Centro Studi Italiani TM

 

Welcome to The Italian Electronic Classroom! TM


The Accent


Nouns with two plural forms

Some masculine nouns have two plural forms with different gender: one masculine and one feminine. Their meaning is often radically different.

In general, the plural masculine form ending in -I is used figuratively, while the form in -A is used in a more concrete sense. Sometimes, both forms can be used interchangeably.

The following is a short list of these nouns.

Masculine Singular Masculine Plural Feminine Plural
     
anèllo (lo) (ring) anèlli (gli) (rings): "Gli anelli di Saturno" anèlla (le) (literary: curly hairs)
bràccio (il) (arm) bracci (i) (wings, branches, arms): "I bracci della sedia" bràccia (le) (arms of human body)
budèllo (il) (alley, intestine) budèlli (i) (alleys) budèlla (le) (guts)
calcagno (il) (heel) calcagni (i) (heels) calcagna (le) (idiomatic, figurative): "Stare alle calcagna di qualcuno"
cervèllo (il) (brain) cervèlli (i) (brains) cervèlla (le) (idiomatic): "Farsi saltare le cervella"
cìglio (il) (eyelash, curb) cigli (i) (edges) (curbs) cìglia (le) (eyelashes)
còrno (il) (horn) còrni (i) (horns, musical instruments) (also idiomatic: "I corni del problema") còrna (le) (horns): "Le corna del cervo"
cuòio (il) (leather) cuòi (i) (type of leather) cuòia (le) (idiomatic): "Tirare le cuoia"
dito (il) (finger) diti (i) (fingers, considered individually) dita (le) (fingers, collectively)
filaménto (il) (filament) filaménti (i) (filaments) filaménta (le) (literary: filaments)
filo (il) (thread) fili (i) (threads) fila (le) (figurative: thread): "Tirare le fila"
fondaménto (il) (foundation, basic notion) fondaménti (i) (basic notions) fondaménta (le) (foundations)
fuso (il) (spindle) fusi (i) (spindles) fusa (le) (idiomatic): "Il gatto fa le fusa"
gèsto (il) (gesture) gèsti (i) (gestures) gèsta (le) (deeds, feats)
ginòcchio (il) (knee) ginòcchi (i) (knees) ginòcchia (le) (knees, used collectively)
grido (il) (scream) gridi (i) (screams) grida (le) (screams)
labbro (il) (lip, edge) labbri (i) (edges) labbra (le) (lips)
lenzuòlo (il) (sheet) lenzuòli (i) (sheets) lenzuòla (le) (sheets, used collectively)
mèmbro (il) (limb, member) mèmbri (i) (members) mèmbra (le) (limbs)
muro (il) (wall) muri (i) (walls) mura (le) (city walls)
òsso (lo) (bone) òssi (gli) (animal bones) òssa (le) (human bones)
sopraccìglio (il) (eyebrow) sopraccigli (i) (eyebrows) sopraccìglia (le) (eyebrows, collectively)
strido (lo) (squeak) stridi (gli) (squeaks, less common) strida (le) (squeaks)
urlo (lo) (shout) urli (gli) (shouts) urla (le) (shouts)

Back to The Italian Electronic Classroom! Index

Back to our homepage


Comments, suggestions, requests? We'll be happy to hear from you!

E-Mail: italian@locuta.com


© 1996-2007 by Centro Studi Italiani TM