are used to indicate specific things, people, or animals. Simply put, the noun that follows a definite article is already known, previously mentioned, or clearly identified—meaning the listener or reader can recognize it.
For example, saying "ho comprato il libro che mi hai consigliato" (I bought the book you recommended) is different from saying "ho comprato un libro" (I bought a book).
Once you understand this distinction, the next challenge is choosing the correct Italian article, as there are several options. The correct definite article depends on the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the noun it accompanies:
- "La" – singular feminine definite article;
- "Il" and "lo" – singular masculine definite articles;
- "Le" – plural feminine definite article;
- "I" and "gli" – plural masculine definite articles.
”La” is used when the feminine noun begins with a consonant (“la casa” – the house). If the noun starts with a vowel, the a drops, and we use an apostrophe: “l’idea” (the idea).
”Il” is used before masculine nouns beginning with a consonant (“il bambino” – the boy). However, there are exceptions.
Lo is required for nouns starting with: y (“lo yogurt” – the yogurt); x (“lo xilofono” – the xylophone); z (“lo zucchero” – the sugar); s + consonant (“lo sport” – sports); gn, pn, ps (“lo gnomo” – the gnome, “lo pneumatico” – the tire, “lo psicologo” – the psychologist); i + vowel (“lo iodio” – the iodine)
For masculine nouns starting with a vowel, “il” changes to “l’” (“l’uomo” – the man).
”Le” is always used for plural feminine nouns, even if the following word begins with a vowel (“le case” – the houses, “le iene” – the hyenas).
”I” is the plural form of “il”, and “gli” is the plural form of “lo”, following the same rules as the singular form.
How many indefinite articles are there in Italian?
Indefinite articles in Italian refer to unspecified things, people, or animals—something or someone generic, unknown, or not previously mentioned. Unlike definite articles in Italian, indefinite articles exist only in the singular form. For the plural, Italian uses a different type of article called partitive articles.
But let’s take it step by step. Indefinite articles are incredibly useful because they allow us to talk about someone or something unspecific or unknown to the listener. For example, you might say: "andrò a cena con un amico" (I’m going to dinner with a friend).
Now, let’s break down the Italian articles classified as indefinite:
- "Una" – singular feminine indefinite article: used before feminine nouns that begin with a consonant (“una casa” – a house). When the following noun begins with a vowel, the final "a" drops, and we use an apostrophe: “un’idea” (an idea).
- "Un" – singular masculine indefinite article: used before masculine nouns, regardless of whether they start with a consonant or a vowel. Unlike “una”, “un” never takes an apostrophe: “un libro” (a book), “un uomo” (a man).
- "Uno" – singular masculine indefinite article: used before nouns starting with: y, x, z (“uno yogurt” – a yogurt, “uno zaino” – a backpack); s + consonant (“uno sport” – a sport); gn, pn, ps (“uno gnomo” – a gnome, “uno pneumatico” – a tire, “uno psicologo” – a psychologist); i + vowel (“uno iodio” – an iodine).
You may have already noticed that indefinite articles follow similar rules to definite articles in Italian. For example: “una” follows the same pattern as “la” and “uno” follows the same pattern as “lo”.
If this seems straightforward so far, there’s one more thing that might make things trickier. As we mentioned earlier, indefinite articles in Italian don’t have a plural form. Instead, partitive articles are used in their place.
Have you heard of partitive articles? Learn them with Centro Studi Italiani!
To sum up, mastering definite articles in Italian and indefinite articles in Italian is essential for speaking the language clearly, fluently, and naturally.
Now that you’ve learned to distinguish between these two types of Italian articles, there’s one more category you should know: partitive articles. If you’ve never heard of them, they are used to indicate an unspecified quantity of something and appear in forms like “del”, “della”, “dei”, and so on.
As you can see, Italian grammar is a vast world full of rules and exceptions—but exploring it is key to truly mastering the language.
That’s why, if your goal is to learn to speak Italian (notice how many definite articles in Italian we’ve used so far!), studying with experienced professionals is crucial.
By choosing Centro Studi Italiani, you’ll have the flexibility to either take an Italian course in Italy or learn through our e-learning platform.
In both cases, you’ll be guided by highly qualified instructors who will help you put together all the pieces of the fascinating puzzle that is Italian grammar!
