Lesson 14: Invariable Nouns and Adjectives

In Italian, there are some nouns and adjectives which do not change form when in the plural or change to accommodate gender. These nouns and adjectives are called invariable. Remember that adverbs are invariable, too!

Nouns are considered invariable when they have the same form in both the singular and the plural. Nouns that follow this convention are:

1. Foreign words (which typically end in a consonant) such as:
   
   gli yogurt, i jeans, i film
   (yogurts, jeans, films)
   
   
2. Nouns that end in an accent vowel:
   
   le città, le formalità, i virtù, i caffè
   (cities, formalities, virtues, coffees)
   
   
3. Feminine nouns ending in "i":
   
   le crisi, le ipotesi
   
   
4. Feminine nouns ending in an "ie":
   
   le serie, le specie
   
   Exception: la moglie = le mogli
   
   
5. Abbreviated feminine nouns:
   
   singular: la moto, l'auto, la metro, la foto, la bici, il cinema
   plural: le moto, le auto, le metro, le foto, le bici, i cinema
   
   
6. One syllable nouns:
   
   il re, lo sci
   i re, gli sci
   
   
7. Other nouns:
   
   la manforte, l'infradito (m. or f.), lo stuzzicadenti, il caccia
   le manforte, gli infradito/le infradito, gli stuzzicadenti, i caccia
   
   
8. Possessive pronoun, loro, is invariable.
   
   
9. The following noun(s) are also invariable:
   
   il boia: executioner
   il rom, la rom: Roma, gypsy
   

Adjectives are invariable when they keep the same form and do not change form to match the gender and number of the noun that they modify. The adjectives below are invariable:

1. The possessive adjective, loro, is invariable
   
   
2. Certain colors: blu, rosa, viola, lilla, beige
   
   
3. Colors that require two words: verde bottiglie (bottle green), nero notte (night black)
   
   
4. The adjectives: pari, dispari, impari
   
   
5. The adjective: arrosto
   
   
6. The adjective: antiproiettile: bullet-proof
   
   
7. The adjective: antiscivolo: non-slip
   
   
8. The adjective: rom: Roma, gypsy
   
   
9. The adjective: cuscinetto: buffer
   
   

NB: This post is updated as new invariable adjectives and nouns are learned and/or encountered.
last updated: 1 October 2008