Lesson 2 page 2. Interactive Italian Language Course for the Web Copyright 1997, 1998, 1999 Fabio Girelli-Carasi

casa

in una casa
(house)

La casa e' semplice
(simple, modest, ordinary)

castello

in un castello
(castle)

Il castello e' antico (ancient)

condominio

in un appartamento in un condominio
(apartment,
apartment building)

Il condominio e' elegante
(elegant, classy)

fattoria

in una fattoria
(farm)

La fattoria e' tradizionale
(tradit ional)

tenda

in una tenda
(tent)

La tenda e' piccola (small)

villa

in una villa
(villa)

La villa e' grande (big)

palazzo

in un appartamento in un palazzo
(building, palace)

L'appartamento e'
confortevole (comfortable)

Il palazzo e' centrale
(centrally located, lit.: central)

da sola, da solo
(by oneself)

Io amo il silenzio
(I love peace and quiet)

con un amico e un'amica
(with a male friend and a female friend)

Io sono socievole (sociable)

ATTENZIONE

condominio
means
"apartment building,"
not "condominium" ("condo.")

fattoria
means
"farm," not "factory.

Test your memory:

Come si dice?

farm
castle
apartment building
house
apartment
building

Maschile/Femminile

Adjectives like

"buono," "italiano," "famoso"
when are associated with feminine nouns change the final vowel from
" - o " to " - a " ,
becoming "buona," "italiana," "famosa".

THESE ADJECTIVES belong to the "First class" of adjectives.

Other adjectives that end in " - e "
DO NOT CHANGE
whether associated with masculine or feminine nouns

.Example: "elegante," "grande," "tradizionale."

For the sake of classification, these are called "Second Class" adjectives.

2
nouns and adjectives

3
more nouns and adjectives

Exercise: test your memory:

Come si dice?

modest
comfortable
ancient
elegant
centrally located
traditional
sociable

La "lingua vera"
(The "Real language")

Click on the words below to connect to italian sites.
Look for the specific word and se if you can understand the information.

Condominio

Villa

Palazzo

Casa

Fattoria

Castello

Terzo grado ("Third Degree") Parliamo di te (Let's talk about you)
Come ti chiami?
Tu sei italiano/italiana?
Tu lavori in un museo?
Tu abiti in un appartamento?
Tu abiti da solo/sola?

Now you ask the questions (using the formal "Lei")

	Mi chiamo Francesco.
	Si, sono italiano.
	Lavoro a casa.
	No, non abito in un appartamento.
	Si', abito in un palazzo centrale.
	No, non abito da solo.

Maschile/Femminile
(quick review)

Indefinite articles

UN	In front of masculine nouns beginning with a vowel or consonant except ....
UNO	in front of masculine nouns beginning with <Z>, with <S> followed by another consonant, <GN> or <PS>.
UNA	In front of feminine nouns beginning with a consonant
UN'	in front of feminine nouns beginning with a vowel

Appartamento, palazzo, condominio, castello, amico
are MASCULINE,
therefore the article will be in the corresponding masculine form UN

Casa, villa, capanna, amica
are FEMININE.
The article for Feminine nouns is UNA.

However, in front of words that begins with a vowel, such as amica, the final "a" of the article is dropped and an apostrophe (the ' mark) inserted in its place. UNA AMICA, normally becomes UN'AMICA

ATTENZIONE

Masculine nouns that require the article "UNO" instead of "UN"

These are the nouns that begin with the consonant Z- , with GN, PS, PN or with
S followed by another consonant (sc-, sr-, st- etc.)

Click here for the full grammar lesson.