An Overview of Determiners
A determiner is a word that allows us to "zero in" on the particular nouns we are referring to. For example, is it specific? (il libro), non-specific? (un libro), possessive? (il mio libro) in front of you? (questo libro)?, is there more than one? (due llibri). The main types we consider in this guide are articles (il, la, i, le, un, una), possessives (il mio, la mia, etc.) and demonstratives (questo, questa, questi, queste). All determiners vary according to the gender of the noun they precede.
Definite Articles
| Gender |
Singular |
Plural |
| masculine |
|
|
| before consonants |
il |
i |
| before s+cons.; ps, pn, gn, x, y, z |
lo |
gli |
| before vowels |
l' |
gli |
| feminine |
|
|
| before consontants |
la |
le |
| before vowels |
l'a |
le |
Indefinite Articles
| Gender |
|
|
| masculine |
|
|
| before consonants and vowels |
un |
|
| before s+cons.; ps, pn, gn, x, y, z |
uno |
|
| feminine |
|
|
| before consonants |
una |
|
| before vowels |
un' |
|
Possession
| English |
Italian |
Notes/Example |
| my |
il mio/la mia/i miei |
il mio amico, la mia casa |
| your |
il vostro/la vostra |
|
| his |
il suo/la sua |
|
| her |
il suo/la sua |
|
| our |
il nostro/la nostra |
|
| their |
il loro/la lora |
|
| mine |
mio |
quelle è mio = "that is mine" |
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