Demonstrative Adjectives: This and That
When shopping in Italy, you often need to point to specific items. In Italian, 'this' and 'that' change their endings to match the gender and number of the noun they describe, just like definite articles (il, la, i, le).
1. Questo (This / These)
- questo cappotto (this coat - masculine singular)
- questa gonna (this skirt - feminine singular)
- questi pantaloni (these pants - masculine plural)
- queste scarpe (these shoes - feminine plural)
2. Quello (That / Those)
'Quello' follows the exact same patterns as the word 'il/lo/la'.
- quel cappotto (that coat - before masculine consonants)
- quella gonna (that skirt - before feminine consonants)
- quelli stivali (those boots - masculine plural starting with s+consonant or z)
- quelle scarpe (those shoes - feminine plural)
Common Mistake: Do not use 'questo' for feminine nouns. Always match the ending: say questa gonna, not questo gonna.
Words
questo
this (masculine singular)
Questo cappotto è bello.This coat is nice.
questa
this (feminine singular)
Questa gonna è rossa.This skirt is red.
quello
that (masculine singular; before a noun: quel / quello)
Quello è un bel cappotto.That is a nice coat.
quella
that (feminine singular)
Quella borsa è costosa.That bag is expensive.
questi
these (masculine plural)
Questi pantaloni sono comodi.These pants are comfortable.
queste
these (feminine plural)
Queste scarpe sono nuove.These shoes are new.
quelli
those (masculine plural; before a noun: quei / quegli)
Quelli sono i miei stivali.Those are my boots.
quelle
those (feminine plural)
Quelle camicie sono belle.Those shirts are nice.
Lessons are prepared with the help of AI.
Patterns
Quanto costa ___?
Asking the price of a specific item (this or that)
Quanto costa questa gonna?How much does this skirt cost?
Mi piace ___
Expressing preference for an item
Mi piace questo cappotto.I like this coat.