Italian grammar · Beginner · Lesson 2
Italian Noun Gender and Plurals
Learn common Italian masculine and feminine noun endings, plural patterns, and exceptions such as mano and problema.
Updated October 10, 2026 · Free lesson and exercises
Learn gender as part of the word
Every Italian noun has grammatical gender. A noun ending in -o is often masculine and a noun ending in -a is often feminine, but these are clues rather than guarantees. La mano is feminine despite its -o ending; il problema is masculine despite its -a ending.
Change the noun and its article
Many -o nouns become -i in the plural: libro → libri. Many feminine -a nouns become -e: casa → case. Nouns ending in -e usually become -i regardless of gender: fiore → fiori and notte → notti. Change the article too.
Recognize nouns that stay the same
Nouns ending in a stressed vowel often do not change: la città → le città. Many established loanwords, including bar and film, also stay unchanged. Some plurals alter the spelling to preserve a sound, as in amica → amiche. Learn common exceptions from complete phrases.
Frequent noun patterns
| Singular | Plural | Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| il libro | i libri | -o → -i |
| la casa | le case | feminine -a → -e |
| il fiore | i fiori | -e → -i, masculine |
| la notte | le notti | -e → -i, feminine |
| la città | le città | stressed vowel: unchanged |
| la mano | le mani | feminine exception |
Gender is grammatical. It does not tell you whether an object is male or female.
See the pattern in a sentence
Le case sono grandi.
The houses are big.
Case is feminine plural, with le and grandi.
Ho due libri.
I have two books.
A number can introduce the noun without a definite article.
Questa città è bella.
This city is beautiful.
Città is feminine and keeps its stressed ending.
Common mistakes to notice
To fix: Il mano
Use: La mano
Mano is a feminine exception to the common -o pattern.
To fix: Le cittàe
Use: Le città
Città is unchanged in the plural; the article shows number.
Try it yourself
Say or write an answer before opening the explanation.
1. Make la casa plural.
Show answer and explanation
Le case.
Feminine -a usually becomes -e.
2. Make il fiore plural.
Show answer and explanation
I fiori.
Fiore is masculine; -e becomes -i.
3. Choose the article for problema.
Show answer and explanation
Il problema.
Problema is masculine despite ending in -a.
Use it in a conversation
Introduce your home: name a room, two objects, and a city. Say one singular and one plural sentence.
Read the examples aloud, then try your own sentences. In ChatPal, practice a real scenario and get personalized feedback on what you say.
Practice Italian out loudFAQ
Questions about this pattern
Are all nouns ending in -a feminine?
No. Problema and programma are common masculine examples. Endings help, but an article is a better memory cue.
Do all nouns ending in -e have the same gender?
No. Il fiore is masculine and la notte is feminine. Both form their plural in -i.
Why does amica become amiche?
The h keeps the hard k sound before e. Without it, ce would represent a different sound.
Keep building your sentences
Words to practice with
References and corrections
Original explanations and practice examples for beginners. References help check the grammar; this page covers the patterns shown rather than every exception.