As you can see from the following list of indefinite adjectives and pronouns, you have many options for expressing yourself in Italian! This lesson should serve as an overview, in which you can see the variety and number of indefinite adjectives and pronouns at your disposal in the Italian language. In subsequent lessons, we will cover specific adjectives and pronouns in greater detail, so that you can see and hear even more examples of how these words are used and get more practice using them yourself!
Indefinite adjectives and pronouns serve to indicate quality or quantity, but they do not refer to a specific person or thing.
- Following is a list of the most commonly used Italian indefinite adjectives. These adjectives are always invariable, and they always modify a singular noun.
- ogni --> every, each
Ogni volta che gioco a tennis mi diverto.
Every time I play tennis, I have fun.
Ogni paragrafo deve essere ben esaminato.
Each paragraph must be well examined.
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- qualche --> some, a few, any
In qualche modo sarà possibile.
In some way it will be possible.
Per qualche ragione ha problemi di autostima.
For some reason he has self-esteem problems.
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- qualsiasi --> any, any kind of, whichever, whatever
Dobbiamo finirlo a qualsiasi costo.
We must finish it at any cost.
Faremmo meglio ad incontrarci da qualsiasi altra parte.
We would be better off meeting anywhere else.
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- qualunque --> any, any kind of, whichever, whatever
Farei qualunque cosa per raggiungere il mio obiettivo.
I would do anything to achieve my goal.
Giancarlo non avrebbe potuto scegliere un mestiere qualunque.
Giancarlo couldn’t choose just any job.
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- The following are the most commonly used indefinite pronouns. These, too, are only used in the singular, but unlike indefinite adjectives, some of them are variable.
- uno/a --> one
Uno non sa mai riconoscere i propri difetti.
One never knows how to recognize his own defects.
Uno di noi dovrebbe aiutare.
One of us should help.
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- ognuno/a --> everyone, everybody, each one
A ognuno il suo.
To each his own.
Ognuno fa quello che ha voglia di fare.
Everyone does what he feels like doing.
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- qualcuno/a --> someone, somebody, anyone, anybody
Aspetti qualcuno?
Are you waiting for somebody?
Si è arrabbiato con qualcuno.
He got angry with someone.
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- chiunque --> anybody, anyone, whoever, whomever
Chiunque può imparare ad essere più creativo!
Anyone can learn to be more creative!
La discussione è per chiunque voglia partecipare.
The discussion is for anybody who wants to participate.
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- qualcosa --> something, anything
C’è qualcosa di strano qui.
There is something strange here.
Mi hai portato qualcosa?
Did you bring me anything?
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- niente, nulla --> nothing, anything
Non ha niente a che fare con te!
It doesn’t have anything to do with you!
Non vogliamo fare nulla!
We don’t want to do anything!
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NB: When qualcosa and niente are followed by an adjective, di is used to precede the adjective. When they are followed by an infinitive verb, da is used.
Vorremmo qualcosa da mangiare.
We would like something to eat.
Non abbiamo visto niente di speciale.
We didn’t see anything special.
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- Following is a list of indefinites that can be used as both adjectives and pronouns.
- alcuni/e --> some, a few, several
Abbiamo alcune cose da fare.
We have a few things to do.
Hai visto gli studenti? Alcuni non sono venuti.
Have you seen the students? Several didn’t come.
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NB: Alcuni/e is only used in the plural.
- altro/a/i/e --> other
Ci sono altre ricette.
There are other recipes.
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- altro --> something/anything else
Vuole altro?
Do you want anything else?
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- altri/e --> others
Dove sono gli altri?
Where are the others?
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- certo/a/i/e --> certain
A certe donne piace questo negozio.
Certain women like this store.
Certi non vogliono capire.
Certain [people] don’t want to understand.
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- ciascuno/a --> each, each one
Leggeremo ciascun articolo.
We will read each article.
Ha conosciuto ciascuno di loro?
Did she meet each of them?
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NB1: Ciascuno/a is only used in the singular.
NB2: When used as an adjective, ciascuno apocopates in front of masculine nouns beginning with a vowel or a consonant that is not s impure (s + consonant), gn, ps, x, z:
| Ciascun uomo | | Each man |
| Ciascun cane | | Each dog |
| Ciascuno sgabello | | Each stool |
| Ciascuno psicologo | | Each psychologist |
Ciascuna elides the final letter a in front of feminine nouns beginning with a vowel:
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| Ciascun'orchidea | | Each orchid |
| Ciascun'amica | | Each (female) friend |
- molto/a/i/e --> much, many, a lot of
La signora ha molti gatti.
The lady has a lot of cats.
I professori? Molti non insegnano questo semestre.
The professors? Many aren’t teaching this semester.
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- nessuno/a --> no, none, not... any, no-one, nobody
Non abbiamo nessun problema.
We have no problems.
Non ho visto nessuno.
I didn’t see anyone.
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NB: Nessuno/a is only used in the singular. In its adjective form, nessuno is frequently shortened to nessun in front of masculine nouns which do not begin with gn, ps, x, z or s + consonant. For example: nessun uomo, nessun ragazzo, but nessuno stadio.
- parecchio/a, parecchi/parecchie --> a lot, several
La ditta ha parecchie idee nuove.
The company has several new ideas.
Ho speso parecchio per questo vestito.
I spent a lot on this dress.
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- poco/a, pochi/e --> little, few
C’è poca frutta nel frigorifero.
There’s little fruit in the fridge.
Pochi riescono a finire il corso.
Few succeed in finishing the course.
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- tanto/a/i/e --> so much, so many
Hanno invitato tante persone.
They invited many people.
Tanti non sanno nuotare.
So many don’t know how to swim.
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- troppo/a/i/e --> too much, too many
C’è troppo sale!
There’s too much salt!
Eravamo in troppi.
There were too many of us.
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- tutto/a/i/e --> all, every, whole
Tutto il mese non voleva lavorare.
The whole month he didn’t want to work.
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NB: When tutto is used as an adjective, an article must be used, as in the above example.
The article is omitted in the idioms tutt’e due (both) and tutt’e tre (all three), etc. The article must, however, be used when these expressions modify a noun.
Tutt’e due i bambini sono malati.
Both kids are sick.
Tutt’e tre le ragazze vogliono andare al mare.
All three girls want to go to the beach.
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- tutto --> everything
Roberto può raccontarci tutto.
Roberto can tell us everything.
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- tutti/e --> everyone
Quasi tutti amano l’estate.
Almost everyone loves the summer.
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