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Most common adjectives in Italian

96 words, from beginner to advanced. Tap a word to hear it.

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The topic adjektive italienisch includes adjectives whose meaning can change with their position. Povero before a noun often expresses sympathy; after it, it commonly refers to a lack of money. Vecchio before a noun can suggest a longstanding relationship; after it, it often describes age.

Bello concerns beauty or appeal, while Buono can describe quality, kindness or taste. They are not interchangeable in every context. Grande and Piccolo do not refer only to physical size: they can also express importance or affection. Their meaning depends on the noun and the situation.

  1. Primo /ˈprimo/ First A1Elementary#
  2. Grande /ˈɡrande/ Big A1Elementary#
  3. Piccolo /ˈpikkolo/ Small (masculine form) A1Elementary#
  4. Giovane /ˈdʒovane/ Young A1Elementary#
  5. Vecchio /ˈvɛkkjo/ Old A1Elementary#
  6. Nuovo /ˈnwɔvo/ New A1Elementary#
  7. Bello /ˈbɛllo/ Beautiful A1Elementary#
  8. Buono /ˈbwɔno/ Good A1Elementary#
  9. Cattivo /katˈtivo/ Bad A1Elementary#
  10. Facile /ˈfatʃile/ Easy A1Elementary#
  11. Difficile /difˈfitʃile/ Difficult A1Elementary#
  12. Caldo /ˈkaldo/ Hot A1Elementary#
  13. Freddo /ˈfreddo/ Cold A1Elementary#
  14. Brutto /ˈbrutto/ Ugly A1Elementary#
  15. Magro /ˈmaɡro/ Slim A1Elementary#
  16. Veloce /veˈlotʃe/ Fast A1Elementary#
  17. Chiaro /ˈkjaro/ Light A1Elementary#
  18. Scuro /ˈskuro/ Dark A1Elementary#
  19. Sporco /ˈspɔrko/ Dirty A1Elementary#
  20. Debole /ˈdɛbole/ Weak A2Elementary#
  21. Antico /anˈtiko/ Ancient A2Intermediate#
  22. Antipatico /antiˈpatiko/ Unpleasant A2Intermediate#
  23. Scortese /skorˈteze/ Impolite A2Intermediate#
  24. Estroverso /estroˈvɛrso/ Outgoing B1Intermediate#
  25. Maleducato /maleduˈkato/ Rude A2Intermediate#
  26. Sconosciuto /skonoʃˈʃuto/ Unknown B1Intermediate#
  27. Frequente /freˈkwɛnte/ Frequent B1Intermediate#
  28. Felice /feˈlitʃe/ Happy A1Elementary#
  29. Contento /konˈtɛnto/ Content A1Elementary#
  30. Sicuro /siˈkuro/ Sure of oneself A2Elementary#
  31. Ricco /ˈrikko/ Rich A1Elementary#
  32. Povero /ˈpɔvero/ Poor A1Elementary#
  33. Simpatico /simˈpatiko/ Nice A1Elementary#
  34. Intelligente /intelliˈdʒɛnte/ Clever A1Elementary#
  35. Stupido /ˈstupido/ Stupid A2Elementary#
  36. Onesto /oˈnɛsto/ Honest A2Elementary#
  37. Noioso /noˈjozo/ Boring A2Elementary#
  38. Superficiale /superfiˈtʃale/ Shallow B2Intermediate#
  39. Silenzioso /silenˈtsjozo/ Silent A2Elementary#
  40. Interessante /interesˈsante/ Interesting A1Elementary#
  41. Arrabbiato /arrabˈbjato/ Angry A1Elementary#
  42. Triste /ˈtriste/ Sad A1Elementary#
  43. Salato /saˈlato/ Salty A1Elementary#
  44. Forte /ˈfɔrte/ Strong A1Elementary#
  45. Aperto /aˈpɛrto/ Open A1Elementary#
  46. Gentile /dʒenˈtile/ Kind A1Elementary#
  47. Chiuso /ˈkjuzo/ Closed A1Elementary#
  48. Pulito /puˈlito/ Clean A1Elementary#
  49. Grasso /ˈɡrasso/ Fat A2Elementary#
  50. Lento /ˈlɛnto/ Slow A1Elementary#
  51. Educato /eduˈkato/ Well-mannered A2Elementary#
  52. Utile /ˈutile/ Useful A2Elementary#
  53. Inutile /iˈnutile/ Useless A2Elementary#
  54. Possibile /posˈsibile/ Possible A1Elementary#
  55. Impossibile /imposˈsibile/ Impossible A1Elementary#
  56. Sano /ˈsano/ Healthy A2Elementary#
  57. Malato /maˈlato/ Ill A1Elementary#
  58. Lungo /ˈlunɡo/ Long A1Elementary#
  59. Corto /ˈkorto/ Short A1Elementary#
  60. Alto /ˈalto/ High A1Elementary#
  61. Basso /ˈbasso/ Low A1Elementary#
  62. Moderno /moˈdɛrno/ Modern A2Elementary#
  63. Divertente /diverˈtɛnte/ Funny A1Elementary#
  64. Lontano /lonˈtano/ Far A1Elementary#
  65. Pericoloso /perikoˈlozo/ Dangerous A2Elementary#
  66. Necessario /netʃesˈsarjo/ Necessary A2Elementary#
  67. Giusto /ˈdʒusto/ Correct A1Elementary#
  68. Sbagliato /zbaʎˈʎato/ Wrong A1Elementary#
  69. Pieno /ˈpjɛno/ Full A1Elementary#
  70. Vuoto /ˈvwɔto/ Empty A1Elementary#
  71. Rumoroso /rumoˈrozo/ Noisy A2Intermediate#
  72. Diverso /diˈvɛrso/ Different A1Elementary#
  73. Famoso /faˈmozo/ Famous A1Elementary#
  74. Straniero /straˈnjɛro/ Foreign A1Elementary#
  75. Dolce /ˈdoltʃe/ Sweet A1Elementary#
  76. Bagnato /baɲˈɲato/ Wet A2Elementary#
  77. Timido /ˈtimido/ Shy A2Elementary#
  78. Umido /ˈumido/ Humid A2Elementary#
  79. Secco /ˈsekko/ Dry A2Elementary#
  80. Abituale /abiˈtwale/ Usual B1Intermediate#
  81. Occasionale /okkazjoˈnale/ Occasional B1Intermediate#
  82. Ordinato /ordiˈnato/ Tidy A2Intermediate#
  83. Disordinato /dizordiˈnato/ Untidy A2Intermediate#
  84. Raro /ˈraro/ Rare A2Intermediate#
  85. Reale /reˈale/ Real A2Elementary#
  86. Uguale /uˈɡwale/ Equal A1Elementary#
  87. Locale /loˈkale/ Local A2Elementary#
  88. Personale /persoˈnale/ Personal A2Elementary#
  89. Affollato /affolˈlato/ Crowded A2Elementary#
  90. Acido /ˈatʃido/ Sour A2Elementary#
  91. Colorato /koloˈrato/ Colored A1Elementary#
  92. Profondo /proˈfondo/ Deep B1Elementary#
  93. Bugiardo /buˈdʒardo/ Lying A2Elementary#
  94. Trasparente /traspaˈrɛnte/ Transparent B1Intermediate#
  95. Immaginario /immadʒiˈnarjo/ Imaginary B1Intermediate#
  96. Superfluo /suˈpɛrfluo/ Superfluous B2Intermediate#

Rules to remember

  • Adjectives ending in -o, such as Piccolo, generally use -a for the feminine singular, -i for the masculine plural and -e for the feminine plural.
  • Adjectives ending in -e, such as Grande and Facile, have the same singular form for both genders and form the plural in -i.
  • In Ricco and Lungo, an h is added before plural endings to preserve the hard consonant sound.

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