Adjectives expressing a relation with geographic sites such as towns, regions and
countries use suffixes, very similar to the English ones, with only a few differences.
It is important to notice how in Italian all adjectives referring to countries do
not use a capital (uppercase) letter, as they do in English.
Also notice that when names are made of two separate words (i.e. New Zealand,
South Korea, etc.), the relevant Italian adjective often merges them into one
word.
A common standard suffix is -ano, corresponding to the English suffix -an,
used in many cases (though not so frequently as in English):
In some cases, the suffix becomes -tano (a "t" is added), and the root of the word
might slightly change too:
Another very common suffix is -ese, often matching the same English one (but not always):
In a few cases, an "n" is added to the suffix:
Some adjectives ending with -ese slightly change the noun's root before the suffix; this
happens more often than with -ano:
Another suffix which matches English -an is -ino:
A few adjectives use suffix -eno:
A very similar suffix is -egno (derived from the Spanish -eño),
for two adjectives referring to Central American countries:
A less common suffix is -ico, in some cases matching the English suffix -ic:
(i.e. deserto arabico = Arabic desert);
arabo instead refers to language and culture
(i.e. lingua araba = Arabic language; cultura araba = Arabic culture; etc.)
A few changes may occur to the root of the noun when the adjective keeps the old form from Latin:
A particular suffix is -olo, used in a few cases:
Another particular suffix is -iota, used in a rather limited number of cases:
For a number of adjectives, the suffix is simply -o:
Also in this case the root of the noun may change:
For others, the suffix is lengthened in -acco:
And -one is also used in a few cases:
(for the pronounciation of these adjectives, see further down).
Finally, for some countries adjectives are specific, since they use a non-standard suffix:
As for pronounciation, most adjectives carry stress on their antepenutimate syllable
(i.e. on the first vowel of the suffix):
Adjectives with non-standard prefixes do not follow a given rule; in most cases the
stressed syllable is the penultimate: laziàle;
tedésco; bèlga; etc.
Summarizing suffixes and accents in a table, for easier learning:
(standard suffixes)
.....àno
.....ése
.....ènse
.....ìno
.....èno
.....ègno
.....òlo
.....àcco
.....-iòta
.....`.ico
(non-standard suffixes)
......`..
Obviously, as any other adjective, also these ones need to match both gender and number of
the noun to which they are referred (see paragraphs 2.1 to
2.3). Adjectives whose singular form ends with -e,
are both masculine and feminine; this is also true for the very few ones whose last vowel is
-a in both genders.
For cities which keep their foreign names (Kiev, Tucson, Helsinki, etc.), the use of
prepositions is usually preferred to a suffix. Simple prepositions di (of, from)
and da (from) are used in these cases:
However, with names of famous and larger cities (especially the ones whose name has an Italian
version), an adjective is also commonly used:
When it comes to countries, a suffix may be used in all cases, but prepositions too
may be often used, especially in case of uncertainty about which is the right adjective.
In this case, though, a compound preposition is needed.
This article was used with permission from:
Teach Yourself Italian
countries use suffixes, very similar to the English ones, with only a few differences.
It is important to notice how in Italian all adjectives referring to countries do
not use a capital (uppercase) letter, as they do in English.
Also notice that when names are made of two separate words (i.e. New Zealand,
South Korea, etc.), the relevant Italian adjective often merges them into one
word.
A common standard suffix is -ano, corresponding to the English suffix -an,
used in many cases (though not so frequently as in English):
Italia (Italy) >>italiano (Italian)
Roma (Rome) >>romano (roman)
Venezia (Venice) >>veneziano (venetian)
Sicilia (Sicily) >>siciliano (sicilian)
America (America) >>americano (American)
Corea del Sud (South Korea) >>sudcoreano (South Korean)
...etc. etc.
In some cases, the suffix becomes -tano (a "t" is added), and the root of the word
might slightly change too:
Napoli (Naples) >>napoletano (neapolitan)
Amalfi (Amalfi, small island near Naples) >>amalfitano (from Amalfi)
Another very common suffix is -ese, often matching the same English one (but not always):
Milano (Milan) >>milanese (milanese)
Rimini (Rimini) >>riminese (from Rimini)
Calabria (Calabria region) >>calabrese (from Calabria)
Francia (France) >>francese (French)
Malta (Malta) >>maltese (Maltese)
Islanda (Iceland) >>islandese (Icelandic)
Cina (China) >>cinese (Chinese)
Giappone (Japan) >>giapponese (Japanese)
Canada (Canada) >>canadese (Canadian)
...etc. etc.
In a few cases, an "n" is added to the suffix:
Parma (Parma, northern Italian city) >>parmense (from Parma)
Stati Uniti (United States) >>statunitense (from the US)
Nicaragua (Nicaragua) >>nicaraguense (Nicaraguan)
Panama (Panama) >>panamense (Panamese)
Costa Rica (Costa Rica) >>costaricense (from Costa Rica)
Some adjectives ending with -ese slightly change the noun's root before the suffix; this
happens more often than with -ano:
Svezia (Sweden) >>svedese (Swedish)
Inghilterra (England) >>inglese (English)
Scozia (Scotland) >>scozzese (Scottish)
Portogallo (Portugal) >>portoghese (Portuguese)
Nuova Zelanda (New Zealand) >>neozelandese (New Zealander)
Londra (London) >>londinese (Londoner)
Another suffix which matches English -an is -ino:
Tunisia (Tunisia) >>tunisino (Tunisian)
Marocco (Morocco) >>marocchino (Moroccan)
Argentina (Argentina) >>argentino (Argentinean)
Parigi (Paris) >>parigino (Parisian)
Ginevra (Geneve) >>ginevrino (from Geneve)
A few adjectives use suffix -eno:
Cile (Chile) >>cileno (Chilean)
Armenia (Armenia) >>armeno (Armenian)
Iraq (Iraq) >>iracheno (Iraqi)
A very similar suffix is -egno (derived from the Spanish -eño),
for two adjectives referring to Central American countries:
Ecuador (Ecuador) >>ecuadoregno (Ecuadorean)
El Salvador (El Salvador) >>salvadoregno (Salvadorean)
A less common suffix is -ico, in some cases matching the English suffix -ic:
Arabia (Arabia) >>arabico, but also arabo (Arabic)NOTE - arabico is used for geographic names which refer to Arabia as a land
Libia (Lybia) >>libico (Lybian)
Caucasia (Caucasia) >>caucasico (caucasian)
(i.e. deserto arabico = Arabic desert);
arabo instead refers to language and culture
(i.e. lingua araba = Arabic language; cultura araba = Arabic culture; etc.)
A few changes may occur to the root of the noun when the adjective keeps the old form from Latin:
Gran Bretagna (Great Britain) >>britannico from Latin Britannia, (British)
A particular suffix is -olo, used in a few cases:
Spagna (Spain) >>spagnolo (Spanish)
Romagna (Romagna region) >>romagnolo (from Romagna)
Another particular suffix is -iota, used in a rather limited number of cases:
Cipro (Cyprus) >>cipriota (from Cyprus)
Kenya (Kenya) >>keniota (Kenian)
For a number of adjectives, the suffix is simply -o:
Russia (Russia) >>russo (Russian)
Grecia (Greece) >>greco (Greek)
Iugoslavia (Yugoslavia) >>iugoslavo (Yugoslavian)
Argentina (Argentina) >>argentino (Argentinean)
Turchia (Turkey) >>turco (Turk)
Repubblica Ceca (Czech Republic) >>ceco (Czech, not to be confused with cieco = blind)
Also in this case the root of the noun may change:
Croazia (Croatia) >>croato (Croatian)
Slovenia (Slovenia) >>sloveno (Slovenian)
For others, the suffix is lengthened in -acco:
Polonia (Poland) >>polacco (Polish)
Slovacchia (Slovakia) >>slovacco (Slovak)
And -one is also used in a few cases:
Estonia (Poland) >>estone (Estonian)
Lapponia (Slovakia) >>lappone (Laplandic)
Lettonia (Latvia) >>lettone (Latvian)
(for the pronounciation of these adjectives, see further down).
Finally, for some countries adjectives are specific, since they use a non-standard suffix:
Lazio (Latium region) >>laziale (from Latium)
Belgio (Belgium) >>belga (Belgian)
A totally different adjective is used in the following case:
Germania (Germany) >>tedesco (German)
As for pronounciation, most adjectives carry stress on their antepenutimate syllable
(i.e. on the first vowel of the suffix):
(-ano) italiàno; romàno; (-ese) francése; inglése; (with acute accented "e") (-ense) statunitènse (notice how "e" turns to a grave accent) (-ino) tunisìno; marocchìno; (-eno) cilèno; rumèno; (-egno) ecuadorègno; salvadorègno; (-olo) spagnòlo; romagnòlo; (-acco) polàcco; slovàcco; ...BUT(-iota) these adjectives carry stress on vowel "o": cipriòta; keniòta; etc.; (-ico) these adjectives carry stress on the antepenultimate syllable: lìbico; britànnico; etc. (-one) also these adjectives are stressed on the antepenultimate syllable: lèttone; èstone; (-o) these adjectives carry stress on the penultimate syllable (i.e. on the last vowel before
the suffix): rùsso; tùrco; grèco; etc. etc.
Adjectives with non-standard prefixes do not follow a given rule; in most cases the
stressed syllable is the penultimate: laziàle;
tedésco; bèlga; etc.
Summarizing suffixes and accents in a table, for easier learning:
(standard suffixes)
.....àno
.....ése
.....ènse
.....ìno
.....èno
.....ègno
.....òlo
.....àcco
.....-iòta
.....`.ico
(non-standard suffixes)
......`..
Obviously, as any other adjective, also these ones need to match both gender and number of
the noun to which they are referred (see paragraphs 2.1 to
2.3). Adjectives whose singular form ends with -e,
are both masculine and feminine; this is also true for the very few ones whose last vowel is
-a in both genders.
sono romano (I am roman, masculine); sono romana (I am roman, feminine);
siamo romani (we are roman, masculine); siamo romane (we are roman, feminine)
sono francese (I am French, both masculine and feminine)
siamo francesi (we are French, both masculine and feminine)
sono statunitense (I am from the US, both masculine and feminine)
siamo statunitensi (we are from the US, both masculine and feminine)
sono tunisino (I am Tunisian, masculine); sono tunisina (I am Tunisian, feminine);
siamo tunisini (we are Tunisian, masculine); siamo tunisine (we are Tunisian, feminine)
sono armeno (I am Armenian, masculine); sono armena (I am Armenian, feminine);
siamo armeni (we are Armenian, masculine); siamo armene (we are Armenian, feminine)
sono britannico (I am British, masculine); sono britannica (I am British, feminine);
siamo britannici (we are British, masculine); siamo britanniche (we are British, feminine)
sono cipriota (I am from Cyprus, both masculine and feminine);
siamo ciprioti (we are from Cyprus, masculine); siamo cipriote (we are from Cyprus, feminine)
sono croato (I am Croatian, masculine); sono croata (I am Croatian, feminine);
siamo croati (we are Croatian, masculine); siamo croate (we are Croatian, feminine)
sono belga (I am Belgian, both masculine and feminine);
siamo belgi (we are Belgian, masculine); siamo belghe (we are Belgian, feminine)
sono tedesco (I am German, masculine); sono tedesca (I am German, feminine);
siamo tedeschi (we are German, masculine); siamo tedesche (we are German, feminine)
For cities which keep their foreign names (Kiev, Tucson, Helsinki, etc.), the use of
prepositions is usually preferred to a suffix. Simple prepositions di (of, from)
and da (from) are used in these cases:
è di Phoenix (he/she is from Phoenix) or viene da Phoenix (he/she comes from Phoenix)
siamo di Valencia (we are from Valencia) or veniamo da Valencia (we come from Valencia)
However, with names of famous and larger cities (especially the ones whose name has an Italian
version), an adjective is also commonly used:
sei di Londra (you are from London) or sei londinese (you are a londoner)
sei di Parigi (you are from Paris) or sei parigino
sei di Berlino (you are from Berlin) or sei berlinese
When it comes to countries, a suffix may be used in all cases, but prepositions too
may be often used, especially in case of uncertainty about which is the right adjective.
In this case, though, a compound preposition is needed.
This article was used with permission from:
Teach Yourself Italian