Quantity · Italian grammar A1

Contents · A1

An unspecified quantity is expressed with the partitive article, formed from the preposition di and the definite article; a precise quantity is expressed with a noun of measure followed by di. A question about quantity is asked with quanto, which agrees with the noun.

The partitive article: del, della, dei#

Formation

The partitive is formed from di and the definite article, and so follows the same rules as the article: del (di + il), dello (di + lo), della (di + la), dell' (di + l') in the singular; dei (di + i), degli (di + gli), delle (di + le) in the plural.

Article	Partitive	Example
il	del	del pane
lo	dello	dello zucchero
la	della	della frutta
l'	dell'	dell'acqua
i	dei	dei biscotti
gli	degli	degli amici, degli studenti
le	delle	delle mele

Use

In the singular, the partitive is used before an uncountable noun and corresponds to “some”; in the plural, it serves as the plural of un, una and corresponds to “some” or to no word at all. In a statement, the noun with no article is correct too (compro pane). After a negative, the noun is used with no partitive and no di: Non ho soldi. La frutta and la verdura are singular collective nouns: “some fruit” is della frutta, “some vegetables” della verdura. In the plural, alcuni, alcune (“a few, some”) have a similar meaning.

A precise quantity is expressed with a noun of measure or container followed by di, with no article: un chilo di patate, un litro di latte, una bottiglia di vino, un bicchiere di acqua. To ask the quantity, quanto is used; it agrees with the noun like an adjective in -o and is placed directly before it: quanto zucchero, quanta acqua, quanti biscotti, quante uova.

Compro del formaggio e dell'uva.I'm buying some cheese and some grapes.
Al mercato ho preso delle banane.I got some bananas at the market.
Stasera vengono degli amici.Some friends are coming this evening.
Non c'è zucchero.There isn't any sugar.
Prendiamo tre tazze di tè.We'll have three cups of tea.
Quanti panini vuoi?How many rolls do you want?

Difference from English

The partitive is the Italian “some”, and like “some” it can often be left out: Compro pane and Compro del pane are both correct. “Any” after a negative has no equivalent: “There isn't any milk” is Non c'è latte, and “I haven't got a car” is Non ho la macchina or Non ho macchina. “How much” and “how many” are both quanto, which agrees with the noun and is followed directly by it: quanto latte, quante mele.

Common mistakes

~~Non c'è del pane.~~ → Non c'è pane.After a negative, the noun is used with no partitive.
~~Quanto mele?~~ → Quante mele?Quanto agrees with the noun that follows it.
~~Dei amici.~~ → Degli amici.Before a vowel, the masculine plural partitive is degli, as the article is gli.
~~Un chilo dei pomodori.~~ → Un chilo di pomodori.After a noun of measure, di is used with no article.

→ See also: Question words (A1)

In short

Point	Form	Example
singular partitive	del, dello, della, dell'	del pane, dell'acqua
plural partitive	dei, degli, delle	degli amici
after non	noun alone	Non c'è latte.
precise quantity	measure + di	un litro di latte
question	quanto, quanta, quanti, quante + noun	Quante uova?

Practise

“Quantity: del, dei, un chilo di”, The partitive: del, dello, della, dell' “Quantity: del, dei, un chilo di”, The plural partitive: dei, degli, delle “Quantity: del, dei, un chilo di”, Quantities: un chilo di, quanto?

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