UNIT 6.

4 Grammatica

Indefinite Adjectives and Pronouns

AGGETTIVI E PRONOMI INDEFINITI

Indefinite adjectives

Tutto/a/i/e

The adjective tutto/a/i/e (all, every, the whole) is always followed by the definite
article (il, lo, l’, i, gli, la, le).

singolare tutto il … tutto lo… tutto l’ … tutta l’/la …

plurale tutti i … tutti gli … tutti gli … tutte le
Tutto / tutta mean “the whole”, “the entire”.
Tutti / tutte means “all”, “every”.

Study the following examples:

Hai studiato tutto il capitolo?
Hai studiato tutti i capitoli?
Tutte le scarpe di questo negozio sono care!
Hanno perso tutte le tue valigie?
Tutta la mia famiglia sarà alla cena!
Did you study the whole chapter?
Did you study all the chapters?
All the shoes in this shop are expensive!
Did they lose all your suitcases?
My whole family will be at the dinner!

Ogni

Ogni (each) is invariable, and unlike tutte and tutti is always followed by the singular
noun without the definite article.
The sentences in the two columns are synonymous:

Ogni albergo qui è caro. Tutti gli alberghi qui sono cari.

(Each hotel here is expensive.) (All hotels here are expensive.)

Ogni studentessa frequenta un corso di Tutte le studentesse frequentano un

lingua. corso di lingua.

(Each student [f.] attends a language class.) (All students [f.] attend a language class.)

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UNIT 6.4 Grammatica

Qualche, alcuni/e, di + art.

There are three different ways to say “some” in Italian:

[di+article] Vendono del riso italiano in questo

del, dello, della, dell’, dei, degli, delle negozio.
They sell some Italian rice in this store.
Ho letto alcuni libri sulla storia di
alcuni / alcune Venezia.
I read some books on the history of Venice.
Ho letto qualche libro sulla storia di
qualche Venezia.
I read some books on the history of Venice.

Notice the following points:

1. Qualche and alcuni/e are used interchangeably and have exactly the same
meaning. However, qualche is singular, and therefore is always followed by a noun
in the singular, although its meaning is plural (“some books”, as in the above
sentence).

2. Qualche only has one form, both for feminine and masculine nouns.

3. Qualche and alcuni/e can only be used with countable nouns, i.e. things that one
can literally count.
For example, “glasses of milk” is a countable noun (I can count the glasses of milk,
i.e. I can say “One, two, three, etc. glasses of milk”).
“Milk”, instead, is an uncountable noun because I can measure “milk” (for example, I
can say “One liter, one gallon of milk, etc.”) but I cannot count “milk” (I cannot say
“Two, three, etc. milks”).

4. All forms of di + the definite article (del, dello, della, dell’, dei, degli, delle) can be
used both for countable and uncountable nouns.
Uncountable nouns are generally singular (del latte, del vino, del pane, etc.).

Study the examples on the following page:

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UNIT 6.4 Grammatica

with dei bicchieri di alcuni bicchieri di qualche bicchiere di

countable latte latte latte
nouns (some glasses of milk) (some glasses of milk) (some glasses of milk)

delle tazzine di alcune tazzine di qualche tazzina di

caffè caffè caffè
(some cups of coffee) (some cups of coffee) (some cups of coffee)

with del latte

uncountable (some milk)
nouns
del caffè
(some coffee)

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 Indefinite pronouns

Tutto/a/i/e

The pronouns tutto/a (everything) and tutti/e (everyone, everybody) do not take the
definite article. Compare pronouns and adjectives in the following chart:

Pronouns Adjectives
Tutti seguono quattro corsi. Tutti gli studenti seguono quattro corsi.
(Everyone takes take four courses.) (All students take four courses.)

Tutte parlano l’inglese. Tutte le mie amiche parlano l’inglese.

(Everyone [f] speaks English.) (All my friends [f] speak English.)

Hai finito tutto? Hai finito tutto il lavoro?

(Have you finished everything?) (Have you finished all the work?)
L’ho mangiata tutta. Ho mangiato tutta la pizza.
(I have eaten the whole thing) (I have eaten the entire pizza)

Ognuno/a

The pronoun ognuno/a (each one) is always followed by the singular form of the verb like
the adjective ogni (each). Compare pronouns and adjectives in the following chart:

Pronouns Adjectives
Ognuna deve fare l’esame orale. Ogni studentessa deve fare l’esame orale.
(Each one [f] must take an oral exam.) (Each student (f) must take an oral exam.)

Ognuno deve lavorare anche il sabato. Ogni dipendente deve lavorare anche il
(Each one must work on Saturdays as well.) sabato.
(Each employee must work on Saturdays as well.)

Qualcuno, qualcosa, alcuni/e

Qualcuno is a pronoun used for people and corresponds to the adjective qualche.

Qualcosa is a pronoun used for things and corresponds to the adjective qualche.

Alcuni and alcune can be both adjectives and pronouns.

Qualche uomo è generoso. Qualcuno è generoso.

(Some men are generous.) (Someone is generous.)

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 Ho qualche commissione da sbrigare Ho qualcosa da sbrigare oggi.
oggi.
(I have some errands to run today.) (I have something to run today.)

Alcuni uomini sono generosi. Alcuni sono generosi.

(Some men are generous.) (Some are generous.)

Alcune donne vivono sole. Alcune vivono sole.

(Some women live alone.) (Some [f] live alone.)

Please note that the feminine qualcuna also exists, but is not commonly used.
Even when referring to a group of women, qualcuno is more frequently used.