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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) |
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