What Are Demonstrative Adjectives in Italian?

Italian demonstrative adjectives are essential in providing specificity to a noun, identifying a particular object, person, or place. They correspond to the English words “this,” “these,” “that,” and “those.” In Italian, the main demonstrative adjectives are “questo” (this), “quello” (that), “questi” (these), and “quei/quegli” (those). Just like other adjectives in Italian, demonstrative adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

Forms of Demonstrative Adjectives in Italian

Questo (This)

The adjective “questo” is used to describe something close to the speaker, translating to “this” in English. Here are its forms:

• Masculine singular: questo (e.g., questo libro – this book)
• Masculine plural: questi (e.g., questi libri – these books)
• Feminine singular: questa (e.g., questa casa – this house)
• Feminine plural: queste (e.g., queste case – these houses)

Quello (That)

“Quello” is used to describe something further away from the speaker, translating to “that” in English. Its forms are:

• Masculine singular: quello (e.g., quello zaino – that backpack)
• Masculine plural: quei/quegli (e.g., quei ragazzi or quegli uomini – those boys or those men)
• Feminine singular: quella (e.g., quella penna – that pen)
• Feminine plural: quelle (e.g., quelle penne – those pens)

Note on Quei vs. Quegli

“Quei” is used before plural masculine nouns starting with a consonant, while “quegli” is used before plural masculine nouns starting with a vowel, “z,” “gn,” “ps,” “x,” or “s” followed by a consonant.

Using Demonstrative Adjectives in Italian

Positioning of Demonstrative Adjectives

Italian demonstrative adjectives are placed before the noun they modify, just like other adjectives. For example:

• Questa gonna è troppo stretta. (This skirt is too tight)
• Quelle scarpe sono bellissime. (Those shoes are beautiful)

Combining Demonstrative Adjectives with Prepositions

When a preposition (e.g., “di,” “a,” “da,” “in,” “con,” “su,” “per,” “tra,” or “fra”) is used before a demonstrative adjective, the two words combine to form a single word. Here are some examples:

• di + questo = di questo (e.g., di questo momento – of this moment)
• a + quello = a quello (e.g., a quello spettacolo – at that show)
• da + quella = da quella (e.g., da quella parte – from that side)

Demonstrative Adjectives vs. Demonstrative Pronouns

It’s important not to confuse demonstrative adjectives with demonstrative pronouns. Demonstrative adjectives describe a noun, while demonstrative pronouns replace a noun. They have the same forms, but demonstrative pronouns are used without a noun. For example:

• Preferisco questa. (I prefer this one)

In this sentence, “questa” refers to a feminine singular noun mentioned earlier and acts as a pronoun.

Practice Makes Perfect

Now that you have a solid understanding of Italian demonstrative adjectives, it’s time to practice using them in context. Try reading Italian texts or engaging in conversations to apply this knowledge and become more fluent in Italian grammar. Remember, practice makes perfect!