1. Nouns
Person Place Things

2. What is a Noun? A noun is a word that identifies a person, animal, place, thing, or idea. As in English, Italian nouns are singular or plural. All Italian nouns also have gender, even those that refer to objects; they are either masculine or feminine.
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3. Usually, nouns that end in -o are masculine, and nouns that end in -a are feminine.
libro
book
tạvolo
table
ufficio
office
casa
house
domanda
question
idea
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4. Masculine Singular
Zaino (Backpack)

5. Masculine Singular
Studente (Student)

6. Masculine Singular
Bambino (Child)

7. Masculine Singular Dottore (Doctor)
If word ends in –ore it is masculine.

8. Nouns that end in -e may be either masculine or feminine
Nouns that end in -e may be either masculine or feminine. Memorize the gender of these nouns as you learn them.
masculine
feminine
esame
exam
ristorante
restaurant
automọbile
car
notte
night
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.

9. Masculine Singular
Esame (Exam)

10. Ristorante (Restaurant)
Masculine Singular
Ristorante (Restaurant)

11. Nouns ending in a consonant or -ore are masculine, and nouns ending in -ione are feminine.
ạutobus
bus
computer
dottore
(male) doctor
lezione
lesson
stazione
station
televisione
television
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.

12. Feminine Singular
Notte (Night)

13. Feminine Singular
Automobile (Car)

14. Feminine Singular
Palla (Ball)

15. Feminine Singular Studentessa (Female Student)
If word ends in –essa it is feminine.

16. If word ends in -ione it is feminine.
Feminine Singular
Televisione (TV)
If word ends in -ione it is feminine.

17. Give One-Get One
Write down in your notes one rule how to identify a Masculine or Feminine Singular nouns and be ready to discuss it with someone else.
With your notes, talk to three other people in class and write their rule in your notes.
You have six minutes.

18. Provalo! (Give it a try!)
Directions: Write whether the word is feminine or masculine. 1. Studente 2. Televisione 3. Hamburger 4. Bambino 5. Università 6. Palla 7. Professoressa 8. Zaino 9. Donna 10. Stazione

19. To form the plural of most Italian nouns, you need to change the final vowel. The masculine ending -o becomes -i, and the feminine ending -a becomes -e. Regardless of gender, singular nouns ending in -e change the vowel to -i to form the plural.
singular
plural
masculine
ragazzo
boy
ragazzi
boys
ristorante
restaurant
ristoranti
restaurants
feminine
donna
woman
donne
women
notte
night
notti
nights

20. Masculine Plural
Zaini (Backpacks)

21. Masculine Plural
Bambini (Children)

22. Masculine Plural
Studenti (Students)

23. Feminine Plural
Palle (Balls)

24. Feminine Plural Studentesse (Female Students)
If word ends in –esse it is feminine.

25. If word ends in ioni it is feminine.
Feminine Plural
Televisioni (TVs)
If word ends in ioni it is feminine.

26. Shortened nouns and nouns that end in a consonant or accented vowel do not change from the singular to the plural.
singular
plural
una foto
a photo
un ạutobus
a bus
un caffè
coffee
due foto
two photos
due ạutobus
two buses
due caffè
two coffees
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.

27. Feminine Singular or Plural
Foto (Is an abbreviation for fotografia meaning Photograph)
Abbreviated words do not change in the plural

28. Feminine Singular/Plural
Università (Universities/University)
Could be plural or singular if ends in an accent.

29. Masculine Singular/Plural
Hamburger (Hamburger/Hamburgers)
If the noun ends in consonant it could be plural or singular.

30. Provalo! (Give it a try!)
Directions: Write whether the word is masculine or feminine. Then decide whether it is singular, plural, or both. 1. Studente 2. Televisione 3. Hamburger 4. Bambini 5. Università 6. Palla 7. Professoressa 8. Zaino 9. Donne 10. Stazioni 11. Ristorante 12. Automobili

31. Think-Pair-Share
In pairs write a list of three objects from your own cultural backgrounds and interests translated into Italian.
Then in pairs try to figure out whether what gender they are in Italian.
Once completed, check your work with a neighboring group.
You have five minutes.

32. Provalo! (Give it a try!)
Directions: Write whether the word is singular, plural, or both.
Studenti 2. Televisione
3. Hamburger 4. Bambini
5. Università 6. Palle
7. Professoressa 8. Zaino
9. Donne Stazioni
11. Ristorante Automobili